Cher, the #78 Artist of the Rock Era

"She has the most amazing voice."

"Cher is iconic."

"Cher is an original--one of the greatest voices in popular music."

"Such a powerful voice."

"Cher will always be one of the greatest."

"What a queen, a diva, a living legend."

"She's a goddess of pop music."

"She is truly awesome."

"So super talented."

"Her voice is phenomenal."

Cherilyn Sarkisian was born in El Centro, California on May 20, 1946.  Her father was a truck driver who was rarely home and her parents divorced when Cher was 10 months old.  Cher's mother changed her name to Georgia Holt.  

In addition to playing minor roles in movies and on television, Holt landed acting parts for Cher on shows such as The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.  Holt married and divorced several other times and moved her family constantly, even once leaving Cher at an orphanage for several weeks.

She showed an affinity for the performing arts when she produced a performance of the musical Oklahoma! for her class.  She directed and choreographed dance routines for girls in the class but since the boys didn't want to participate, Cher acted the male parts and sang their songs. 

 
She went to Montclair College Preparatory School in Encino and even then, performed songs in front of the other students during lunch hour.

With big dreams of stardom, Cher dropped out of school and moved to Los Angeles to live with a friend.  She took acting lessons and worked to support herself.  She danced in small clubs on Sunset Strip in Hollywood and introduced herself to other performers, managers and agents.  In November of 1962, Cher met Sonny Bono, who was then working for producer Phil Spector.  

Cher and Sonny hit it off right away, became romantically involved and soon Cher moved into Sonny's house.  Sonny introduced Cher to Spector, who hired her as a backup singer on songs such as "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" by the Righteous Brothers and the Ronettes' "Be My Baby".  Spector produced Cher's first recording, "Ringo, I Love You", performed under the name Bonnie Jo Mason. 

Sonny and Cher performed at their own unofficial wedding ceremony in Tijuana, Mexico on October 27, 1964.  Sonny wanted to get his new bride started with a solo career, but she suffered from stage fright to the point that she begged him to perform with her.

Thus, late in the year, they began performing under the name Caesar & Cleo, but were unsuccessful with several singles.

 

Cher signed a recording contract with Imperial Records, a division of Liberty, in 1964 with Sonny as her producer.  Her first single, "Dream Baby", received some airplay in Los Angeles, but it was her second, a cover of Bob Dylan's "All I Really Want To Do", which became her first big hit at #15.  The single propelled Cher's album of the same name to climb to #16 on the Album chart.

Sonny & Cher first hit #1 with "I Got You Babe".  

The duo went on to post 20 hits, including the Top 10 songs "Laugh At Me", "Baby Don't Go", "The Beat Goes On", "All I Ever Need Is You" and "A Cowboys Work Is Never Done".  It bears repeating that these artists are ranked for their work as it is credited on their records; Cher's career as part of Sonny & Cher is evaluated on its own merits, and is separate from her solo career.

Meanwhile, Cher continued with solo releases as well.  "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" in 1966 became one of her biggest career hits at #2.

 

The following year, Cher released the single "You Better Sit Down Kids", which found its way to #9.

On Cher's 1968 album Backstage, she tried to do too many things and when the album flopped, Imperial dropped her from the roster.  Sonny and Cher had been dropped from Atco Records as well, but Atco wanted to sign Cher to record a solo album.  

3614 Jackson Highway was recorded without Sonny's input and although some critics liked it, Sonny kept Cher from releasing any more albums on Atco.

Sonny cheated on Cher often and the relationship turned sour.  Sonny then tried to win her back, saying he wanted to marry and raise a family.  The couple married after Cher gave birth to a daughter on March 4, 1969.  They then spent $500,000 to produce the movie Chastity (named after their daughter), which was a disaster.

By the '70s, Sonny & Cher's music seemed bland in comparison to the industry trend towards heavier music led by groups such as Led Zeppelin. 

The duo began performing a nightclub routine in Las Vegas that was more mature in nature, so radically different that members of the audience began heckling them.  Cher began heckling back and when Sonny reprimanded her, she'd heckle Sonny.  This constant back and forth became part of the act and executives at the television stations took note.  Soon, Sonny and Cher began making appearances on prime time shows.

When they guest hosted The Merv Griffin Show, Fred Silverman, then head of programming at CBS-TV, was so impressed that he offered the couple their own television show.  The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour originated as a summer replacement series, but its success led to a full-time show beginning in December.

The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour attracted over 30 million viewers per week in its three-year run.  By this time, Cher was already becoming a trendsetter with her outfits.

 

In 1971, she released her self-titled album on Kapp, a division of MCA Records.  Her first single from that album vaulted to the top of the charts and went Gold--"Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves".

 

In 1972, Cher landed in the Top 10 again with "The Way Of Love".

In 1972, Cher released the album Foxy Lady, featuring all ballads.  Producer Snuff Garrett quit after the recording in a dispute over the direction she was taking.  The following year, Cher released the album Bittersweet White Light, another flop.

From 1971 to 1973, Sonny & Cher revived their career with four albums.

