Cher is known as an American singer and actress. She is most famous for being one half of Sonny and Cher and winning an Oscar for her role in the film, 'Moonstruck.'

Fame

Background

Cher was born as Cherilyn Sarkisian on May 20, 1946, in El Centro, California. She was raised by her mom Georgia, a model and actress, and experienced childhood in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles County with her younger half-sister, Georganne. The family struggled financially, with Cher having placed in a foster home while her mom searched for work. Since early on in her childhood, she knew that she wanted to be an entertainer.

Career

Cher left high school at the age of 16 and moved to Hollywood. She met Salvatore "Sonny" Bono, who was a protégé of notorious producer Phil Spector, at a coffeehouse. Cher sang backup vocals on popular Spector melodies like the Ronettes' "Be My Baby." Though Sonny wasn't at first keen on Cher romantically, the two built up a sentimental relationship and eventually married on October 27, 1964.

The couple worked on their band and wound up known as Sonny and Cher. Under the Atco record label, the couple scored a fantastic chart-topper in 1965 with "I Got You Babe." Sonny and Cher had a countercultural persona with unmistakable bohemian stylings and kept on releasing well known singles like "Child Don't Go," the socially-mindful "The Beat Goes On," "Little Man" and "What Now My Love."

Cher also signed to Imperial as a solo artist. After solo releases, for example, Bob Dylan's "All I Really Want to Do" and "Where Do You Go," she had her first top 5 solo single with "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)." As a solo star, she was able to step out of her husband’s shadow and spread her wings.

Personal Life

Relationships

Cher dated actor and director Warren Beatty during her high school years. During her career, she has been romantically linked to Geffen, actors Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer, musician Richie Sambora and actor Robert Camilletti.

Cher has been married twice in her life. Cher has two children in her life. Her child, Chaz Bono was initially named Chastity and experienced a female-to-male sex change in 2008. He is from her first marriage to the late Bono, who passed away in a skiing accident on January 5, 1998.

Her other child Elijah Blue Allman was born in 1976. He was born during her marriage with musician Gregg Allman.