Cher

Cher Bio

Cher, born Cheryl Sarkisian on May 20, 1946, in El Centro, California, is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than six decades. Often dubbed the “Goddess of Pop,” she is recognized for her distinctive contralto voice, bold visual presentation and ability to continually reinvent herself across music, film, television and Broadway.

She first rose to international fame in 1965 as half of the folk rock duo Sonny & Cher, whose hit “I Got You Babe” became a defining track of the 1960s counterculture. She later built a solo recording career that produced chart-topping singles across multiple decades, won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her work in Moonstruck, and earned her recognition as one of the most successful crossover entertainers in popular music history.

Early Life and Background

Cheryl Sarkisian was born on May 20, 1946, in El Centro, California, to John Sarkisian, an Armenian-American truck driver, and Georgia Holt, a model and actress of Irish, English, German and Cherokee descent. Her paternal grandparents were survivors of the Armenian genocide, a heritage that later shaped her activism. Her parents divorced when she was ten months old, and her father placed her briefly in an orphanage before her mother reclaimed her. The experience left a lasting mark.

Her mother remarried several times, moving the family across California, New York and Texas, and the household often faced financial difficulties. While living in Los Angeles, Georgia Holt pursued acting and occasionally secured small television roles for her daughters in shows such as The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. In 1961, Holt married bank manager Gilbert LaPiere, who adopted Cher under the name Cheryl LaPiere and enrolled her at Montclair College Preparatory School in Encino, a private school that she attended.

From an early age, Cher was drawn to performance. By fifth grade, she organized a class production of Oklahoma! and often played male roles when boys refused to participate. She idolized actresses such as Audrey Hepburn, Marlene Dietrich and Katharine Hepburn, though she later recalled feeling discouraged by the limited representation of dark-haired women in Hollywood. She also struggled academically, later discovering she has dyslexia, and her mind was frequently occupied with dreams of becoming famous.

Path to Music

At sixteen, Cher left school and moved out of her mother’s home, taking acting classes and supporting herself by dancing in nightclubs along Hollywood’s Sunset Strip. In November 1962, she met Sonny Bono, who was eleven years her senior and working for producer Phil Spector. She accepted Sonny’s offer to work as his housekeeper, and he introduced her to Spector, who used her as a backing vocalist on recordings including the Righteous Brothers’ “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin'” and the Ronettes’ “Be My Baby”.

Cher’s first single, “Ringo, I Love You,” was released in early 1964 under the name Bonnie Jo Mason, but many radio programmers rejected the song, mistaking her deep contralto for a male voice. Cher and Sonny became close friends and lovers, holding an unofficial wedding ceremony in Tijuana, Mexico, on October 27, 1964. As a duo, they released singles as Caesar & Cleo before rebranding as Sonny & Cher, eventually signing with Atlantic Records’ Atco label. In 1965, “I Got You Babe” reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, transforming the duo into international stars.

While pursuing the duo, Cher launched a parallel solo career. Her cover of Bob Dylan’s “All I Really Want to Do,” credited to “Chér,” peaked at number fifteen on the Billboard Hot 100 and number nine on the UK chart, and her debut album, All I Really Want to Do (1965), reached number sixteen on the Billboard 200. These early steps established her as a recording artist in her own right, even as Sonny & Cher dominated the charts.

Cher Career

Early Career (1963–1970)

Cher began her professional career in 1963, initially working as a backing vocalist before launching a solo recording career with Imperial Records. Her 1965 debut album, All I Really Want to Do, was praised by AllMusic’s Tim Sendra as “one of the stronger folk-pop records of the era.” Her second album, The Sonny Side of Chér (1966), included “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down),” which reached number one in Italy and number two in the United States, becoming her first million-selling solo single.

Throughout the late 1960s, Cher continued releasing solo material, including the 1969 album 3614 Jackson Highway, recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio. Decades later, AllMusic called it “the finest album of her career” and “still a revelation.” During this period, she and Sonny also attempted a film career, starring in the musical Good Times (1967), directed by William Friedkin, and the art film Chastity (1969), both of which failed commercially. By 1969, however, Cher had given birth to her son Chaz Bono, and the couple was at the lowest point of their career.

Breakthrough (1971–1974)

Cher’s first major breakthrough came in 1971 with “Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves,” produced by Snuff Garrett, which became her first US number-one single and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It was the first single by a solo artist to top both the US Billboard Hot 100 and the Canadian singles chart simultaneously. The success coincided with the launch of The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour on CBS, a summer replacement series that drew more than 30 million weekly viewers and earned her a 1974 Golden Globe Award for Best TV Actress.

Her 1973 single “Half-Breed,” about the daughter of a Cherokee mother and a white father, became her third US number-one single and was also certified gold by the RIAA. “Dark Lady,” released in December 1973, became her fourth US number-one hit, tying her with Rosemary Clooney, Patti Page and Connie Francis for the most number-one singles by a female solo artist at the time. The success of these singles, combined with the popularity of The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, made her one of the most bankable entertainers in America.

Notable Works and Milestones

Cher’s signature works from this era included the singles “Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves,” “Half-Breed” and “Dark Lady,” each of which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour and her follow-up variety series Cher made her a major television presence, while her hit single “I Got You Babe” had already been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. These achievements cemented her reputation as a versatile performer capable of succeeding in both music and television.

Cher Award Nominations

Throughout her career, Cher has received nominations for some of the most prestigious awards in entertainment. These include Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress for Silkwood (1983) and Best Actress for Moonstruck (1987), as well as Golden Globe nominations for her television and film work. She has also been nominated for additional Grammy Awards, including for “Believe,” and for Primetime Emmy Awards for her television specials.

Cher Awards Won

Cher has won an Academy Award for Best Actress for Moonstruck (1987), three Golden Globe Awards, including one for Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy for Moonstruck, and one Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording for “Believe,” along with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. She has also won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special for Cher: The Farewell Tour (2003), a Cannes Film Festival Best Actress Award for Mask (1985), and the Kennedy Center Honors in 2018.

Cher Family

Cher is the daughter of John Sarkisian, an Armenian-American truck driver, and Georgia Holt, a model and actress. Her parents divorced when she was ten months old, and she was briefly placed in an orphanage before her mother reclaimed her. Her mother later married several times, including to Gilbert LaPiere, who adopted Cher. Her paternal grandparents were survivors of the Armenian genocide, a heritage she has publicly acknowledged throughout her life.

Cher married singer and entertainer Sonny Bono in 1969, and the couple had one son, Chaz Bono, born on March 4, 1969. They divorced in 1975. She then married rock musician Gregg Allman, co-founder of the Allman Brothers Band, in 1975, and they had one son, Elijah Blue Allman, born on July 10, 1976. Their divorce was finalized in 1979. Cher has also been in a relationship with music executive Alexander “A.E.” Edwards since 2022.

Personal Life

Cher has two sons, Chaz Bono and Elijah Blue Allman. Chaz came out as a lesbian at age seventeen and later transitioned, with his transition legally finalized in 2010, an experience that deeply shaped Cher’s advocacy for LGBTQ rights. She served as the keynote speaker at the 1997 PFLAG convention and has been one of the LGBTQ community’s most vocal supporters.

In 2022, Cher confirmed her relationship with Alexander “A.E.” Edwards, who is forty years her junior. She addressed the public attention to their age gap by writing, “Love doesn’t know math.” Beyond entertainment, Cher is known for her philanthropic work through the Cher Charitable Foundation, supporting causes including veterans, children, LGBTQ individuals, and AIDS research through organizations such as Keep a Child Alive. She has also been an outspoken advocate for Armenian genocide recognition and political causes throughout her career.