Many famous couples have come and gone since the early days of Hollywood, but "it" couples continue to thrive in the realm of pop culture. Among them were Cher and Sonny Bono, who took the world by storm as soon as their relationship became public. Sadly, it appears that having love and fame wasn't enough to keep them together. Now we know what went wrong with this dynamic duo...
The Early Beginnings of an Icon
Cherilyn Sarkisian always had a vision of herself becoming a famous artist. Her greatest joy came from singing, which she did best despite her stage fright. At 16, the young Cher decided to pursue a career in music full-time instead of attending high school. This led her to go to Los Angeles, where she eventually became known as Cher.
In 1962, Cher was making her way across Los Angeles when she stumbled into a restaurant and encountered a man named Sonny Bono. Sonny was 11 years older than her and had just been divorced from his first wife, so their initial encounter was strictly casual. They failed to anticipate the beginning of a lengthy and convoluted love tale that has baffled many of their followers to this day.
An Unrequited Love That Changed in Time
The two were complete strangers when they first met, but Cher often says it was love at first sight. The aspiring singer found herself drawn to him on several levels, including his appearance, demeanor, and professional pursuits. Learning more about Sonny was a plus in Cher's book. To begin with, she had a serious crush on him. Then, she was also aware that his business connections might benefit her future in music.
The two were complete strangers when they first met, but Cher often says it was love at first sight. The aspiring singer found herself drawn to him on several levels, including his appearance, demeanor, and professional pursuits. Learning more about Sonny was a plus in Cher's book. To begin with, she had a serious crush on him. Then, she was also aware that his business connections might benefit her future in music.
They Suddenly Developed Feelings
Cher's career as a performer mirrored the development of her relationship with Sonny. In 1963, they went from being friends to lovers after one movie date. Their love was so intense that it didn't take long for them to secretly tie the knot in a Mexico City hotel room on October 27, 1964.
When Cher finally realized her ambition to become a singer, she begged Sonny to be her support system and remain by her side. Cher, who used to suffer from severe stage anxiety, finally felt at ease when Sonny joined her on stage. Sonny would accompany Cher and provide harmonies while Cher would draw courage from her spouse.
They Became a Beloved Singing Sensation
Sonny and Cher became a legitimate singing group because of their incredible talent and undeniable chemistry onstage. They released their first singles to the public in the latter half of 1964 and issued these recordings as Caeser & Cleo. Sonny and Cher believed that their collaborations on ‘Love Is Strange,’ ‘Let the Good Times Roll,’ and ‘Do You Wanna Dance?’ would catapult them to superstardom.
These singles failed to give them fame and were met with a hostile reception. Fortunately, Sonny's next song would alter their lives in ways they could never have predicted. After two years of attempting to make it on their own, Sonny and Cher made it big with the smash hit ‘I Got You Babe.’ The pair went from unknown to household names in record time!
Early Loss
They may have made it big, but that doesn't mean the pair wouldn't go through their own hardships. In 2022, Cher opened up about the traumatic miscarriages she had experienced, with the first one being in 1964 just shortly after she married Sonny.
Just 18 at the time, Cher was in enormous pain when husband Sonny found her in their home, "sobbing and rocking on the floor." Brought to the hospital "screaming in pain," she underwent emergency surgery.
The First Cracks of Their Relationship
Once ‘I Got You Babe’ became a hit, it appeared like Sonny and Cher had reached the pinnacle of their careers. There was widespread knowledge of their identities, mainly since their music was becoming wildly popular. In addition, Cher became a fashion icon in the United Kingdom and the United States because of her unique sense of style. Yet, the more their fame grew, the harder it was for them to stay together.
As they became more well-known, Sonny became less dependable, and his pride began to get in the way of his commitment to her. Sonny apparently had several relationships during his earliest period of stardom. During this time, Cher learned about his infidelity and made up her mind to call it quits, though quietly. On the outside, they both maintained the public persona of being a powerful couple. Is there a way for her to end things with him that won't be detrimental to her professional standing?
Getting Back Together With a Price
Being without Cher made Sonny miserable, and he felt he could never find another woman who could bring him the same joy. So, he contacted her again, this time with an offer. His primary goal was to see them tie the knot legally so they could begin a family. All he wanted was to be with her, so he vowed he would stop cheating and start living a better life.
