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This article is about the entertainer. For other uses, see Cher (disambiguation).
Cher first rose to prominence in 1965 as one half of the pop/rock duo Sonny & Cher. She also established herself as a solo recording artist, releasing 25 albums, numerous compilations and tallying 34 Billboard Top 40 entries over her career, both solo and with Sonny. These include eighteen Top 10 singles and five number one singles (four solo). Cher has had 16 top ten hits in the UK between 1965 and 2003 which includes a single recorded with Chrissie Hynde, Neneh Cherry and Eric Clapton for Comic Relief entitled "Love Can Build a Bridge", which made number 1, another as a duet with Meat Loaf and three more as part of the duo Sonny & Cher. Four of these 16 reached number one (two solo).
In a career surpassing 40 years, Cher has been described as an enduring pop icon[2] and one of the most popular female artists in music history.[3] Since her debut in 1964, Cher has sold over 100 million records worldwide and an estimated 70 million solo singles, becoming one of the biggest-selling artists of all time. [4][5]
Early lifeCher was born in El Centro, California, on May 20, 1946, at 7:25 a.m. Her father, John Sarkisian, was an Armenian refugee who worked as a truck driver.[6] Her mother, Jackie Jean Crouch ("Georgia Holt"), born at Sharp County, Arkansas, 9 June 1927 (née Jackie Jean Crouch[7]), an aspiring actress and occasional model, is of Cherokee, English, German and Irish descent.[8][9] Cher's mother and father separated and divorced when she was young and she was raised primarily by her mother (whose later husbands include John Southall), who had married Gilbert LaPierre, a banker who adopted Cher.[6] Due to financial problems, Cher's mother placed her in foster care for a time as a child. Later, her mother provided acting lessons to help further her career.[10] In those years Cher had a relationship with actor Warren Beatty.[11] Due to severe, undiagnosed dyslexia, she left Fresno High School at the age of 16.[12] Career1962-1964: Career beginningsThe much older Sonny (he was already 27) was working for record producer Phil Spector at Gold Star Studios in Hollywood.[11] Sonny and Cher became fast friends, eventual lovers, and later married. Through Sonny, Cher started as a session singer, and sang backup on several of Spector’s classic recordings, including The Righteous Brothers' "You've Lost That Loving Feeling", The Crystals' "Da Doo Ron Ron" and The Ronettes’ "Be My Baby".[11]
With Sonny continuing to write, arrange and produce the songs, Sonny and Cher’s first incarnation was as the duo "Caesar and Cleo(patra)."[13] They received little attention, despite releasing the single "The Letter" in late 1964 which featured the B-side "Baby Don't Go".[13] 1965-1967: Career developmentPrior to being known as Sonny and Cher, the duo released an album under the name of "Caesar and Cleo". Later they adopted the name of Sonny and Cher. Now calling themselves Sonny & Cher, the duo released their first album Look at Us in the summer of 1965. This album contained the overnight smash single "I Got You Babe" (1965) which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in August of 1965. Cher was 19 years old, Sonny 30. A re-released "Baby Don't Go", peaked at number eight. Several more mid-level hits followed, notably "Just You" (#20, 1965) "But You're Mine" (#15, 1965), "What Now My Love" (#14, 1966) and "Little Man" (#21, 1966), before "The Beat Goes On" (#6, 1967) returned the duo to the Top 10. Sonny and Cher charted a total of 11 Billboard Top 40 hits between 1965 and 1972, including 6 Top 10 hits. The duo became a sensation, traveling and performing around the world. Following an appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in the fall of 1965 in which Mr. Sullivan had infamously pronounced her name 'Chur' during their introduction, the singer began spelling her name with a (misleading) acute accent: Chér.[citation needed] The couple soon appeared on other hit television shows of the era including American Bandstand, Top of the Pops, Hollywood a Go-Go, Podunk, Hollywood Palace, Hullabaloo, Beat Club, Ready Steady Go! and Shindig!. While initially perceived as the slightly awkward and less important half of the popular singing duo, Cher disguised her stage fright and nervousness with quick-witted barbs directed at her partner.[citation needed] She soon rose to prominence as the more outspoken, daring and provocative half of the team. With her dark, exotic looks, she became a fashion trendsetter, helping to popularize fashions such as bellbottoms, and incorporating "hippie" attire and eccentric gowns and elaborate costumes into their live shows.