The Sonny & Cher Zone | Biography (Page II)

Sonny & Cher's career had stalled by 1968 as their singles of the year, 'Circus' and 'You Gotta Have A Thing Of Your Own' failed to chart. Cher's solo career was experiencing a similar fate – her singles 'The Click Song Number One' and 'Take Me For A Little While' failed to chart, whilst her new album 'Backstage' became her fist album to miss out on the Billboard 200. Their easy-listening upbeat music and anti-drug-free life had become unpopular as the drug culture approached full swing. Even Cher's solo greatest hits album 'Golden Greats' only peaked at number 195 on the Billboard album chart.

In a bid to recover their career, Sonny thought up plans to write and produce a film for Cher to star in, titled 'Chastity'. Sonny placed all of the duo's savings into making the movie and hopes were high that the movie would be a success. During the film's production, Cher caught Sonny cheating on her – at the same time Cher announced that she was pregnant.

Despite the dried-up record sales, Sonny & Cher were still hitting some popular events in 1968 including April's '40th Annual Academy Awards', June's Martin Luther King Benefit at Madison Square Garden and August's 'Newport Pop Festival' – the first ever music concert to have more than 100,000 paid attendees.

On 4 March 1969, Sonny and Cher had a daughter, named Chastity Sun Bono after their new film. Shortly afterwards, Sonny and Cher got married. Their relationship was moving forward but their career seemed to be at a dead end. When Chastity was six-weeks-old, Sonny revealed to Cher that they owed the IRS $270,000. And unfortunately, when the new film opened in theaters on 24 June 1969 – it received mixed reviews - but perhaps unsurprisingly, was a box office failure. Its predominantly instrumental soundtrack album of the same name didn't chart and its Cher track 'Chastity's Song (Bands Of Thieves)' became a flop single.

Sonny & Cher had hit hard times. They were in massive debt, and had to perform shows at nightclubs. By no choice of their own, Sonny & Cher had to reinvent themselves for the nightclub circuit. Sonny was required to wear tuxedo's, Cher was required to wear evening dresses. Just years ago, the duo were selling-out 30,000 seat arenas. Now – on a good night – they were playing to a couple of hundred.

Steadily, and accidentally, they incorporated humour into their act – somehow emerging from shooting down hecklers with her quick-wit, Cher began banter with Sonny on stage, to humorous effect. The added humour to their routine was a success as seats started filling up and the act's reputation grew due to word-of-mouth.
They were given several guest shots on television including their own 1970 television special, 'The Nitty Gritty Hour'. A variety show, with a mixture of slapstick comedy, skits and live music, the TV special was a success. They were also given much airtime on an episode of 'The Barbara McNair Show' which gave them an opportunity to showcase their stage banter and perform numerous songs from their back-catalogue. Before long, the duo were given a chance to guest-host 'The Merv Griffin Show' when spotted by CBS head of programming Fred Silverman in 1971. Next, Sonny & Cher were given the opportunity to do something much bigger – star in their own television series.

'The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour' premièred on 1 August 1971 and aired weekly for six shows as a summer replacement show. It was a huge ratings success. Millions of viewers per week enjoyed the variety show's mixture of memorable comedy sketches, famous guests and of course, Sonny & Cher's music.

Having released singles 'Get It Together' in 1970 and 'Real people' just a couple of months ago in June 1971 to no success, the duo saw the opportunity to turn their successful – now televised - stage act into album sales. In September, as their six-week variety show was closing its run on television, Sonny & Cher released the album 'Sonny and Cher Live'. It was a success, charting at number 35 on the Billboard 200, and ultimately going Gold. This was the beginning of the duo's chart comeback.

Cher began her own comeback too. After three unsuccessful singles since the start of the decade – with 1970's 'Superstar' and 1971's 'Lay Lady Lay and 'Classified 1A' – Cher, solo, returned to the charts. Her 'Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves' topped the US Hot 100 and charted at number 4 in the UK.

