Profile of the Day: Sonny Bono

Remember listening to the music of Sonny & Cher? Today we remember Sonny Bono on what would have been his 89th birthday.

Image: Sonny Bono / Nationaal Archief, CC0

Salvatore Phillip Bono was born on February 16, 1935 in Detroit, Michigan. The son of Sicilian immigrants, Bono and his family moved to California when he was seven. After dropping out of school, Bono worked a series of odd jobs to support himself.

He began his music career as a songwriter before achieving commercial success with his then-wife and singing partner, Cher. The couple released several number one hits including, “I Got You Babe” and “The Beat Goes On,” and starred in their own successful variety TV shows, The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour and The Sonny and Cher Show. Their successful partnership continued until they divorced in 1975. During their time together, they sold over 40 million records worldwide.

In the 1980s, Bono entered the world of politics when he successfully ran for mayor of Palm Springs, California. In 1994, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Sadly, Bono died suddenly on January 5, 1998 in a tragic skiing accident. He was 62.

View Sonny Bono’s Geni Profile