[citation needed] Later in 1965, Cher released her debut solo album, titled All I Really Want to Do which reached number 16 on the Billboard 200 album chart. The gold-certified album contained a cover of the Bob Dylan song "All I Really Want to Do" which peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 1966, Cher released her second solo album on the Imperial Records label, The Sonny Side of Cher. It peaked at number 26 in the U.S. charts, and number 11 in the UK chart. It contained the singles "Where Do You Go (#25 on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)"(#2 on the Billboard Hot 100). Both hits were written and produced by Sonny Bono. In the United States, the latter was Cher's biggest solo hit of the 1960s. Other artists to record versions of the song include Frank Sinatra, Nancy Sinatra, Cliff Richard, Petula Clark, and Terry Reid. Also in 1966, she released another album, Cher; The album itself was not as successful as its two predecessors. However, it did manage to provide the European top ten hit "Sunny". In an attempt to capitalize on the duo’s initial success, Sonny speedily arranged a film project for the duo to star in. But the 1967 feature, Good Times, was a major bomb, despite the efforts of fledgling director William Friedkin and co-star George Sanders.[14] Cher continued to establish herself as a solo artist and released the album Backstage. The album was a flop. 1968-1969: Career woesSonny and Cher's career had stalled by 1968, as album sales dried up. Their gentle, easy-listening rock folk sound and drug-free life had become "unhip" in an era becoming increasingly consumed with psychedelic rock, and the overall evolutionary change in the American pop culture landscape during the late 1960s. Sonny and Cher's only child together, Chastity Bono, was born on March 4, 1969. The duo made another unsuccessful foray into film later in 1969 with Bono writing and producing the film Chastity, intended as a dramatic debut for Cher as an actress. That film (directed by first and only-time director Alessio De Paulo) was also a commercial failure.[14] Sonny decided to forge ahead, carving a new career for the duo in Las Vegas resorts, where they sharpened their public persona with Cher as the wise-cracking singer, and Sonny as the good-natured recipient of her insults. In reality, Sonny controlled every aspect of their act, from the musical arrangements to the joke-writing. While success was slow to come, their luck improved when network TV talent scouts attended a show, noting their potential appeal for a variety series. 1970-1974: TV and musical stardomIn 1970, Sonny and Cher starred in their first television special, The Sonny and Cher Nitty Gritty Hour. A mixture of slapstick comedy, skits and live music, the appearance was a critical success, which led to numerous guest spots on other television shows. Sonny and Cher caught the eye of CBS head of programming Fred Silverman while guest-hosting The Merv Griffin Show, and Silverman offered the duo their own variety show.[15] The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour debuted in 1971 as a summer replacement series.[15] The show returned to prime time later that year and was an immediate hit, quickly reaching the Top 10.[15] The show received 15 Emmy Award nominations during its run, winning one for direction. Among the many guests who appeared on The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour were Chuck Berry, Carol Burnett, George Burns, Glen Campbell, Dick Clark, Tony Curtis, Bobby Darin, Phyllis Diller, Merv Griffin, The Jackson Five, Jerry Lee Lewis, Liberace, Steve Martin, Ronald Reagan, Burt Reynolds, Neil Sedaka, Dinah Shore, The Supremes, Sally Struthers, The Righteous Brothers and Raquel Welch. The duo also revived its recording career, releasing four more albums for Kapp Records and MCA Records that included two more Top 10 hits: "All I Ever Need Is You" (#7, 1971) and "A Cowboy's Work Is Never Done" (#8, 1972).  