Cher was aware that her spouse had wronged her, but she still hoped that he would make amends. So, after giving birth to their only child, Chastity Bono, she consented to marry him. Having a family and getting their life back on track made them both ecstatic, but this joy wouldn't last. Sadly, their career faced a setback as they were seen to be too conventional for the listeners, declining their popularity.
A Clash of Two Legends
People of the era thought the folk rock of Sonny and Cher to be too bland, as noted by pop culture author Connie Berman. Although Cher was interested in exploring new musical territories, Sonny was against it for personal reasons. Nonetheless, it wasn't only their music that had people clamoring for more.
Fans used to adore the pair, but the romantic revolution of the ‘60s found monogamy dull. So, Cher and Sonny tried to be cool by dressing in bright unisex clothing, but the liberal youth of America rejected them because of their conservative views, music, and even their relationship. Sonny didn't want to alter their musical style, so they were forced to search elsewhere to replace the younger followers they were losing. The two starred and produced a film called Good Times, but it didn’t do well at the box office.
People Appreciated Cher’s Acting Talent
Cher was able to add a few more acting credits to her resume in the late '60s, even though Good Times was a box office failure. They were, however, insufficient to catapult her into the spotlight at large. Nevertheless, it seems this was enough to make Sonny envious, and his ego couldn’t handle it.
Sonny saw that Cher was becoming more famous and more talented than he was, yet he still wanted to be with her. He insisted that they rename themselves Vegas Duo, and off they went to Nevada's gambling capital to perform their unique musical comedy style. Success in Las Vegas opened doors for Sonny and Cher that they could never have imagined. The executives at CBS wanted them to establish their own comedy and music program, and so in 1971, they launched The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour.
Sonny Reverted to His Old Ways
Their followers recognized that while Sonny was instrumental to the couple's success, Cher's ability ultimately propelled them ahead. It's been hypothesized that Sonny didn't appreciate the rift, so he resumed command of both their private and professional lives. Even while Cher was pleased with their TV program and the songs they were making, she felt stifled and desired more autonomy as the ‘70s progressed.
A few years prior, when Sonny had assured Cher that he wouldn't cheat on her again, he was pretty convincing. Yet, it appears that the allure of stardom and wealth was too much for him, and he once again engaged in extramarital affairs. Cher learned the news really quickly, and her husband's infidelity ultimately undid her first marriage and subsequent happiness as a mother and wife. She realized she had to end the marriage and their relationship.
Love Is a Battlefield for Sonny and Cher
In one interview, Cher revealed that fame and fortune changed Sonny so much that he became a womanizer. Despite her best efforts, their love wouldn’t last due to Sonny’s ways. Though they had quietly split up in 1972, Sonny and Cher were still the most talked-about couple of the decade. They continued to perform brilliantly on their program, and no one had any reason to believe that they weren't a couple. It wasn't Cher's idea at all to keep playing a happy family on TV for another two years. She felt compelled to do it.
Cher wanted to end their professional and personal relationship, but she was forced to wait because of Sonny. He allegedly threatened her that he would ruin her career if she ever left him. Cher was terrified of losing her work for two years, so she pretended otherwise. Unfortunately, she had reached her breaking point.
Their Divorce Was Inevitable
In 1974, Cher retaliated against her ex-lover and decided that breaking up with him was worth the potential damage to her career. She took the necessary steps toward divorcing her spouse, but things didn't go smoothly, unfortunately. Cher realized she deserved better than an unfaithful spouse and could advance her career significantly without Sonny, but she and Sonny were bound by a contract and couldn't break free.
Cher had to wait until the end of production on The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour before she could petition for divorce. There had already been widespread speculation about their breakup, but she was adamant about sticking to her decision. On his part, Sonny wanted to initiate the divorce process, so he raced to beat his wife to the courthouse. This was the apex of his power play, but she wasn't about to let it deter her from staking her own claim.
A New Cher Was on the Rise
Cher was apprehensive about how the public would respond to her first solo effort because she had never attempted anything like this before. She had a rough start to life without Sonny, but happily, she adjusted rather quickly. She returned to acting thanks to her past acting accomplishments and continued her singing career with her one-woman show, Cher. Cher had a great run of luck, while Sonny had a terrible one.
