Sonny Bono

Sonny Bono (born February 16, 1935, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.—died January 5, 1998, South Lake Tahoe, California) was an American songwriter, producer, entertainer, and politician who found fame in the 1960s and ’70s as part of the TV and music duo Sonny and Cher. He later became a Republican politician and served in the U.S. House of Representatives (1995–98).

Early life and music career

Bono was born in Detroit to immigrants from Sicily. The family struggled financially, and when he was seven years old they moved to Los Angeles. He later dropped out of high school and worked odd jobs, including those of truck driver, construction worker, and waiter. During this time he was also writing songs, and one of his first singles, “Koko Jo,” was later performed by the Righteous Brothers.

In the late 1950s Bono began working at Specialty Records, a label that featured such performers as Little Richard and Sam Cooke. Bono served as a writer and producer before the label closed in 1960. Several years later he joined Gold Star Studios, and there he became the protégé of Phil Spector, a hugely influential record producer.

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Sonny and Cher

In 1963 Bono met a 16-year-old girl named Cherilyn Sarkisian, who went by the name Cher. Bono was 27 at the time and separated from his first wife; the couple later divorced. Cher was smitten, telling Elle magazine in 2018, “He was the most unusual person I’d ever seen. He had longish hair, and he had the most beautiful suit on, and beautiful long fingers, and Beatle boots, but they were Cuban heels.” Cher eventually moved in with Bono, and their relationship, platonic at first, later became romantic; after an unofficial ceremony in 1964, the couple wed in 1969.

The couple shared an interest in music, and Sonny introduced Cher to Spector, who had her sing backup on several songs he produced, including “Be My Baby” (1963) by the Ronettes. Sonny and Cher also began recording music together, and in 1965 they had their first major hit, “I Got You Babe,” which was written by Sonny. The pop single sold more than a million copies, and it made Sonny and Cher famous. He subsequently wrote a series of popular songs that included “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)” (1966) and “The Beat Goes On” (1967). The former was released on Cher’s second solo album, The Sonny Side of Chér.

By the end of the 1960s, however, Sonny and Cher’s popularity had waned. The duo struggled as music tastes changed, and their foray into movies—they starred in the comedy Good Times (1967), which was directed by William Friedkin—was a disappointment. Sonny and Cher began performing in nightclubs, and part of their act included witty banter.

These performances eventually led to the TV variety show The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour, which debuted in 1971. The couple’s comedic exchanges proved popular with viewers—as did their colourful clothing. Cher often appeared in sequined outfits designed by Bob Mackie, and Sonny wore bell bottoms. The series was canceled in 1974, when Sonny and Cher separated; their divorce was finalized in 1975. However, they reunited—on television at least—for The Sonny and Cher Show in 1976–77. Bono subsequently made a few sporadic TV and film appearances, but he was mostly done as an entertainer.

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Political career

In 1985 Bono opened an Italian restaurant in Palm Springs, California, called Bono’s. His efforts to hang a business sign were met with red tape, and the experience inspired him to enter politics. In 1988 Bono, who had not voted until he was 53, won the mayoral race in Palm Springs, and in 1992 he sought to make a giant political leap when he ran for the U.S. Senate. He lost in the Republican primary, however, and Democrat Dianne Feinstein ultimately won the seat. Bono subsequently set his sights on the U.S. House of Representatives. In “the Republican Revolution,” as the 1994 midterms became known, Bono was elected to represent the state’s 44th Congressional District as his party won enough seats to take control of the House.

Bono brought star power to Washington, D.C., and he became one of the most popular Republican public speakers. He had a self-deprecating style, once observing, “I feel kind of like the black sheep in Congress, but here I am,” and he noted that people often underestimated him. He quickly won over key Capitol Hill players with a humorous speech at a Washington Press Club Foundation dinner in 1995. Bono said that he did not deliver speeches from prepared remarks, after trying it once and failing miserably.

Bono’s areas of interest on Capitol Hill included copyright law, immigration, and the environment. He was a conservative and opposed same-sex marriage, claiming, “I’m not homophobic, I’m not a bigot, I’m not pandering to hatred. I simply can’t handle it.” In 1996 he was elected to a second term.

On January 5, 1998, during a skiing trip, Bono crashed into a tree at the Heavenly Ski Resort on the California-Nevada line and died of massive head injuries.

Personal life

After divorcing Cher, Bono married Susie Coelho in 1981 (they divorced in 1984) and then Mary Whitaker in 1986. Following his death, Mary Bono won her husband’s House seat in a special election. Sonny Bono had four children, including Chaz Bono, a transgender activist whose mother is Cher.