Now 25, Cher continued to establish herself as a solo recording artist, enlisting the help of hit producer Snuff Garrett. Her first solo number-one hit was "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves" (1971). Released in September 1971, the album of the same name peaked at number 16 on the Billboard 200, and remained on the chart for 45 weeks. Another single from the album, "The Way of Love (1972)" peaked at #7 in February 1972. Cher scored her second number one with "Half-Breed" (1973) which became a signature song from the gold-certified album Half-Breed. In 1974, Cher had her third #1 solo hit with "Dark Lady" (1974), also from the album of the same name. Cher's first Greatest Hits album was released in 1974. By the third season of the Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour, the marriage of Sonny and Cher was falling apart; the duo separated later that year. The show imploded, while still in the top 10 of the ratings. What followed was a nasty, very public divorce (finalized on June 27, 1975).[citation needed] Cher won a Golden Globe Award for Best Performance By an Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy for The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour in 1974. Bono launched his own show, The Sonny Comedy Revue, in the fall of 1974 while Cher also announced plans to host and star in a new variety TV series of her own. Bono’s show was abruptly canceled, however, after only six weeks.[15] 1975-1979: Solo career and misses The Cher Show debuted as an elaborate, all-star television special on February 16, 1975 featuring Flip Wilson, Bette Midler and special guest Elton John.[15] Cloris Leachman and Jack Albertson both won Emmy Awards for their appearances as guest stars a few weeks later,[15] and the series received four additional Emmy nominations that year. Other guests included Pat Boone, David Bowie, Ray Charles, Dion, Patti Labelle, Cheryl Ladd, Wayne Newton, Linda Ronstadt, Lily Tomlin and Frankie Valli. The variety series' debut season ranked 22nd in the year-end Nielsen ratings. A good deal of press was generated throughout 1975 regarding Cher's exposed navel, and the daring ensembles created by famed designer Bob Mackie.[15] Her show featured numerous outlandish costume changes, even more than typical variety shows. The Cher show ran for two half-seasons, before a pregnant Cher pulled the plug herself, deciding instead to reunite with her ex-husband for a revamped version of The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour. On June 30, 1975, three days after her divorce from Sonny was final, Cher married rock musician Gregg Allman, a founding member of the Allman Brothers Band.[citation needed] They had one son, Elijah Blue Allman born July 10, 1976.[citation needed] Together, they released the album, Two the Hard Way, under the rubric Allman and Woman, which featured a cover of the Smokey Robinson hit "You've Really Got a Hold on Me". This project was not considered a critical or commercial success.[citation needed] They were divorced by 1977. From 1975 to 1978 Cher released a series of unsuccessful albums: Stars, I'd Rather Believe in You and Cherished. On February 2, 1976 The Sonny and Cher Show debuted with a Top 10 rating and high expectations.[15] Some of the guests who appeared on The Sonny and Cher Show included Frankie Avalon, Muhammed Ali, Raymond Burr, Ruth Buzzi, Charo, Barbara Eden, Farrah Fawcett, Terri Garr, Bob Hope, Don Knotts, Jerry Lewis, Tony Orlando, The Osmonds, Debbie Reynolds, The Smothers Brothers, Tina Turner, Twiggy, and Betty White. However, ratings soon fell, and the show was cancelled after its second season.[15] Their overall television success, though brief, was unique because variety programming in general was no longer attracting viewers, other than The Carol Burnett Show.[15] Cher continued to release numerous solo albums during this period, though none matched the critical or commercial success of her earlier 70s recordings. She made a brief return to prime time starring in the television specials Cher … Special in 1978 (for which guest star Dolly Parton was nominated for an Emmy Award) and Cher … and Other Fantasies in 1979. One highlight for her fans was a song and dance number based on the classic musical West Side Story in which Cher portrayed each of the main characters. In 1979, she legally changed her name to "Cher", with no surname or middle name.[1] Sonny and Cher performed together for the last time on The Mike Douglas Show in the spring of 1979 (until their much-discussed 1987 Letterman appearance), singing a medley of "United We Stand" and "Without You".[16] Later in 1979, Cher would capitalize on the disco craze, signing with Casablanca Records, and racking up another Top-10 single with "Take Me Home" (#8, 1979). Sales of the album Take Me Home may have been boosted by the image of a scantily-clad Cher in a Viking outfit on the album’s cover. The album was RIAA-certified Gold. For her second Casablanca release, Prisoner (1979), Cher appeared on the album's cover virtually naked and wrapped in chains, spurring controversy among some women's rights groups for her perceived "sex slave" image. This album produced the minor hit single Hell on Wheels (#59, 1979); the tune was also featured in the film "Roller Boogie". 