Meanwhile, Sonny’s program, The Sonny Comedy Revue, was an attempt to keep him in the public eye, but after just 13 broadcasts, it was canceled because audiences could no longer bear to see him. Sonny was another struggling singer and actor when Cher was not around. He then came to terms with the fact that his absence from Cher had the opposite effect he'd hoped it would have on their relationship.
She Happily Found Love Again
As Cher moved on after her separation from Sonny, she occasionally dated other men. Although all of her past romances were casual hookups, she appeared to have finally found her soul mate in Allman Brothers Band's founding member Gregg Allman. Cher's divorce from Sonny was formalized four days before she married Gregg, who showed her the ropes of the rock star lifestyle. Yet, their union wouldn’t last long, too.
Luckily, Cher and Gregg got back together after their breakup and chose to expand their family a month later. Amidst her busy new life, Cher couldn't pass up the opportunity to reunite with Sonny for a new episode of their hit program. The Sonny and Cher Show returned to television in February 1976. Cher had consented to the reunion in an effort to keep her name in the spotlight, but the concert they hosted together fell short of expectations.
The Reunion Show Didn’t Work Out
A year later, when ratings for the reunion program had plummeted, the show was canceled, but by then, there were already reports that Gregg and Cher were married. Reportedly, Gregg was quite envious of Cher's relationship with Sonny and had never wanted her to return to the show with her ex-husband.
In addition to substance problems, this was the final straw that broke the camel's back in their marriage. Cher and Gregg had a divorce in 1978 and that was it. This allowed Cher to focus her whole attention on her family, work, and career. It was speculated that she and Sonny might get back together, but her ex-husband had made up his mind about his stardom.
Sonny Wanted to Become a Politician
Sonny chose to leave Hollywood after realizing that he would not be able to revive his career by appearing in a reunion of the program that made him famous. He gave up show business for good and used his fortune to build a restaurant instead of continuing his musical or acting career. After a short while, he was keen to try something else again.
Sonny again found himself in the spotlight when he decided to test the political waters in the late ‘80s. For four years, his newfound notoriety may have been one of the perks of his time as mayor of Palm Springs, California. When his stint as mayor ended, he moved on to represent California in the U.S. Congress as a Republican. Sadly, he wasn't able to bask in his newfound power for very long.
Sonny Was Gone Too Soon
The world learned that Sonny Bono had been in an accident during his political career. On January 5, 1998, he was visiting Heavenly Mountain Resort in South Lake Tahoe, California, on a skiing trip. Unfortunately, Sonny passed away from his wounds after crashing into a tree while skiing.
Cher attended Sonny Bono's funeral despite their tumultuous professional and personal relationship. She even agreed to his wife Mary Bono’s request, to deliver his eulogy in front of his loved ones. Cher had to deal with an emotionally trying situation, and her ambivalence may have been on display. For one thing, she had lost a loved one who had been very important to her.
Sonny Had a New Love Before Passing
When Sonny left Hollywood for a more regular career, Cher still had a special place in his heart. Nonetheless, he wanted to start over and become someone else. Furthermore, he has wed twice more since divorcing Cher. He was married from 1981 to 1984 to Susie Coelho and again from 1986 to Mary Bono.
During his time in politics, he stayed married to Mary and expanded his family. When they had their first child, Chesare Elan in 1988 and their second, Chianna Maria, in 1991, Sonny finally began to feel like his life was returning to normal. For a while, Cher was forgotten as he devoted himself to his family.
Cher Wanted to Focus on Motherhood
Cher's divorce from Sonny was a watershed moment in her life, career, and wealth. Her children will now have her undivided attention because he was no longer a distraction. Even though Sonny and Cher's relationship was tense after they broke up, they did their best to raise their child jointly.
To be the greatest mother she could be, Cher kept things cordial with both of her children's fathers following her divorce from Gregg Allman. Many of her admirers would attest that she was successful in this position because both of her children are now thriving adults who are respected contributors to society, and even celebrities in their own right.
