Cher

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Image:Cher divaslive.jpg

For other uses, see Cher (disambiguation).

Cher (born Cherilyn Sarkisian on May 20, 1946) is an American actress and singer of Armenian descent. She rose to prominence in the 1960s as a member of the duo Sonny and Cher and sold over 80 million records worldwide, then as a solo artist when the duo ended in 1974. She has sold solo over 100 million records worldwide since the start of her career.

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Biography

Cher first achieved success as one of the pop music duo Sonny and Cher with her first husband, Sonny Bono (whom she met while working as a backup singer for producer Phil Spector). Together, Sonny and Cher had number one singles with "I Got You Babe" in 1965 and "The Beat Goes On" in 1967 both in the U.K. and The U.S.A. Also those two years, Cher had her first charting songs as a solo artist: "All I Really Want to Do" and "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)." After Sonny and Cher's career stalled (their easy-listening pop and anti-drug policy soon became unpopular in an era of edgier tunes and edgier consumption), CBS head of programming Fred Silverman (after seeing them perform in Las Vegas) gave the duo their own show, The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour, in 1971. It was a surprise hit and ran for four seasons before the duo decided to end its run; Cher announced her intent to separate from Sonny. She later hosted and performed in her own variety TV series, which ran for two seasons and concluded in 1977.

Image:Cher 1970.jpg

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Solo Artist

During the early Seventies, Cher began to establish herself as a solo recording artist with producer Snuff Garrett, and she scored three U.S. #1 hits with the songs "Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves" (1971), "Half-Breed" (1973), and "Dark Lady" (1974). (She did, however, turn down two songs that later became #1 hits for two other singers in 1973: "Angie Baby" and "The Night The Lights Went Out in Georgia," for Helen Reddy and Vicki Lawrence, respectively.) Cher and Bono divorced in 1974, and she later married rock musician Gregg Allman, a member of the Allman Brothers Band. She has two children, Chastity Bono and Elijah Blue Allman (founder of the band Deadsy). In 1978, Cher was romantically linked with Gene Simmons of KISS. Cher and Allman divorced in 1979 and she later had a relationship with guitarist Les Dudek.

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Acting

Cher had demonstrated her considerable comedic talents in the various skits she performed on The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour, and while she was highly regarded in this arena, her ambition to develop a movie career was at first not taken seriously. For several years she worked at trying to secure a role to prove herself, until she was cast in a stage production of Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean. The reviews she received were glowing and she was cast in the film version, directed by Robert Altman. Once again the critics praised her work and she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award. This finally allowed her to make the transition into a successful acting career, starring in films including Silkwood (nomination for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress), Mask (for which she won the Cannes Film Festival Best Actress Award in 1985), Suspect, Moonstruck (for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1988), Mermaids and Tea With Mussolini.

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Solo Artist, Continued

Image:Cher leaning.jpg In 1989 she scored another million-selling hit with the song If I Could Turn Back Time. The album "Heart of Stone" went on to sell three million copies. Following the devastating earthquake that hit Armenia in December of 1988, Cher travelled to the country to participate in the relief activities. In 1990, Cher released the song "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss" individually, and in 1991, she released her final album for her Geffen Records contract, Love Hurts. The album featured a second take at the title track (the first was on the 1975 album Stars), and the hit singles "Save Up All Your Tears" and "Love And Understanding". Cher had proven herself again.

Her ability to reinvent herself has allowed her to continue performing and creating successful recordings for more than 35 years. In 1995, she released It's a Man's World, panned by critics but loved by fans. She had also produced and recorded an alternative-rock independant album entitled Not.Commercial (pronounced "not-dot-com-mercial"). The album was written after a retreat to a poetry class in France; it was rejected by record labels and Cher chose to sell it on her Web site, with great success.

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Fans Keep Believing

When magazines and newspapers declared her career over, Cher was about to embark on yet another reinvention, this time the biggest musical success of her career. In 1998 she had one of the biggest successes of her recording career with the number one hit Believe and the four-million selling album of the same name which won her her first Grammy Award. With the success of Believe, Cher became the oldest woman in the rock era to have a Number One hit. In the United Kingdom, "Believe" stayed at No. 1 in the charts for seven weeks and is the all-time biggest-selling single by a solo female artist in the UK. Image:Cher aliveagain musicvideo.jpg In 2001 in Europe and 2002 in the United States, Cher released her follow-up dance album Living Proof, sparking the hit singles "The Music's No Good Without You", "Alive Again", and the September 11th dedicated track, "Song for the Lonely", which peaked at #7. In 2004 she was nominated for a Grammy for "Best Dance Recording" for her song "Love One Another."