The duo unleashed their new single in October, 'All I Ever Need Is You'. It became one of the biggest hits of their career – not only did it return Sonny & Cher to the US Hot 100, it took them to the top ten. It charted at number 7 - and even returned the pair to the top ten in the UK, reaching number 8. It became another million-seller for the duo, and a #1 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart.

Due to the high ratings of the summer series, their variety show 'The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour' returned full-time to US television with a second series in late-December and was an immediate hit. The show's theme tune was an instrumental version of their 1967 US top ten hit 'The Beat Goes On' and at the end of most episodes, they would sing their signature hit 'I Got You Babe'. Old hits aside, the duo would perform their latest releases during the series, giving their records great exposure – something that was be reflected in their sales.

As Cher was releasing her new album, 'Cher' – later re-titled 'Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves' - late in the year to large success (US#16), Sonny & Cher prepared to release their first studio album in four years. Named after its first hit, the duo released the album 'All I Ever Need Is You' – it charted at number 14 on the Billboard 200 – Sonny & Cher's highest position on the chart since their debut. It became their third US Gold-certified album and also hit number 7 in Canada. Lifted as the second single from the album, and following Cher's January 1972 solo 'The Way of Love' (US#7) up the US Hot 100, was 'A Cowboy's Work Is never Done'. It became the album's second US top ten hit – the first time the duo had two US top tens from one album. It reached number 8 on the US Hot 100. Meanwhile, their 1967 'The Best of Sonny & Cher' returned to the charts, spending 22 weeks there - giving the album an impressive total run of 64 weeks on the Billboard 200.

In addition to recording music and making a television series, Sonny & Cher were also hitting the road in the little spare time they had on their 'All I Ever Need Is You Tour'.

At the 1972 Grammy Awards, 'All I Ever Need Is You' was nominated for 'Best Pop Vocal by a Duo or Group' (Cher's album 'Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves' was nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance).

The variety show's second series finished in late March and wouldn't return until September with its third series. While off-air, Sonny & Cher's latest records didn't sell as well as when they were on-air. Their July 1972 single-only release 'When you Say Love' only reached number 32 on the US Hot 100. Cher's solo May '72 single 'Living In A House Divided' (US#22) and its July parent album 'Foxy Lady' (#43) performed disappointingly compared to her last releases. However, when the show returned in September, sales failed to pick-up despite the show's ongoing success. Cher's September solo 'Don't Hide Your Love' failed to hit the top 40 (US#46). A compilation album consisting of their early material, titled 'The Two of Us' reached number 122 on the Billboard 200 album chart.

Sonny & Cher's fortunes were mixed; their television career was booming; their music success was dwindling; and unbeknowst to fans, the couple's relationship was in serious trouble. By November, their marriage had experienced a long slide into crisis and Cher told Sonny that she wanted to leave him. However, Sonny convinced Cher that she should continue to appear alongside him publicly as a happily married couple for their career's sake.

The duo made an appearance at the '30th Golden Globe Awards' in January 1973.

The third series of 'The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour' ended in March 1973 and the duo made an appearance at the The 45th Annual Academy Awards to present the award for 'Best Original Song'. That same month, the duo released their new single, the lengthy-titled 'Mama Was A rock and Roll Singer, Papa Used To Write All Her Songs' from its identically-titled parent album. It reached just number 77 on the US Hot 100. The album did worse – it charted at number 132 on the Billboard 200, becoming their least successful studio album of all-time. Another single was released from the album in July, 'The Greatest Show On earth' – it didn't make the charts. Cher's album 'Bittersweet White Light' peaked at number 140 and its single 'Am I Blue?' missed out on the charts. It seemed that their television series was the one thing keeping the act together.

Cher's solo music career bounced back when her July '73 single 'Half Breed' went on to hit number one hit on the US Billboard Hot 100 and its parent album 'Half-Breed' hit number 28 on the US Billboard 200. Behind closed doors, Sonny's new girlfriend moved in to live under the same roof as Sonny, Cher and Chastity. The duo’s variety series returned for its fourth season in September. By the end of the month, Cher began dating music guru David Geffen.