Their Daughter Loved Both Her Parents
Although Sonny and Cher were not on good terms, they did not want their animosity to come between them and their kid. Their precious child, Chastity, was extremely close to Cher and Sonny, though she was also going through an identity crisis.
The three appeared to have separate relationships, yet Chastity was frequently seen out and about with Cher and Sonny. As a result of seeing the young Chastity on their ‘80s TV show, people were curious to find out more about her. In light of this, one of Chastity's most profound secrets was exposed.
Chastity Took Matters Into Her Own Hands
Believe it or not, it was the press who publicly exposed Chastity as a lesbian in 1995. Years later, we discovered that there was more to the story than we had first believed. The only child of Sonny and Cher reflected that as a youngster, she always knew there was something odd about her. So, Chastity changed her gender from female to male between 2008 and 2010.
The youngster legally transitioned to the male gender in May 2010 and changed his name to Chaz Bono. While this news shocked the majority of the world, Cher's ardent followers were thrilled that her son could be true to himself. Plus, Cher has always been a vocal supporter of the LGBTQ+ community and has a close relationship with her son. Chaz is Cher's son, although she has other children as well.
Cher’s Other Child Became a Musician
When Cher was with rock icon Gregg Allman, they welcomed Chaz Bono's half-brother, Elijah Blue Allman, into the world. It's incredible to see Elijah follow in the footsteps of both his mother and father, even if some have speculated that he may not be as well-known as Chaz because his father was not as famous as Sonny Bono.
Elijah has become popular in the music industry under the stage name P. Exeter Blue, but he was also the lead singer, guitarist, and lyricist for the metal band Deadsy. The aspiring artist is also rubbing elbows with the big leagues, mainly since the legendary Gene Simmons of Kiss gave him his first instrument. Additionally, he is as proud of his mother as she is of him.
She Loved Many Men but Had Eyes for One
Cher may have focused on her business and her kids, but it doesn't mean she's forgotten about love. The icon has become one of the most legendary and gorgeous women in the entertainment world, so it’s no wonder men scrambled to get her attention.
Unfortunately, Cher has earned a reputation for dating a wide variety of oddballs. Fans like her for numerous reasons, including the fact that she has been associated with people we would never have guessed she would date. Cher is known for dating whoever she pleases, and her iconic romance with Tom Cruise is no exception. The star has said that Cruise is in her top five among all the men she has dated. She's been linked to other celebrities including Richie Sabora, Val Kilmer, Gene Simmons, and Michael Bolton.
Her One and Only Love
Cher has probably dated dozens of men throughout the years, but her marriage to Sonny Bono is her most significant relationship. Numerous tabloids and publications have directly questioned Cher if Sonny was her true love because of this. Yet, the response that the fans were looking for did not come through.
When The Guardian asked Cher who she loved, she said two guys had her heart. After some thought, she said it was both Robert Camilletti and Gregory Allman. A lot of people were taken aback by this news since they had forgotten that she had dated Rob, an aspiring actor who worked part-time at a bagel store. When Cher started dating the 22-year-old, she was almost 40 years old; yet he seemed to have had something no other guy ever had—her undying love.
A Legend After All This Time
The names Sonny and Cher will forever be linked, but Cher's success on her own merits no less recognition and she continues to enjoy it to this day. She may not release new songs as frequently as she once did, but she is still regularly performing and is universally hailed as pop's "Goddess." She has, however, moved on to other things at the moment.
Cher has recently appeared in films, including Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again and Bobbleheads: The Movie, and she was also the focus of a successful Broadway musical titled The Cher Show. She has also become a philanthropist, published several books, and introduced several perfumes. While Cher will continue to exist even in the absence of Sonny, the singer acknowledges that he was an integral part of her life despite their turbulent history together.
36 Facts About The World's Ultimate Diva: Cher
Cher has made her name on stage and screen by scooping Oscars, Grammys, world records, and a fan base that is bigger than her notorious wig collection.
But behind the diva exterior lies a troubled past, two turbulent marriages, a political feud, and a million-dollar lawsuit - and that’s not the half of it! So let’s lift the lid on the legend and find out 36 of her most fascinating facts.
