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| Joe Lynn Turner | |
|---|---|
| Name | Joe Lynn Turner |
| Background | solo_singer |
| Birth name | Joseph Arthur Mark Linquito |
| Birth date | 2 August 1951 |
| Birth place | New York City, Queens, New York |
| Genres | Hard rock, AOR, heavy metal, blues rock |
| Occupations | Singer, songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 1968–present |
| Labels | Atlantic Records, Elektra Records, Frontiers Records |
| Associated acts | Rainbow, Deep Purple, Yngwie Malmsteen, Glenn Hughes, Ritchie Blackmore, Michael Schenker, Cher, Survivor, Scorpions |
Joe Lynn Turner Joseph Arthur Mark Linquito (born August 2, 1951) is an American singer and songwriter known for his work in hard rock and AOR from the 1970s onward. He rose to prominence as the lead vocalist for Rainbow in the early 1980s and later collaborated with notable figures such as Ritchie Blackmore, Deep Purple, and Yngwie Malmsteen. Turner's career spans solo albums, session work, and reunions, with influence across rock music circles and international touring.
Born in Queens, New York City, Turner grew up in an Italian-American family with roots in New York. He attended local schools before pursuing music in his teens, performing in neighborhood venues across Queens and Long Island, often citing early exposure to rhythm and blues and regional rock and roll radio programs. His formative years coincided with the rise of artists from New York City's vibrant music scenes, including contemporaries from Broadway, Greenwich Village, and nearby New Jersey clubs.
Turner began singing professionally in the late 1960s and early 1970s with regional acts before gaining attention with bands such as Fandango and The Joe Perry Project. He worked alongside musicians who later appeared with Aerosmith, Boston, and Foreigner, and he built a reputation through club dates in New York City and the Northeastern United States. His session work and demo recordings brought him into contact with producers and A&R figures from labels like Atlantic Records and Elektra Records, leading to collaborations with artists connected to Cher, Glenn Hughes, and members of Journey.
Turner's major breakthrough came when he joined Rainbow led by Ritchie Blackmore; his tenure included the albums Difficult to Cure and Straight Between the Eyes, featuring hits popular on MTV and album-oriented rock radio. Working with musicians linked to Deep Purple and touring across Europe and North America, Turner contributed vocals to songs that expanded Rainbow's audience into Japan and Germany. His period with Rainbow overlapped with appearances alongside contemporaries from Scorpions, Uriah Heep, and Asia, and he performed at festivals associated with promoters who also worked with Iron Maiden and Judas Priest.
After Rainbow, Turner launched a solo career releasing albums on labels including Atlantic Records and later Frontiers Records, collaborating with artists such as Yngwie Malmsteen, Glenn Hughes, Michael Schenker, and members of Deep Purple. He contributed lead vocals to projects with musicians from Whitesnake, Journey, and Scorpions, and recorded duets and guest spots on releases alongside producers tied to Sony Music and Universal Music Group. His solo work ranged from melodic rock to blues-inflected tracks, and he toured with lineups that featured players from Survivor and session veterans who had worked with Sting and Paul McCartney.
In subsequent decades Turner participated in reunion shows, tribute projects, and studio collaborations, appearing on albums and tours with artists from Europe, Gotthard, and Tyketto. He fronted projects that included members associated with Rainbow alumni and worked on soundtrack contributions for films distributed by Warner Bros. and Universal Pictures. Turner remained active on festival circuits across Japan, South America, and Europe, and issued releases on Frontiers Records while engaging in archival reissues connected to catalog holders such as Rhino Entertainment.
Turner's vocal style blends AOR melodicism with blues-tinged phrasing, drawing inspiration from singers linked to Sam Cooke, Rod Stewart, Steve Perry, and David Coverdale. His approach emphasizes strong melodic hooks and clear diction suited to radio-friendly arrangements favored by AOR producers and engineers who worked in studios like Abbey Road Studios and Sunset Sound. Instrumental collaborators often included guitarists influenced by Ritchie Blackmore, Jeff Beck, and Yngwie Malmsteen, giving his recordings a mixture of classic rock soloing and contemporary production techniques used by mixers from Los Angeles and London.
Turner has lived in New York and toured internationally, maintaining ties with musicians from Rainbow, Deep Purple, and the wider hard rock community. His legacy includes contributions to landmark recordings that influenced later artists in melodic rock, power metal, and hard rock revival scenes, with his work frequently cited by vocalists in Japan and Europe who cover material from his Rainbow and solo catalog. Turner continues to be referenced in retrospectives by music magazines and broadcasters associated with networks like BBC Radio and VH1.
Category:1951 births Category:American rock singers Category:Living people