Cher Biography (1946–)

Despite humble beginnings, Cher has made a name for herself in music, film, and many aspects of the entertainment world.

Cher - A Superstar is Born

Born “Cherilyn Sarkisian” on May 20, 1946, it wouldn’t be long before “Cher” would rise to worldwide fame despite growing up in poverty in El Centro, California. At the age of 16, Cher entered the showbiz ranks as a go-go dancer and soon met and married 28-year-old singer/songwriter/producer Salvatore “Sonny” Bono in 1963. Two years later, the immensely popular recording duo “Sonny and Cher” was born, churning out hits such as “I Got You Babe” and “The Beat Goes On” and appearing on a number of hit television shows.

Cher - Early Solo Projects

In 1965, Cher released All I Really Want to Do – her debut solo album, which shot to No. 16 on the Billboard 200 album chart and went on to become gold-certified. One year later, Cher released a second solo album entitled “The Sonny Side of Cher,” which spawned the hit singles “Where Do You Go” and “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)” – both produced and written by Sonny Bono. In 1966, Cher released her eponymous album “Cher,” which did not do as well as Cher’s previous two solo projects.

Cher - Sonny and Cher on TV

As “The Love Generation” made way for the psychedelic rock sounds of the late ‘60s, Sonny and Cher launched the smash television variety show “The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour” where Cher began to hone her acting skills. Cher also helped spawn fashion trends, popularizing bellbottoms and hippie attire to boot. The show enjoyed a successful run from 1971-1974 but the same could not be said for Sonny and Cher’s marriage, which ended in a divorce in 1974. The two had one child together, Chastity Bono. After both Sonny and Cher embarked on new TV projects, soon the two stars teamed up once again in 1976 for a new Sonny and Cher show. However, Sonny and Cher lacked the chemistry they once shared, leading to the show being cancelled after just one year on the air.

Cher - Cher’s Disco Years

After legally changing her name to just “Cher” in 1979, Cher signed with Casablanca Records in the midst of the disco-music craze. Cher released the successful Take Me Home album, which boasted the Top 10 hit single “Take Me Home,” and featured Cher on the cover scantily clad in a Viking outfit. Cher followed with a second album Prisoner that same year – this time wearing chains and even less clothing while sparking controversy along the way. Cher wrote her last disco song “Bad Love” in 1980 before venturing into a more rock sound.

Cher - Rock & Resurgence

After forming the short-lived rock band, Black Rose, Cher partnered up with Meat Loaf for the band’s smash hit “Dead Ringer for Love.” After struggling to sell albums and chart singles, Cher turned to acting and landed a major role on Broadway at the age of 36. In 1983, Cher starred in Silkwood, receiving her first Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globe Award as Best Supporting Actress. In 1985, Cher starred in Mask and in 1987 Cher appeared in Suspect, The Witches of Eastwick, and Moonstruck, in which Cher won an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, and a People’s Choice Award to boot. With a booming film career, Cher’s recording career caught a second wind, with “I Found Someone” catapulting Cher back to the Top 10 on the Billboard charts.

Cher - A Comeback in the Late ‘80s

At the age of 41, Cher returned to her previous musical success, releasing a string of hit rock albums. The first album, entitled Cher, was released in 1987 and reached certified platinum in the US. In 1980, Cher released the album Heart of Stone, which became Cher’s most successful album – certified three-times platinum – featuring hits “If I Could Turn Back Time,” “Heart of Stone,” and “After All” – a duet with Peter Cetera. With the success of the album, Cher embarked on a worldwide Heart of Stone Tour throughout 1989-1990. Cher’s live performance at The Mirage in Las Vegas was filmed and later aired as a television special.

Cher - Cher in the ‘90s

As a star in the 1990 film Mermaids, Cher also contributed two songs to the Mermaid soundtrack, including “Baby I’m Yours” and “The Shoop Shoop Song (It’s in His Kiss)” – Cher’s most successful single to this day. Cher also released Love Hurts, which turned out to be more of an international success, selling 10 million records worldwide, and leading to a successful Love Hurts Tour in 1991. In the next few years, Cher would slow down on the touring and made only a few public appearances, including releasing the album It’s a Man’s World (1995), starring in the film Faithful (1996), and co-executive producing the 1996 HBO drama If These Walls Could Talk.

Cher - Still Believing in 1998-1999

In 1998, Cher learned of the death of Sonny Bono – the man who Cher had loved some two decades before. Cher’s next album Believe, went on to become a commercial success and Grammy-Award winner, thanks to a slate of up-tempo dance hits such as “Believe” – one of Cher’s biggest hits and one of the biggest-selling dance songs ever. Moreover, a then-52-year-old Cher became the oldest woman to have a number one hit single during the rock era.

In 1999, Cher went on to perform “The Star-Spangled Banner” during Super Bowl XXXIII. Cher also performed on VH1 Divas Live 2 with Tina Turner, Chaka Khan, Faith Hill, Mary J. Blige, Brandy, LeAnn Rimes, and Whitney Houston. Cher co-starred in the film Tea With Mussolini –alongside Judi Dench and Lily Tomlin. Cher tickets went on sale for the Do You Believe Tour, which hit cities throughout the U.S., Canada, and Europe.

Cher - Do You Believe? Tour Success

Fresh off the heels of the wildly successful Do You Believe? Tour in1999- 2000, American-music icon, Cher, came back in a big way. Cher’s taped performance at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas became an HBO television special, which was nominated for an Emmy and set for VHS and DVD release at year’s end. As of 2000, the Do You Believe? Tour – also known as The Believe Tour – was the highest-grossing tour in Cher’s long, storied career. In February 2002, Cher followed up with Believe: Living Proof.. In June 2002, Cher announced that she would embark on the last live concert tour of her career – Living Proof: The Farewell Tour.

Cher - Cher’s Farewell Tour

Fans who bought tickets for Cher’s Farewell Tour were treated to a concert spectacular that only Cher could pull off – complete with elaborate staging, a backing band, singers, dancers, aerialists, and more. The Cher tour was a tribute to Cher’s four-decades in show business from the ‘60s onward. Cher’s Farewell Tour lasted for 325 dates from 2002-2005 and proved to be a huge hit, raking in about $300 million dollars worth of Cher tickets sold. The tour exceeded its original cutoff date so The Farewell Tour was hailed the “Never Can Say Goodbye Tour.”