Meanwhile, Garrett received a song from lyricist Mary Dean called "Half-Breed", the story of the daughter of a Cherokee mother and a white father, written especially for Cher.  Garrett agreed with Dean that only Cher could sing it and quickly won her back as a client.  Cher scored her signature song in 1973 with "Half-Breed", a #1 smash that sold over one million copies.

 

She followed that up with another #1 in 1974, "Dark Lady".

In 1974, Cher won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Television Series Musical or Comedy.  Although she and Sonny went through more problems, they kept up their public appearances until 1974.  

Later in the year, she released her Greatest Hits album.  Cher and Sonny divorced in 1975, and Cher began a two-year romantic relationship with music executive David Geffen while the couple battled in court.  Geffen landed a $2.5 million deal for Cher with Warner Brothers, but her first album under her new contract was another flop.

Cher began her own self-titled show on CBS on February 16, 1974, produced by Geffen.  It received accolades initially but was replaced by a new show less than a year later in which Cher reunited professionally with Sonny.  It too debuted strong but fizzled within a year.

On June 30, 1975, just four days after her divorce from Sonny was finalized, Cher married Gregg Allman, co-founder of the Allman Brothers Band.  She filed for divorce nine days later but the couple reconciled within a month and Cher gave birth to the son Elijah Blue in 1976.  

Cher's next two albums, I'd Rather Believe in You and Cherished were unsuccessful, and a recording attempt with Allman called Two the Hard Way in 1977 failed miserably.  The couple's relationship ended after the release of the album and that divorce was finalized in 1979.  Meanwhile, Cher hosted Cher...Special in 1978 and Cher...and Other Fantasies in 1979.

Musically, Cher scored one of several career comebacks in 1979 when she signed with Casablanca Records and recorded the album Take Me Home, which took advantage of the popularity of Disco.  Both the album and title single were certified Gold, and "Take Me Home" went to #8, giving Cher her first Top 10 song in five years. 

She wrote the song "Bad Love", recorded for the movie Foxes, and formed the rock group Black Rose with her latest lover, guitarist Les Dudek.  However, the band was unable to land live appearances and an album flopped, leading to the group's break-up in 1981.

From 1980-82, Cher set up her own residency show in Las Vegas.

In 1982, Cher debuted on Broadway in Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean, then reprised her role in the movie of the same name.  She drew praise for her roles in Silkwood in 1983 (opposite Meryl Streep), Mask in 1985 and Moonstruck in 1987, the latter earning Cher an Academy Award for Best Actress.

Several recording attempts failed, until in 1987 she signed with Geffen Records.  Michael Bolton, Jon Bon Jovi, Desmond Child and Richie Sambora combined to produce her album Cher.  She scored her first Top 10 hit in eight years with "I Found Someone".  

 

Cher hooked up with Peter Cetera to sing the love theme from the movie Chances Are.  The pairing gave Cher a ninth Top 10 song away from Sonny.

 

Now relevant again, Cher released her 19th album Heart of Stone in 1989.  The single "If I Could Turn Back Time".  It became a #1 Adult Contemporary hit and #3 overall in the United States and led the way in Australia for seven weeks.

 

Cher released a strong follow-up, "Just Like Jesse James", probably underrated even at #8.  Thanks to the two big hits and a tour, Heart of Stone sold over three million copies.

Cher won a People's Choice Award for Favorite All-Around Female Star.

 

In 1990, Cher returned to the big screen in Mermaids.  One of two songs recorded for the soundtrack, "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss)" only made it to #33 in the U.S. but was a #1 smash in the U.K. (#1 for five weeks).

Beginning in 1990, Cher became a donor and was the National Chairperson and Honorary Spokesperson for the Children's Craniofacial Association, which serves to "empower and give hope to facially disfigured children and their families".  The annual Cher's Family Retreat is held every June to provide patients, siblings and parents interaction with others who endure similar experiences.

 

In 1991, Cher released the album Love Hurts, more popular in the U.K. (#1 for six weeks) than the United States.  The single "Love And Understanding" stalled at #17 in the States but reached the Top 10 in the U.K.

Cher released an exercise book called Forever Fit in 1991 and the fitness videos CherFitness:  A New Attitude and CherFitness:  Body Confidence in 1992.  

Meanwhile, Cher, already dyslexic, contracted the Epstein-Barr virus and developed chronic fatigue syndrome.  As she lacked the energy to keep her music and film careers going, Cher starred in infomercials for health, beauty and diet products which paid her nearly $10 million in fees. 

In 1995, Cher recorded the charity single "Love Can Build A Bridge" with Eric Clapton, Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders and Neneh Cherry.  Cher also released the album It's a Man's World.

In 1996, Cher starred in the movie Faithful and made her directing debut in the film If These Walls Could Talk.  It garnered the highest ratings for an original HBO movie to that time (18.7).  

In 1997, Cher was the keynote speaker for the Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians and Gays convention and has become one of the LGBT community's most vocal advocates.  Her oldest daughter Chastity, who first announced that she was a lesbian at age 17, announced that she was a transgender individual in 2009, and changed her name to Chaz.  His transition from female to male was legalized in 2010.  