A Family Invite Into the Limelight
You may wonder how a star like Cher was born? Well, in this case, she had a little help from her mom Georgia Holt. Born Jackie Jean Crouch, Holt had a career as a model and actress - getting ‘bit’ parts with occasional lines on popular ‘50s TVshows such as I Love Lucy and Studio 57.
But behind the diva exterior lies a troubled past, two turbulent marriages, a political feud, and a million-dollar lawsuit - and that’s not the half of it! So let’s lift the lid on the legend and find out 36 of her most fascinating facts.
A Family Invite Into the Limelight
You may wonder how a star like Cher was born? Well, in this case, she had a little help from her mom Georgia Holt. Born Jackie Jean Crouch, Holt had a career as a model and actress - getting ‘bit’ parts with occasional lines on popular ‘50s TVshows such as I Love Lucy and Studio 57.
As such, she was able to get Cher parts as an extra on shows like The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet - and so her TV career began.
Cher’s Two Fathers
Her mum dabbled in showbiz but Cher’s father couldn't have lived his life further from the limelight. John Sarkisian spent his days working as a truck driver and his nights gambling away any money that he made.
He also had a problem with substance abuse and subsequently left her mother when Cher was only a few months old. In doing so; he abandoned Cher who was eventually adopted, along with her younger half-sister by her mother’s second husband.
The Evolution of Cherilyn Sarkisian LaPierre Bono Allman
Cher infamously goes by just one name - and set a trend for icons that have followed, such as Madonna, Kylie, and Adele - but her real name is far longer. Originally, she was born Cherilyn Sarkisian, however, when her mom’s second husband adopted her, she became Cherilyn Sarkisian LaPierre.
Throughout the ‘70s, Cher herself then married twice and acquired two more names - making her Cherilyn Sarkisian LaPierre Bono Allman (quite the mouthful!) So it’s no wonder that she wanted to simplify things.
Finding Her Stage Name and Becoming Cher
Cher released her first single, "All I Really Want to Do" in 1964. At just 18, she decided her name didn't quite suit the stage and instead adopted the stage name Bonnie Jo Mason. However, neither the name nor the single were a success, so when she teamed up with Sonny Bono, she rebranded herself again and they became known as Caesar & Cleo.
Fast forward another few years and another re-brand and they became Sonny & Cher. At the time, this was just a stage name, but after her divorce from her second husband in 1979, she legally changed it. So she now really is officially just Cher!
The Making of Sonny and Cher
Cher famously hit the spotlight when she was one half of the singing, acting, and romantic duo Sonny and Cher, but this couple took a while to hit it off. They met in LA in a coffee shop and Cher said the only thing she liked about him was his hair, which she described as “something in between Caesar and Napoleon”.
However, he did introduce her to someone that she was far more interested in - his boss, Phil Spector. At the time, Spector was working as a music producer for some of the biggest stars, including Tina Turner and The Beatles - and Cher was desperate to be one of them.
From Cleaning to Singing
And as luck would have it, Cher got what she wanted - he asked her to work for him … but as a housekeeper. Cleaning wasn’t exactly what Cher had had in mind, but she knew how influential Spector was in the music industry and decided to use the opportunity to get in with him.
So she took the job and before long was promoted to singing backing vocals. That’s when he really noticed how talented she was and everything changed for the future star - she wasn’t going to sing in the background anymore.
Cher's Many (Famous) Admirers
As well as being married to two famous musicians, Sonny Bono and Gregg Allman, she has been linked to many high-profile men in her time., such as Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Warren Beatty, Gene Simmons, and Michael Bolton - she can incredibly add Elvis to her list of admirers.
She once revealed to David Letterman that he actually invited her to come and see one of his shows but she decided not to take him up on his offer. She has admitted since that she regrets it and we don’t blame her!
A Far From Glamorous Start to Life
Cher had a tough start in life. After her father abandoned her and her mother, they were left with very little money and Cher has even recalled having to tie her shoes together with rubber bands as they couldn’t afford to buy new ones. Sometimes, Cher would even stay at a Catholic orphanage while her mom went away for work to make sure they had enough money to survive.
But through this hardship, their relationship only became stronger and to this day, she still cites her mom as her biggest inspiration - even dedicating her latest album, Dancing Queen in her honor.