1980-1987: Film stardom and musical breakoutTemplate:Unreferencedsection In 1980, Cher penned her last disco song for the film Foxes, called "Bad Love." The song can be found on the international version of The Very Best of Cher. Later in the same year, Cher formed the rock band Black Rose with her then-partner, guitarist Les Dudek, and released the album Black Rose by year's end. The album failed to sell, despite an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, and the band broke up the following year. In 1981, Cher released her first Top 5 hit in UK in ten years: "Dead Ringer for Love", a duet with Meat Loaf for his album Dead Ringer. In 1982, Cher released I Paralyze, promoting it on American Bandstand and The Tonight Show, but critics panned the album and sales were disappointing. With album sales and hit singles again at a standstill, Cher decided to expand her career into serious film acting. Her earliest entertainment ambitions had always lain in film, as opposed to music. However, she soon found herself in an uphill battle trying to land credible roles for a woman now in her mid-30s with little acting experience. At the time, she was quoted as saying that she didn’t really care if she ever made another record.[citation needed] In 1982, at 36, Cher landed her first major role in a Broadway production of Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean. Her performance was critically praised, and she was later cast in the film version, which was directed by acclaimed Hollywood director Robert Altman. She was next cast alongside Meryl Streep and Kurt Russell in the critically hailed drama Silkwood (1983) in which her character was a lesbian. She received her first Academy Award nomination, as Best Supporting Actress. She later won the Golden Globe Award as Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama for her performance. Cher's next film was a starring role in the acclaimed Mask (1985), directed by Peter Bogdanovich. The film also starred Eric Stoltz, Laura Dern, Estelle Getty and Sam Elliott, and it was considered her first critical and commercial success as a leading actress. For her role as a mother of a severely disfigured boy, Cher won the Best Actress prize at the Cannes Film Festival. In 1985, Cher was honored with Harvard University's Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year Award.[citation needed] In 1987, she starred in three films: the thriller Suspect with Dennis Quaid; the dark comedy/fantasy film The Witches of Eastwick with Jack Nicholson, Susan Sarandon and Michelle Pfeiffer; and the romantic comedy Moonstruck with Nicolas Cage and Olympia Dukakis. For Moonstruck, directed by Norman Jewison, she won the 1988 Academy Award for Best Actress, the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Musical/Comedy, and the Favorite Film Actress award at the People’s Choice Awards. 1987 was also noteworthy for the resurgence in Cher's recording career. After signing with friend David Geffen's label (Geffen Records), Cher released a self-titled album late that year which spawned her first major hit since 1979's "Take Me Home". "I Found Someone" returned her to the Top 10 of Billboard's Hot 100. The follow-up single "We All Sleep Alone" reached #14. On May 22, 1986, Cher made her infamous first appearance on Late Night with David Letterman. In her pre-interview with the show's producers, Cher had referred to host David Letterman with a derogatory term when asked why she had previously declined to appear on his program. He later confronted her about this on air during their interview, asking why she had refused so many earlier invitations. As she thought of an appropriate answer, he pushed her further saying, "Because you thought..." to which she suddenly blurted "You were an asshole!" to a shocked Letterman. She received a mixture of boos and laughter from the audience for the remark; however, Letterman quickly played off the incident as just fun. They patched up their differences for a 1987 show that had Cher and Sonny Bono reuniting to sing "I Got You, Babe" for what would be the last time. She has since made multiple appearances on Letterman's CBS show. This was not the only time a chat show clash like this occurred. In 2001, Cher was interviewed by British talk show host and television presenter Clive Anderson (most famous for having the Bee Gees get up and walk out on a live interview after Anderson insulted them while they were on his show). Anderson sparked fury almost right away by saying, "Wow, Cher, you look like a million dollars... is that how much it cost?"