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Living Proof, Farewell Tour

She was at the time in the throes of her last-ever world-wide tour (the Farewell Tour), her most spectacular and best-received tour ever. It began in June 2002 and was still going strong after more than two years, having appeared throughout the continental U.S. and major centers in Canada, as well as a sweep of about two dozen cities across Europe (May and June 2004). In February and March 2005, the tour went to Australia and New Zealand and then returned to North America. But late in April, with appearances at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California, on the last two days of the month, it finally made its swan song. In all, it amassed a spectacular total of 325 shows over a period just 45 days short of three years. Image:Cher takemehome concert.jpg To date the tour has brought in a reported $250 million dollars and remains the most successful solo tour by a female in history.

Other Farewell Tour statistics: concerts in the U.S. - 256; Europe - 28; Canada - 24; Australia - 12; Mexico - 3; New Zealand - 2. Two performances on November 8, 2002 at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida, were taped by NBC for a special program, aired April 2003; it won Cher her first Emmy. With the Emmy win, Cher joined the small elite group of entertainers to have won the top awards in Hollywood - the Grammy, the Oscar, the Emmy, and the Golden Globe. Only the Tony - the top award for Broadway theatre - eludes her.

Among her many achievements, Cher is the only recording artist in history to score #1 hits in five successive decades and she also holds the Billboard record for the longest time span --34 years-- between her first #1 hit in 1965 and her most recent #1 in 1999. Her longevity is the inspiration for the famous quote "After a nuclear holocaust, all that will be left are cockroaches and Cher".

Cher is managed by expatriate Australian impresario Roger Davies. The former manager of successful '70s Australian pop band Sherbet, Davies' company also manages Tina Turner, Sade, Pink, Joe Cocker and Tony Joe White.

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As Gay Icon

Cher has emerged as something of a gay icon in popular culture, a status assisted by her openly lesbian daughter Chastity Bono. [1] [2] The NBC sitcom Will & Grace has acknowledged her status by making her the idol of gay character Jack McFarland. Cher guest-starred as herself twice on the sitcom, in 2001 and 2002. On October 4th, 2005, the Bravo program "Great Things About Being..." declared Cher #1 greatest thing about being gay.

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Political Interests

On October 27th, 2003, Cher anonymously called C-SPAN during a phone-in. She recounted a visit she had made to maimed soldiers at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, criticized the deficiency of media coverage and government attention given to injured servicemen. Cher also remarked that she watches C-SPAN every day. Though she simply identified herself as an unnamed entertainer with USO, she was recognized by the C-SPAN host, who subsequently questioned her about her 1992 support for independent presidential candidate Ross Perot. In 1996, Cher appeared on C-SPAN as part of a national AIDS awareness event.

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Discography

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Albums

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With Sonny

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Solo

Image:Cherstars.jpg

Image:Cher-The Very Best of Cher.jpg

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Separate Compilations

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Singles

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With Sonny

  • 1964 - "Love Is Strange" US #134
  • 1965 - "I Got You Babe" UK/US #1; Germany #3; Sweden/Canada/Dutch #4; France/Japan #5; Belgian #12
  • 1965 - "The Letter" US # 75; Canada #24
  • 1965 - "Baby Don't Go" Canada #1; Sweden #16; Dutch #20; UK #11; US #8
  • 1965 - "Just You / Sing C'est La Vie" Belgian #1; Canada #15; US #20
  • 1965 - "But You're Mine" UK #17; US #15; Canada #23
  • 1966 - "Have I Stayed Too Long" UK #42; US #49
  • 1966 - "Little Man" France/Sweden/Belgian/Norway/Dutch #1; UK #4; US #21; Germany #2; Canada #6
  • 1966 - "Living For You" UK #44; US #87
  • 1967 - "The Beat Goes On" UK #29; US #6, France #2; Belgian #5; Dutch #8; Canada #9; Germany #24
  • 1971 - "All I Ever Need Is You" UK #7; US #7; Canada #10; Belgian #20
  • 1972 - "A Cowboys' Work Is Never Done" US #8; Canada #4; Germany #48
  • 1972 - "When You Say Love" US #32
  • 1993 - "I Got You Babe" (re-issue) UK #66
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Solo