Sonny decided to release a new live album in December to recapture the audience that made their 1971 live album go Gold. It didn't work. 'Live In Las Vegas Vol.2' only reached number 175 – selling nowhere near what the original did. Their 'Greatest Hits', consisting of 1970's material, was released in 1974 – it peaked at number 146 in America. Sonny & Cher's music career was near death (although another 'Greatest Hits' package, concentrating on 1960's material only, was a top 40 hit in Australia the following year). Meanwhile, Cher scored another US#1 with 'Dark Lady'.

On 20 February 1974, Cher expressed that she didn't want to keep up the facade of a happy marriage anymore by filing for divorce. Although the 'Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour' was expected to return in October, it was cancelled when it became apparent that the duo would no longer work together on the series. Unsurprisingly, the divorce of America’s most popular showbiz couple became big news. After fifteen Emmy Award nominations, the last ever episode of 'The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour' aired on 6 March. Sonny & Cher went their separate ways.

In September, Sonny starred in his own variety show named 'The Sonny Bono Comedy Revue'. As his show began, Cher revealed plans for her own variety show. Cher’s solo show, simply titled ‘The Cher Show’, debuted in February 1975. Her variety show was an instant success. By the time the show had debuted, Sonny’s show had been cancelled.

Their divorce was finalised on 20 June 1975. As a result of the divorce, Sonny and Cher went their separate ways until Cher attended the opening of one of Bono's restaurants in something of a reconciliation.

On 4 Jan 1976, season two of ‘The Cher Show’ came to an end after 15 episodes. Cher decided not to make any further episodes and unexpectedly decided to reunite with Sonny for a new variety show.

Less than a month later, on 1 February, Sonny and Cher returned to television sets in ‘The Sonny & Cher Show’. The variety show was not much different from their original ‘The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour’ but instead featured all-new characters and sketches. It opened to high ratings but these began to steadily decline as the season approached its April finale – after all, Sonny and Cher were now divorced and Cher was now pregnant with new husband Gregg Allman's baby.

'The Sonny & Cher show' returned on 26 September. In an effort to recapture viewers, popular features from their 1971-1974 show were brought back (such as Cher's character Laverne and the famous 'Vamp' sketches). In 1977, Sonny wanted to bring the duo back to the charts with a new song 'You're Not Right For Me'. It was not a success. On 11 March, the season two finale of ‘The Sonny & Cher Show’ aired. It would be the last ever episode as the variety show was not renewed for a third season. Sonny & Cher now went their separate ways.

The couple did however make two surprise reunion performances on television: the first on 'The Mike Douglas Show' in the spring of 1979, singing a medley of 'United We Stand' and 'Without You', and the second many years later in November 1987 on 'Late Night with David Letterman' where the host famously persuaded them to sing 'I Got You Babe' together.

Cher received a telephone call from daughter Chastity in January 1998, telling her that Sonny had died. On January 5 1998, 62-year-old Sonny – now a successful politician (the only member of Congress to have a #1 hit on the US Hot 100) - died of injuries from hitting a tree whilst skiing in Lake Tahoe. Cher was asked to give the eulogy at his funeral.


Unbeknownst to her, it was to be broadcast live on television. Tearfully speaking, Cher said that Sonny was “The most unforgettable character I've ever met.”

Later that year, Sonny and Cher received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television. Cher appeared at the event with Sonny's widow, Mary Bono, who accepted the award on behalf of her late husband. Cher then paid tribute to Sonny in the television special 'Sonny and Me: Cher Remembers', calling her grief, "Something I never plan to get over". She had begun writing her autobiography 'The First Time' before Sonny had passed away - released after his death, the book is dedicated to "Son". Moreover, the inner booklet of her 1998 album 'Believe' reads, "in memory of Son".