[citation needed] 1987-1989: Return to musical successIn 1987, at the age 41, Cher revived her recording career after a five-year hiatus, under the coordination of rock producer and A&R man John Kalodner. Now with Geffen Records, Cher released the first of three highly successful rock albums, produced by Kalodner and featuring songwriting contributions from the likes of Diane Warren, Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, Desmond Child, and Michael Bolton. Darlene Love and Bonnie Tyler provided guest vocals. Cher was released in 1987, and featured the comeback single "I Found Someone" (previously a minor hit for Laura Branigan), as well as "We All Sleep Alone" (#14, 1988). The album was Cher's biggest yet, being certified platinum in the U.S. (1 million) and selling 6 million copies worldwide.[17] Cher also tried her hand at producing, with the film Harry and the Hendersons.  In 1989, at age 43, Cher released the album Heart of Stone. As on her previous album, Michael Bolton, Jon Bon Jovi, Diane Warren and Desmond Child handled songwriting and/or producing duties. The album was originally released with cover artwork featuring Cher sitting in front of a heart made of stone, creating the illusion of a skull.[18] Heart of Stone became her most successful album to date, selling eleven million copies worldwide,[17] and certified 3x Platinum by the RIAA. The album's biggest hit came with the rock hymne "If I Could Turn Back Time, which topped the charts in Australia, peaked at #3 in the U.S. and reached the Top 10 in the UK and some countries around the globe. Further hits from the album were "Just Like Jesse James" (U.S. Top 10, Top 20 in Australia) and "Heart of Stone" (U.S. Top 20), and it also contained the hit duet with Peter Cetera, "After All" (U.S. #6). The video for "If I Could Turn Back Time" caused controversy, because in it Cher wore a very thin, see-through net outfit, which revealed a very visible "butterfly" tatoo on her derriere (detailed below). Many networks on television, including MTV, initially refused to air the video because of the partial nudity.[citation needed] MTV network eventually played the video, but only after 9 p.m. Cher also launched the Heart of Stone Tour, which played throughout 1989 and 1990 in various parts of the world. She also starred in the television special Cher - Live at the Mirage, which was filmed during a live concert in Las Vegas. 1990-1992: Artistic development and commercial hitsIn 1990, Cher starred in the modest box office success Mermaids with Bob Hoskins, Winona Ryder, and Christina Ricci. The film received many positive reviews from critics.[citation needed] Cher contributed two songs to its soundtrack. "Baby I'm Yours" and the album's second single, "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)", charted low on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 (at #33), but became a smash hit elsewhere, reaching #1 in the UK, #3 in Germany and France, and #5 in Australia.[citation needed] Around the globe, it became her most successful single to date, selling more than six million copies worldwide.  In 1991, Cher completed her Geffen recording contract by releasing the album Love Hurts. This album had a big impact in Europe and in the rest of the world, particularly in the UK where it debuted at #1 and stayed there for 6 consecutive weeks. Unlike her previous two records, Love Hurts received less attention in the United States where it was certified gold; in European countries, the album was certified multi-platinum.[19][20] The European cover of the album was different from the American release, featuring Cher lying on a white background wearing a red wig.[citation needed] The European release also included the worldwide hit "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)". The album also sparked another hit single, "Love and Understanding", a number 3 hit in UK as well as the album's only major hit in her native U.S., entering the Top 20. The follow-ups "Save Up All Your Tears", "Love Hurts", and "Could've Been You" were minor hits in Europe. The album Love Hurts has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide becoming one of the biggest-selling albums of her career. In Germany, Cher received the prestigious ECHO award for the most successful female singer of the year. Cher embarked on the Love Hurts Tour throughout 1992. In the same period Cher released two VHS fitness programs, Cherfitness: A New Attitude and Cherfitness: A Body Confidence. In 1992 the European compilation Greatest Hits: 1965-1992 became a huge success, again peaking at #1 in the United Kingdom for seven non-consecutive weeks, and charting in the Top 10 in several other countries. The album, which contained three newly-recorded tracks ("Oh No Not My Baby", "Many Rivers to Cross" and "Whenever You're Near") was available in the United States only as an import. 