Sonny & Cher

Real names:

Salvatore Bono (born February 16, 1935 - Bronx, New York)

Cherilyn Sarkasian LaPier (born May 20, 1946 - El Centro, California)

Bono began writing songs for SPECIALTY records in 1957 and even recorded some, under the name of Don Christie, without much commerical success, though +++ In 1963, he wrote "Needles and pins" - later a hit for the Searchers +++ The same year he met Cher at a recording session, while working for Phil Spector +++ Sonny and Cher started recording as "Caesar and Cleo" for REPRISE Records as well as under their own names for the small VAULT label +++ In 1964 they married +++ Bono wrote "I got you, Babe" in 1965, which they recorded, after signing to ATCO records +++ Between 1965 and 1967, further hits followed, including "Baby don't go", "Just you" and "The Beat goes on" +++ Both, however, also recorded solo records, such as Cher's "All I really want to do", "Bang Bang", among others, and Bono's "Laugh at me" +++ After some abstinence from the charts, both resurfaced sucessfully in 1971 with more hits, incl. "All I ever need is you" and "A cowboy's work is never done" +++ In 1972 they started their own TV-show +++ The couple separated in 1974, both pursuing completely different careers +++ Cher not only still sings successfully on her own, nowadays, but is very active and respected as a movie actress +++ Sonny Bono later went into politics, as a congressman to the US congress, until his death at the age of 62 in January 1998 +++