The Real Reason Why Sonny And Cher Broke Up, Plus Other Secret Facts About Their Lives
With a duo career in music and television spanning from the late 1960s into the mid-70s, Sonny Bono and Cher exploded in popularity for their fun-loving music and image of the perfect celebrity couple. However, behind the scenes, everything wasn't as it seemed --although the public was convinced otherwise. Take a look to see what was actually going on in the former lovers' relationship, what brought it to an end, and how it changed their lives afterward.
They Met In A Coffee Shop
In 1962, Sonny was 27 and Cher was just 16 when the two met in a Los Angeles coffee shop. Currently in the middle of a separation with his first wife, Donna Rankin, Sonny was working as a producer and promoter for the renowned Phil Spector.
After meeting Cher, Sonny got her into contact with Spector and she went on to sing backup on a series of Spector-produced songs such as "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" by Righteous Brothers and "Be My Baby" by the Ronettes.
Their Relationship Started Off As Platonic
After the two started spending more time with each other, Sonny wasn't actually interested in Cher, but instead, her friend. However, Cher felt a connection. In a 2018 interview, she noted, "Everyone just disappeared [...] He was the most unusual person I'd ever seen."
Not long after their first meeting, Cher moved into Sonny's nearby apartment after she was kicked out of her current place. To avoid moving back in with her parents, she agreed to Sonny's terms that she had to clean the place to be able to move in.
They Eventually Became Lovers
Supposedly, Sonny wasn't even attracted to Cher when she first moved in, yet their friendship evolved to become romantic. According to Cher, "It wasn't a fiery, sexy thing with us, but rather paternal, like we were bound together, two people who needed each other, almost for protection."
Then, on October 24, 1964, the couple had an unofficial wedding ceremony in a hotel room in Tijuana, Mexico. Although Sonny was pushing Cher to become a solo artist, she suffered from stage fright and insisted that he joined her on stage. That same year they, began working on music together as the duet Caesar and Cleo.
Becoming Sonny & Cher
In 1965, Caesar and Cleo transitioned to become Sonny & Cher. After recording what would be their most popular song, "I Got You Babe," they were encouraged by the Rolling Stones to travel to England where they would receive more recognition than in the United States. As promised, the two became stars in England overnight.
"I Got You Babe" went on to reach No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the track is one of the most popular and best-selling of the mid-60s. At the same time, young audiences became obsessed with the couple, inspiring countless Sonny and Cher lookalikes.
On The Up And Up
After the success of "I Got You Babe" and their first album Look at Us, Sonny & Cher began appearing on some of the biggest televisions shows of the time such as The Ed Sullivan Show, American Bandstand, Hollywood A Go-Go, Beat Club, and more.
In 1966, they released their second studio album The Wondrous World of Sonny & Cher and proceeded to do a world tour for the album. Unsurprisingly, the tour was immensely successful, and the couple was considered one of the biggest acts in the music industry.
They Experienced A Career Slump
Toward the end of the 1960s, the couple's music career began sputtering out, as the public was no longer interested in their easy-listening music in the face of hard and psychedelic rock. So, the two turned to film, and Sonny arranged for them to star in the 1967 movie Good Times.
Unfortunately, the film bombed, and as a result, Columbia Pictures sold the rights to another film that was supposed to star them to MGM. Sonny and Cher were then replaced by Elvis Presley and Nancy Sinatra. Sonny even self-financed and produced Chastity in 1969, starring Cher, which was also a commercial flop.
They Had A Child
On March 4, 1969, Cher gave birth to their first and only child, Chastity Bono, who now goes by Chaz. Not long after welcoming their child into the world, the two were finally officially married. Now at the lowest point in their career, the duo began to perform a night club routine that had more personality than their typical performances.
They reinvented their image to be more mature, with their shows becoming famous for Cher heckling both the audience and Sonny. TV producers began to take notice and started to invite them onto primetime shows.
They Made A Comeback With Their Own TV Show
After seeing them as guest-hosts on The Merv Griffin Show in 1971, Fred Silverman, the head of programming at CBS, offered them their own show. It premiered on August 1, 1971, as a summer show with just six episodes.
However, after its success, the couple was offered a full-time show in December. Known for its deadpan comedy and playfulness, the show had more than 30 million viewers during its three-year run, with Cher's clothing style noted for having a significant influence on the fashion trends of the 1970s.
Their Relationship Was Beginning To Fracture
Although they were perceived as a power couple and had the image of a perfect family on-screen, things weren't all they seemed behind the scenes. Their career was going strong, but their relationship wasn't. Sonny was unfaithful, with Cher later recalling, "One woman, or even five, was not enough for him."
In 1972, Cher informed Sonny she had become romantically involved with a guitarist on the show, but that didn't put an end to her and Sonny's relationship. At that point, they were too far deep in their careers as Sonny & Cher that divorce wasn't really an option.
Cher's Solo Career Began To Take Off
Although Sonny & Cher had their own thing going with their television show, simultaneously, Cher's solo career also began to blossom. In 1972, her song "Gypsys, Tramps, & Thieves" became her first US solo No.1 single and was named by Billboard as "one of the 20th century's greatest songs."
