Cher: The Memoir: Part One

Cher was born Cherilyn Sarkisian on May 20, 1946, in El Centro, California. In her memoir, Cher details her tumultuous childhood growing up as the eldest child of actress Georgia Holt. Throughout her childhood, Cher moved homes and schools constantly as her mother pursued acting and married and divorced many times. Throughout this upheaval, she dreamed of being a performer one day. When she met a young music producer and amateur singer named Sonny Bono, they began a romantic and then professional relationship, becoming the singing duo Sonny and Cher.

Cher soon became a household name across the US, performing on The Ed Sullivan Show and touring for her enthusiastic young fans, who loved both her music and her fashion. By the early 1970s, she had become a weekly fixture in many Americans’ lives with her role in The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour, a variety show that she co-hosted with Sonny. Cher earned her first major award for her work on the show, a Golden Globe for best actress in a musical or comedy series. When her relationship with Sonny broke down, Cher rebuilt her career as a solo artist, releasing records such as Stars, Cherished, and Take Me Home.