Cher

Cher met Sonny Bono in Los Angeles in 1962 while he was working with record producer Phil Spector. Bono introduced her to Spector, leading to her work as a session singer on recordings including the Ronettes' "Be My Baby" and the Righteous Brothers' "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'." Cher and Bono initially performed under the names Caesar and Cleo before becoming Sonny & Cher.

Their 1965 album Look at Us produced "I Got You Babe," a No. 1 hit that established the duo internationally. They followed it with songs including "The Beat Goes On," "Baby Don't Go," and "Little Man." Their contrasting personalities, banter, and distinctive clothing also became central to their public image.

In 1971, they launched The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour, a television variety program that earned multiple Emmy nominations and won Cher a Golden Globe for television acting. The show renewed interest in their music and helped introduce Cher's solo hits "Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves," "Half-Breed," and "Dark Lady." Cher and Bono separated professionally and personally in the 1970s, and their divorce was finalized in 1975.

Cher began releasing solo music during her years with Sonny & Cher. Her early solo records included All I Really Want to Do, The Sonny Side of Cher, and With Love, Cher. Her cover of "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" became one of her best-known early solo recordings, while "You Better Sit Down Kids" addressed the emotional consequences of a marital separation from the perspective of a father.

The 1971 album Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves gave Cher her first No. 1 single as a solo artist and her first solo Grammy nomination. She later reached the top of the charts with "Half-Breed" and continued her recording comeback with the disco hit "Take Me Home," the rock-oriented "I Found Someone," and "If I Could Turn Back Time."

Cher's 1998 album Believe marked another major transformation. Its title track became a global dance hit, and the deliberate use of vocal processing on the recording helped popularize what became known as the "Cher effect." "Believe" won Cher her first Grammy Award in 2000 for Best Dance Recording. She later released Living Proof, Closer to the Truth, the ABBA tribute album Dancing Queen, and her first holiday album, Christmas, in 2023.

Cher pursued acting more seriously in the 1980s after appearing on Broadway in Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean. She reprised her stage role in the film adaptation and then earned an Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globe for her performance as Dolly Pelliker in Silkwood, alongside Meryl Streep and Kurt Russell.

Her performance in Mask brought further acclaim, including a Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival. In 1987, she appeared in The Witches of Eastwick with Susan Sarandon and Michelle Pfeiffer, starred in Suspect opposite Dennis Quaid, and played Loretta Castorini in Moonstruck. Her performance in Moonstruck earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress and another Golden Globe.

Cher later acted in Mermaids, Tea with Mussolini, Burlesque, and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again!, which reunited her with Meryl Streep. She also directed the 1996 HBO drama If These Walls Could Talk, which received major television award nominations.

After the success of Believe, Cher announced a farewell tour that ran from 2002 to 2005. The 325-date production became a large-scale showcase for her changing musical personas, costumes, and stage designs. The televised special Cher: The Farewell Tour won three Emmy Awards.

Cher returned to live performance in 2008 with a residency at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, completing 192 shows by 2011. She later launched additional concert productions, including Classic Cher in Las Vegas and the Here We Go Again Tour, which concluded in 2020 after the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted its run.

Cher's public image has been closely associated with theatrical costumes, dramatic hairstyles, and a willingness to challenge prevailing ideas about celebrity fashion. She worked extensively with designer Bob Mackie, whose creations included elaborate stage costumes and outfits for television appearances.

At the 1986 Academy Awards, Cher wore a black chain-link halter and feathered headdress as a protest over her lack of an Academy Award nomination for Mask. Her clothing continued to attract attention during her tours and Las Vegas residencies, reinforcing her reputation for combining music, performance, and visual spectacle.