In 1973, lyricist Mary Dean presented Cher's producer with the song "Half-Breed," which was written specifically for her. The song went on to be Cher's second U.S. solo No.1 single, with her Greatest Hits album solidifying her as a major solo artist.
The Duo's Recording Career Had A Resurgence
Although Cher was finding success with music on her own, and the two were still involved with their TV show, they also revived their recording career between 1971 and 1973.
During that time, they had four studio albums released under Kapp Records and MCA Records. These were: Sonny & Cher Live, All I Ever Need is You, Mama Was a Rock and Roll Singer, and Papa Used to Write All Her Songs.
They Secretly Separated
According to a diary entry by Sonny on August 21, 1973, Sonny wrote, "Connie and I live together as husband and wife. But my public wife is still Cher in order to maintain all the things I want right now. That's the way it has to be."
Considering what was happening between them, Cher didn't really care what Sonny was up to, even saying, "We had a weird relationship. I don't expect anybody to understand it."
The Cat Got Out Of The Bag
Unsurprisingly, the former lovers couldn't keep their falling out a secret from the public forever, and in 1994, Sonny filed for separation for "irreconcilable differences." Cher then countered with a divorce suit in which she charged Sonny for "involuntary servitude."
She claimed that Sonny had withheld money from her after she learned that he owned 95% of Cher Enterprises with the other 5% being withheld by their lawyer. Previously, Cher had also signed a restrictive contract saying that she couldn't take any jobs without Sonny. In order to get out of the contract, Cher took a deal that she would participate in more than $1 million of shows and appearances with him.
The Divorce Was Finalized
Sonny and Cher's divorce was finalized on June 26, 1975, with custody of Chasity being granted to Cher. They went their separate ways and started with own television shows. Sonny starred in The Sonny Comedy Revenue and Cher had The Cher Show.
There were conflicting opinions among critics as to whose show would be more successful, both shows ended up failing despite that Cher lasted longer than The Sonny Comedy Revenue. Realizing they needed each other to succeed, in 1976, they reunited for the first time on television with The Sonny And Cher Show.
Cher Was In Another Marriage Shortly After Her Divorce
Just four days after her divorce with Sonny was finalized, Cher was married rock musician Gregg Allman, the co-founder of the Allman Brothers Band. However, she filed for a divorce just nine days after their marriage due to Gregg's substance abuse, although the two were back together in a month, and had a son, Elijah Blue, on July 10, 1976.
It was during this time that Cher was seriously struggling with her music career. In an attempt to get back in the limelight, she and Allmann started the project, Allman and Woman. They recorded the album Two the Hard Way, although they broke up after its release and were divorced in 1979.
Cher Had A Hard Time After Sonny
After divorcing Sonny and even while she was involved with Gregg Allman, Cher was struggling professionally and emotionally without her former partner. In a 2017 interview, Cher admitted, "He had made every decision for me. I knew how to sing and how to be a mother. I didn't know anything else."
However, regardless that it took her some time, she still managed to have an extremely successful career in both music and film, winning numerous Grammys as well as an Academy Award.
They Didn't Despise Each Other In Later Years
Although it was a messy breakup, the former couple admitted that they didn't resent each other in the years following their divorce. In 1991, Sonny told People "I enjoyed the power of Sonny and Cher so much [...] That took years and years to let go." Cher also admitted that it was money that led to their demise more so than their actual relationship.
She told Vanity Fair, "If he had agreed just to disband Cher Enterprises and start all over again, I would have never ever left. Just split it down the middle, 50–50." Even though they quarreled in public, Cher made sure to clarify they didn't actually mean it and that they just knew each other too well.
Sonny Continued On As An Actor And A Politician
Following his almost-complete separation from Cher, Sonny began an acting career, appearing as a guest performer in television shows such as The Six Million Dollar Man, Charlie's Angels, Fantasy Island, The Love Boat, and more. He also acted in several films and television shows as well.
After having trouble opening a restaurant in Palm Springs, he ran for mayor and won, serving four years from 1988 to 1992. He was also elected into the United States House of Representatives in 1994, becoming the only member of Congress to have a No.1 pop single on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
He Died In A Mysterious Ski Accident
On January 5, 1998, Sonny died after hitting a tree while skiing at Heavenly Mountain Resort near South Lake Tahoe, California. His wife at the time, Mary Bono, later revealed that he was addicted to various prescriptions that may have caused the accident and resulted in his death.
He was buried at Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City, California with Cher giving a eulogy. Later, in the 2000s, an allegation came to light that he might have been murdered on the orders of a dealer who was afraid Sonny was going to expose him.
They Share A Hollywood Walk Of Fame Star
The same year of Sonny's death, Sonny and Cher were honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for their careers in television. Cher came to the event alongside Sonny's widow, Mary, who accept the award on her late husband's behalf.
The same year, Cher released her twenty-second album, Believe, which she says was inspired by Sonny's untimely death. In the booklet, Cher wrote, "In memory of Son." Mary also finished out Sonny's congressional term and was re-elected in her own right until she was defeated in 2012.
