Celebrity pop singer Cher was born Cherilyn Lapierre on May 20, 1946 in El Centro, Calif. In her late teens Cher became a studio backup singer and met her future husband, crooner Sonny Bono, during a session with Phil Ramone. After marrying in the mid-1960s the young couple began performing as the duo "Sonny and Cher," though each continued to occasionally record on their own.