In May of 1998, Sher received the GLAAD Vanguard Award for "making a significant difference in promoting equal rights for lesbians and gay men".

After Sonny Bono's death while skiing in 1998, Cher eulogized her ex-husband, saying he was "the most unforgettable character" she had ever met.  She hosted the CBS special Sonny & Me:  Cher Remembers on May 20, 1998.  Later in the year, she published the book The First Time.

 

Cher scored a fourth musical comeback with a return to dance music for the album Believe in 1998, which has now sold over four million units.  The title song hit #1 in 23 countries It remained at #1 in the U.K. for seven weeks and became the top-selling single of all-time by a female artist in the U.K..  

When "Believe" hit #1, it made Cher the oldest female to go to #1 (at the age of 52) and gave her the longest span between #1 songs in the Rock Era (33 years, seven months and three weeks between "I Got You Babe" in 1965 and "Believe").  The single sold nearly two million copies in the U.S. and 10 million copies worldwide and earned Cher a Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording.

In 1999, Cher performed the United States national anthem at the Super Bowl.  Two months later, she appeared on the television special VH1 Divas Live 2.  VH1 said it was the most-watched program in the network's history with 19.4 million viewers.

Cher released the compilation album If I Could Turn Back Time:  Cher's Greatest Hits, certified Gold.  She embarked on a two-year tour in which all American dates were sold out.  The television special Cher:  Live in Concert - From the MGM Grand in Las Vegas was the highest-rated original HBO program that year.  Later in the year, Cher released another compilation album in Europe, The Greatest Hits, which has now sold over three million copies.

Cher earned a Billboard Award for being the #1 Dance Artist of the year, and accepted the Legend Award for her "lifelong contribution to the music industry" at the World Music Awards.

Cher received critical acclaim for her performance in the movie Tea with Mussolini.  Her 2001 album Living Proof was certified Gold, and earned her another Billboard Music Award for Dance/Club Play Artist of the Year.  She also won the Artist Achievement Award for having "helped redefine popular music with massive success on the Billboard charts".

The compilation album The Very Best of Cher in 2003 reached #4 on the Album chart and attained Double Platinum status.  Cher starred in the movie Stuck on You in 2003.

Billed as Living Proof:  The Farewell Tour, Cher extended the tour and by the end of 2003, it was the most successful tour by a female performer, grossing $145 million.  The tour went on to gross $250 million, becoming one of the biggest concert tours in history.  Tracks from the tour were recorded and included on the album Live!  The Farewell Tour.  The NBC special Cher - The Farewell Tour drew 17 million viewers and earned a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special.

In 2007, Cher became the primary supporter of the Peace Village School in Ukunda, Kenya, which provides nutritious food, medical care, education and extracurricular activities for over 300 orphans and vulnerable children from 2-13 years of age.  Her support allowed the school to acquire land and built permanent housing and school facilities.  She also joined the group Malaria No More to lead an effort to eliminate malaria mortality and morbidity for the children, their caregivers and the local community.  
In 2008, Cher signed a $180 million pact to perform at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas for three years.  The elaborate production featured 14 dancers, four aerialists, over 20 costume changes and state-of-the art video and special effects.

Cher starred in the movie Burlesque in 2010.  When the song "You Haven't Seen The Last Of Me" went to #1 on the Dance chart, it made Cher the only artist in history to achieve a #1 song on a Billboard chart in every decade from the 1960's to the 2010's.  

In November, Cher placed her handprints and footprints in front of Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood.  In 2011, she voiced a part for the movie Zookeeper, and in 2013, Cher produced a documentary about her mother, Dear Mom, Love Cher.

In 2013, Cher released her 25th studio album, Closer to the Truth, a #3 album in the U.S.

In 2016, after lead contamination was discovered in the drinking water of Flint, Michigan, Cher donated over 180,000 bottles of water to the city.

Cher began a three-year residency in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2017.  She received the Billboard Icon award at the Billboard Music Awards.  

In 2018, Cher stared in the movie Mamma Mia!  Here We Go Again and recorded covers of "Fernando" and "Super Trouper" for the soundtrack album.  She then toured the world from 2018-2020.  Cher released covers of ABBA songs on the 2018 album Dancing Queen, which debuted at #3.

Cher received Kennedy Center Honors in 2018.

Cher is the only artist in history to score a #1 song in every decade from the 1960's to the 2010's.  Esquire magazine ranked her #44 on their list of "The 75 Greatest Women of All Time".  Cher is one of few artists to win three of the four major entertainment awards (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony), having won each of the first three, as well as three Golden Globe Awards.  She is one of five people to have both a #1 song and an acting Academy Award.  Cher's record sales top 100 million worldwide.

In her solo career, Cher has racked up 33 hits, with 12 of them reaching the Top 10 and four #1 songs.  On the Adult chart, she has earned 28 hits with 14 Top 10's and two #1's.

She supports international projects such as the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, Operation Helmet and the Children's Craniofacial Association through the Cher Charitable Foundation.