1992-1996: Commercial ups-and-downs and controversiesIn 1992, at age 46, Cher took some time off, following what was widely reported as a case of Epstein-Barr virus or chronic fatigue syndrome.[21] She made few public appearances during this period with the exception of appearing in a series of infomercials launching hair-care products for her friend Lori Davis,[22] and for the sweetener Equal. It has been said that this had a negative impact on her career.[citation needed] Cher made cameo appearances in the Robert Altman films The Player (1992) and Pret-a-Porter (1994). In 1994, she collaborated with MTV's cartoons Beavis and Butt-head for a rock version of Sonny & Cher's "I Got You Babe". The next year she with Chrissie Hynde, Neneh Cherry and Eric Clapton topped the UK Singles Chart for one week with the charity single "Love Can Build a Bridge". At age 50, she released an album, mainly of covers, titled It's a Man's World. The album was released in Europe at the end of 1995, while in North America in the summer of 1996. The album sparked two European hits "Walking in Memphis" and "One by One". It's a Man's World was a moderate success, with more than three million copies worldwide; however, Cher's sales in the United States were limited. Cher starred in the poorly received[citation needed] film Faithful (1996) with Ryan O'Neal and Chazz Palminteri. Also in 1996, Cher co-executive-produced the highly anticipated, controversial HBO abortion drama If These Walls Could Talk, with actress Demi Moore. Nancy Savoca co-wrote all three segments and directed the first two sections starring Moore and Sissy Spacek, but Cher directed and co-starred in the third segment, earning a Golden Globe Nomination as Best Supporting Actress in a made-for-television movie. 1998: Sonny Bono diesCher was in London, England in January 1998 when a call from her daughter Chastity brought her the news of Sonny Bono's death in a skiing accident.[23] He was 62. At the time of his death, Sonny Bono, by then a popular California Congressman, was married to his fourth wife, Mary Bono.[24] Although they had been apart for 24 years and each had re-married since, Cher accepted an invitation to deliver the eulogy. The funeral, unbeknownst to Cher, was broadcast live on CNN. In front of millions, she tearfully and effusively praised the man who had been a father figure, friend, partner, lover, husband, and antagonist, calling him "the most unforgettable character I've ever met."[25] Critics were quick to point out that Cher had spoken very little to Sonny during the 20 years since their divorce, though her outpouring of emotion seemed genuine. Cher paid tribute to Bono in the CBS special Sonny and Me: Cher Remembers (1998), calling her grief "something I never plan to get over."[26] In 1998, Sonny & Cher received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television. Cher appeared at the event with Mary Bono, who accepted the award on behalf of her late husband. 1998-1999: Popularity of "Believe"Cher's 23rd studio album, 1998's Grammy Award-winning Believe marked an extreme departure for Cher, as the record was a sparkling collection of up-tempo dance tracks. The album was a critical and commercial success, reached the top spot in Germany and the Top 10 in nearly every country where it was released, including the big markets U.S., UK, Australia and France. Believe has been certified 4x Platinum in the U.S. and has sold 20 million copies worldwide.[27] The Grammy Award-winning first single and title track was a worldwide smash, easily becoming the biggest hit of Cher's entire career. The song reached #1 in 23 countries around the world including the U.S., the UK, Germany, France and Australia.[28] "Believe" made Cher, the oldest woman (at age 52) to have a number one hit in the rock era. It also gave her the distinction of having the longest span of #1 hits (more than 33 years) and the largest gap between number ones (10 days short of 25 years). Cher is also the only female artist to have solo Top 10 hits in the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. On the | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
