Cher is an American singer and film actress of Armenian descent. She is the only musician who has been on the Billboard Hot 100 for half a century. She is also known as a songwriter and music producer.
Childhood and youth
Sherilyn Sargsyan Lapierre Bono Allman, known as Cher, was born at 7:25 a.m. on May 20, 1946 in California. Her family was poor. Father John Pavel Sargsyan worked as a truck driver. Mother was a little-known actress Georgia Holt. Her parents divorced when she was only ten months old. Later, her mother married again and gave birth to a second daughter. This relationship ended when Cher was nine. Her mother remarried several more times, and the family often moved around the country.
She attended Montclair Prep private school where she learned very well French and English. At school, she sang songs during the lunch break for her classmates.
At 16, the girl dropped out of school and, together with her friend, went to Los Angeles to study acting.
Sonny and Cher.
In 1962, she met the assistant of the famous producer Phil Spector Sonny (Salvatore) Bono. Sonny suggested Cherylin to live in his house and do household work. Initially, the future star cooked for him, washed and did the cleaning. Over time, Bono noticed that the young woman was sincerely interested in music, especially rock. And most importantly, he found that Cher had a beautiful and deep voice. The couple’s relationship has changed: they became business, and later turned into a love affair and in 1964 they signed in the Mexican town of Tijuana
Her musical career began as a backing vocalist at Phil Spector's studio. By the end of 1964, Cher had signed a recording contract with Liberty Records, and Cher's first solo record, the song “Ringo, I Love You, ” was born.
The debut went well. Sonny and Cher began to act as a duet and soon a bright young couple, a long-haired hippie and an exotic beauty with a sensual, deep voice, became a sensation on both shores of the Atlantic Ocean.
In early 1965, the duo released their first album, Look At US. Sonny insisted that the song “I Got You Babe” be released as a single. In the summer of 1965, Sonny and Cher presented their second album, “All I Really Want to Do.” A song of the same name was included in it; it was her first hit, over two years (1965–1967), Sonny & Cher sold over 40 million records worldwide.
One of the hits 'I Got You Babe' for three weeks took first place in the 'Billboard Hot 100'.
In subsequent years, seven new albums were recorded. Alas, the latest works were not very popular and very shook the financial stability of the couple. As it turned out, the couple had significant debts due to album failures and bank loans. They decided to reorient themselves and present their show on the TV channel.
The project was named Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, but after a while it was changed to a more sounding show, Sonny & Cher. The program has been broadcast for seven years. It was a mixture of humorous sketches and musical performances, the guests of the duet were movie stars and pop stars.
In February 1974, Sonny filed for divorce, where in the column the reason indicated "irreconcilable differences." A week later, Cher asked for a divorce, accusing Sonny of "domestic slavery" and claiming that he stole money from her.
The couple sued for a long time; in the end, the court sided with Cher, awarding Sonny to pay her $ 25, 000 a month for 6 months, $ 1, 5000 in child support payments for their common child Bono, and paying attorney fees $ 41, 000. The liquid assets were equally divided. Their divorce was completed on June 26, 1975.
After the death of Sonny Bono at a ski resort in 1998, Cher made an emotional speech at his funeral, calling him "the brightest person" she met on her life's journey.
June 30, 1975, just four days after the divorce from Sonny, Cher married the rock legend Gregg Allman, co-founder of Allman Brothers.
She filed for divorce in just nine days, due to his problems with heroin and alcohol, but they reconciled for a month. But four years later in 1979, this marriage also broke up.
Music and movies
In 1982, Cher moved to New York, where she was invited to play on Broadway. The acting debut was successful, and Cher began her film career. Mike Nicholls appreciated the woman's talent and offered her a role in his Silkwood. Cher got the role of a cheerful woman who fell in love with the main character; her acting was so convincing and vibrant that she was nominated for an Academy Award.
Three years later, Cher again appeared on the big screen in a dramatic role. The film tells the story of a teenager with a rare disease that disfigured his face. Cher played the role of the boy’s mother.
At the same time, the artist’s solo career continued to develop. In 1987, she signed with Geffen Records and released a new album.
In 1989, the video for the hit "If I Could Turn Back Time" was released, but it was banned due to the singer's too provocative dress. Despite this situation, the artist did not stop wearing such clothes at concerts.
The following year, the hit “The Shoop Shoop Song” was presented, which topped many music charts.
In 1995, the year's new album It's A Man's World conquered the whole world. The album included hits “Walking In Memphis” and “One by One”.
In 2001, Cher and Italian musician Eros Ramazotti recorded the song "Più che puoi" in English and Italian at the same time. Later, fans called this hit one of Ramazotti's most recognizable and popular tracks.
In 2002, she begins her farewell tour. Initially, 49 concerts were planned, but the tour was extended several times. When Cher returned back to Las Vegas in 2005, it turned out that the singer gave 326 concerts and earned $ 250 million.
In 2014, Cher went on a world tour. After 49 performances, each of which went with a full house, he was interrupted due to a star's illness.
Rewards & Achievements
In 1974, she won the Golden Globe Award for Best TV Actress / Musical / Comedy for the television show Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour. In 1984, she won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress of a Second Brother for her role in Silkwood. In 1988, she received an Oscar in the nomination "Best Actress in a Leading Role" for the film "Moonstruck". In 2000, she received a Grammy Award in the category "Best Dance Track" for "Believe".
Financial position
Cher has released over 25 studio albums and sold over 100 million records, making her one of the best-selling female artists of all time. Cher's fortune as of 2017 was estimated at more than $ 350 million.
In 2014, Billboard Magazine estimated that Cher had earned $ 352 million from her tours since 1990.
Here are some of her top-grossing tours.
Heart of Stone Tour (1990) - $ 40 million
Do you believe? (1999) - $ 220 million
Living Proof: The Farewell Tour (2002 - 2005) - $ 260 million
Cher residency show (2008 - 2011) - $ 180 million
Dressed to Kill Tour (2014) - $ 55 million
Some of her highest paid films between the 80s and 90s include; Silkwood (1983) - $ 150, 000, Mask (1985) - $ 500, 000, Moonstruck (1987) - $ 1 million, The Witches of Eastwick (1987) $ 1 million, Suspect (1987) - $ 1 million, Mermaids (1990) $ 4 million.