She Didn’t Find School Easy
Cher didn’t thrive at school. She has said that she loved learning and wanted to do well in English and Drama but she just couldn’t get the grades and really struggled with studying. As a result, she dropped out and never graduated from Fresno High School in California.
However, when she was 30, Cher finally discovered why she found it so difficult to keep up - as she was diagnosed with serve dyslexia and dyscalculia. She has since proved however that this doesn’t have to hold you back - and most certainly doesn’t stop you from writing some of the best lyrics of all time!
The Real Life Thelma & Lousie
Cher turned down a major opportunity when she opted out of the role of Thelma in Thelma and Louise. She decided instead to feature in Mermaids, which despite doing well was nowhere near as big a hit as the ‘91 classic.
She may have missed out on the part but it turns out that she is still quite the Thelma in real life - once revealing to US Weekly that she and Meryl Streep had actually rescued a woman in New York from being mugged. We think Thelma and Louise would be proud!
She Is Audrey Hepburn's Biggest Fan
When Cher won her Oscar for Moonstruck, she said of the achievement, “The biggest thing in my life was winning that award. The second biggest thing was shaking hands with Audrey Hepburn and having her say, ‘I’m so happy you won’.”
Apparently, this love for Hepburn stems way back to her childhood when she became obsessed with her character Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. She studied her intensely and has used her as an inspiration ever since.
Taking Advice From the Rolling Stones
Unbelievably it was a piece of advice given to Sonny and Cher from the Rolling Stones that got their career off the ground. Cher has explained that “(The Rolling Stones) had told us…that Americans just didn’t get us and that if we were going to make it big, we were going to have to go to England”.
So that's exactly what they did and it turns out that Jagger was completely right. As soon as they arrived they released “I Got You Babe” and it became an instant international hit.
Even The Best Sometimes Make Bad Choices
Cher is one of only five people in the world to have achieved the pretty remarkable honor of winning an Oscar whilst being at number one in the charts at the same time - and it’s quite the elite bunch that she joins, consisting of Frank Sinatra, Barbara Streisand, Jamie Foxx, and Bing Crosby. Her double accolade comes curtest of an academy award for Moonstruck and her number one hit single "Believe".
However - even the best of the best sometimes make some bad choices and that’s what she attributes her role in the 2010 film Burlesque to. Blaming director Steve Antin, she said of the project, “It could have been a much better film. It was always sad that it was not a good film…Terrible director! Really terrible director. And really terrible script.”
She Isn’t Her Own Biggest Fan
Cher is probably the only person in the world who would describe the majority of her albums as “absolutely not good” - but she really is very honest (as ever) about not loving her own music.
She has said that while she loves the act of singing and rehearsing - she doesn’t always love the result. As such, she tries not to listen to herself and actually prefers to perform without people watching her.
The Real Reason Sonny and Cher Split Up
They may have seemed like the perfect couple, having built their whole brand around their partnership - but things weren’t actually all that they seemed. Since they split in 1975, Cher has been very open about some of the deeper issues that ran through their partnership -
highlighting how controlling Sonny was and stating that he wouldn’t allow her to use their joint earnings. She has said that his behavior severely affected her self-confidence and that he was “a Sicilian man of his generation”.
She Introduced Auto-Tune to the Music Industry
"Believe" is one of Cher’s biggest hits of all time - but she actually wasn’t a fan of it herself at first. That’s why she decided to try out autotuning. It’s hard to imagine an album nowadays that hasn’t been autotuned but unbelievably - it had never actually been done on a track before.
But she saw someone use a vocoder on British TV and was inspired to try it out. As a result, she had a number one single, won a Grammy, and set a trend that has changed the course of musical history.
She's a #FreeBritney Supporter
With Britney Spears finally freed, it's hard to say it could have happened without the support of millions of fans the world over. One of those people was none other than Cher, who has tweeted several times in support of her fellow pop star.
Cher spoke up in support of Britney in the face of so many who didn't seem to have her best interest at heart. In response to one of her followers who tweeted about Britney's hard work in Las Vegas, Cher ominously replied, "Everyone in Vegas heard Stories". Having multiple Vegas residencies herself, it seems Cher knows what was really going on behind the glitz of Britney's shows.