The Soul of Ike & Tina Turner is the debut album by Ike & Tina Turner, released on the Sue Records label in 1961. It's noted for the duo's debut hit single, "A Fool in Love" and for its modest follow-up singles, "I'm Jealous" and the top five R&B hit, "I Idolize You".

In 1957, Ann Bullock had won a spot in musical veteran Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm band as a background vocalist and was the first female vocalist to join Turner's band since Annie Mae Wilson Turner, one of Turner's former wives, in the early 1950s. Ike Turner had won a reputation as a talent scout, A&R man and bandleader and was credited for creating one of the first rock & roll records, "Rocket 88". By the time Ann Bullock joined, Turner and his band had gained a huge reputation in the St. Louis musical scene. Originally "A Fool in Love" had been composed by Turner in 1959 as a single for his then-lead vocalist for the Kings of Rhythm, Art Lassiter. Lassiter and Turner had an argument over the song's royalties leading to Lassiter walking out of the session before the song was to be recorded. While he still had no plan to make Ann Bullock the lead vocalist, he did asked her to sing the song as a guide vocal track for Lassiter as he was paying for the studio time used during the time of the song's recording.

Ike Turner then sent the recording to New York City where Sue Records president Juggy Murray heard it and convinced Turner to keep Bullock on the song as Turner's original attempt was to erase her vocal after introducing the song to Lassiter. Turner was given a $25,000 check by Murray to keep Bullock's vocals. Prior to the song's release and signing a contract with Sue Records, Ike Turner decided to make Bullock into the lead vocal act, changing her name to Tina Turner, which Tina was unaware of until hearing the name on the radio when the song played. Her original stage name had been Little Ann prior. The billing of Ike Turner's band also changed, from Ike Turner & The Kings of Rhythm (or The Rhythm Rockers as he had sometimes billed them) to The Ike & Tina Turner Revue. Released in the late spring of 1960, the song became an instant R&B hit and also successfully crossed over to the pop charts, peaking at the top thirty of the chart. Starting a rigorous schedule that would continue until Tina Turner left Ike in 1976, there would be a habit of recording albums and going on tours. This album was composed when the group was on the road and released in 1961.

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