Music Icons: Looking Back At Cher & Sonny Bono's Marriage

In 1963, Cher and Sonny first crossed paths when she was just 16, and he, 27, was married (though separated from his first wife). Interestingly, Sonny was initially interested in Cher's friend, not Cher herself. Nevertheless, there was an immediate connection between them. Cher recalled to Elle in 2018 that when she first saw Sonny, "Everyone just disappeared." She described him as the most unusual person she has ever seen.

Cher and Sonny Bono, renowned for their 1965 hit "I Got You Babe," stand as one of the 20th century's iconic couples. Cher and Sonny's relationship kept going strong as they became famous. They had a pretend wedding in 1964 (they got officially married in 1969). Cher was fine with Sonny taking the lead in both their careers and personal life. In 2010, she mentioned, "I really looked up to Sonny, even after we weren't together. I just thought he was great."

Cher crashed at Sonny's place when her roommates kicked her out. They were just friends at first, but later they became a couple. Cher, having a tough family situation, saw their connection as more protective than romantic in 1975. In 1977, Sonny acknowledged Cher's need for protection.

Cher's mother thought that Cher's feelings for Sonny were influenced by her issues with her father. She mentioned in a 1975 Ladies' 'Home Journal' interview that at that time, Sonny resembled Cher's father, Johnny Sarkisian. According to her, the father image played a significant role in Cher's emotions, but she believed telling Cher wouldn't have made a difference. When a girl is in love, not much can be done about it.

Sonny's connection with Phil Spector opened doors for Cher, landing her backup singing gigs on Spector-produced hits such as "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" and "Be My Baby." Recognizing Cher's potential as a solo singer, Sonny began performing with her to ease her nerves and boost her confidence.

By the end of the 1960s, Cher and Sonny's music career had stalled out as public tastes shifted. And Sonny's decision to self-finance 'Chastity' (1969), a movie starring Cher, left them broke after the film flopped. The couple had a child in 1969 (Chastity Bono, assigned female at birth, who later transitioned to male and became known as Chaz Bono), but this relationship milestone made it all the more important to jumpstart their career.

Cher and Sonny's lounge act led to a successful TV show in 1971, The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour, featuring their witty banter and family moments with daughter Chastity. Despite career success, their personal life faced challenges. Sonny's infidelity and his traditional views on women began causing issues for Cher. By 1975, she expressed how his belief in women being taken care of had become overwhelming, marking a turning point in their relationship.

In 1972, Cher admitted to Sonny that she was involved with a guitarist in their band. Despite this revelation, their marriage persisted, mainly due to their intertwined careers as "Sonny and Cher." Divorcing was challenging. Instead, they remained married but pursued relationships with others, some even sharing their mansion. In a diary entry on August 21, 1973, Sonny noted, "Connie and I live together as husband and wife. But my public wife is still Cher to maintain all the things I want right now. That’s the way it has to be." Cher, unfazed by the complexity, remarked, "We had a weird relationship. I don’t expect anybody to understand it."

Cher and Sonny's divorce was finalized on June 26, 1975. Days later, she married Gregg Allman, but that marriage faced immediate challenges. After failed solo TV shows, they reunited for The Sonny and Cher Show, which didn't last because the show's spark was gone. Cher struggled post-divorce, stating in a 2017 interview, "He had made every decision for me. I knew how to sing and how to be a mother. I didn’t know anything else." Despite this, she excelled in acting.

Despite this, she excelled in acting. Sonny became a restaurateur and later entered politics. Both occasionally expressed regret over their break-up, with Sonny admitting in 1991 that it took him years to let go of the power of Sonny and Cher. In 2010, Cher revealed to 'Vanity Fair' that she felt treated more like a business asset than a wife and would have stayed if they'd shared Cher Enterprises equally.

After their breakup, Cher and Sonny frequently made public jabs at each other, with Cher often stating that she was happiest when she left Sonny. Sonny believed Cher portrayed herself as a victim. Despite this, they emotionally reunited for a rendition of "I Got You Babe" on Late Night with David Letterman in 1987.