  • 1965 - "All I Really Wanna Do" UK #9; US/Dutch #15; Sweden #13; Canada #26 (Cher's first #1 hit)
  • 1965 - "Where Do You Go?" US #25; Canada #22
  • 1966 - "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" UK #3; US #2; Italy #6; Sweden/Canada/Belgian #9; Dutch #16; Germany #17
  • 1966 - "Alfie" US #32; Canada #26
  • 1966 - "I Feel Something In the Air" UK #43
  • 1966 - "Sunny" UK #32, Dutch/Norway #2; Sweden #4
  • 1966 - "Behind the Door" US #97
  • 1966 - "Mama (When My Dollies Have Babies)" US #124; Canada #45
  • 1967 - "Hey Joe" US #94
  • 1967 - "You Better Sit Down Kids" US #9, Canada #7
  • 1968 - "The Click Song" US #84
  • 1969 - "For What Its Worth" US #125
  • 1971 - "Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves" US/Canada #1 UK #4; Norway #8; Dutch/Germany #25; Belgian #27
  • 1972 - "The Way Of Love" US #7; Canada #5
  • 1972 - "Living In A House Divided" US #22
  • 1972 - "Dont Hide Your Love" US #46
  • 1973 - "Half-Breed" US/Canada #1 (Gold); Sweden #6; Norway #15; Germany #29
  • 1974 - "Dark Lady" US/Canada/Sweden #1 (Gold); Norway #10; Dutch #17; Belgian #22; Uk #36
  • 1974 - "Train Of Thought" US #27, Canada #22
  • 1974 - "I Saw A Man and He Danced With His Wife" US #42
  • 1977 - "Pirate" US #93
  • 1979 - "Take Me Home" US #8 (Gold); Norway #9
  • 1979 - "Wasnt It Good" US #49
  • 1979 - "Hell On Wheels" US #59
  • 1981 - "Dead Ringer For Love (Cher & Meatloaf)" UK #5; Norway #26; Dutch #32
  • 1987 - "I Found Someone" UK #5 (Gold); US #10; Norway #14; Germany #35
  • 1988 - "We All Sleep Alone" US #14; UK #47; Norway #11
  • 1988 - "Skin Deep" US #78
  • 1989 - "After All" (duet with Peter Cetera) US #6 (1.000.000)
  • 1989 - "If I Could Turn Back Time" Norway/Australian #1; Top 10 UK/US/Dutch/Belgian; Top 20 Germany/Sweden/Italy/Austria
  • 1989 - "Just Like Jesse James" UK #11; US #8 (Gold); Germany #38; Belgian #13; Australian #22
  • 1990 - "Heart Of Stone" UK #43; US #20, Germany #23
  • 1990 - "You Wouldnt Know Love" UK #27 (Gold)
  • 1991 - "The Shoop Shoop Song" UK/Norway/Irish/Europe/Austria #1; US #33; Top 10 Germany/France/Sweden/Dutch/Belgian/Swiss/Australian
  • 1991 - "Love And Understanding" US #17; Top 10 UK/Dutch/Belgian/Norway/Austria; Germany #20; Top 30 France/Sweden/Australian
  • 1991 - "Save Up All Your Tears" UK #37; US #37; Austria #18; Germany #56
  • 1991 - "Love Hurts" UK #43; Norway #2
  • 1992 - "Couldve Been You" UK #31; Germany #72
  • 1992 - "Oh Not Not My Baby" UK #33; Germany #52; Austria #30; Swiss #19
  • 1993 - "Many Rivers to Cross" UK #37
  • 1993 - "Whenever Youre Near" UK #72
  • 1994 - "I Got You Babe (Cher & Beavis And Butthead) US #108; UK #35; Dutch 9; Europe #18
  • 1995 - "Love Can Build a Bridge" UK #1; Germany #62; Swiss #21; Austria #18
  • 1995 - "Walking In Memphis" UK #11; Norway #7; Sweden #13; Austria #17; Germany #63
  • 1996 - "One By One" UK #7; US #52
  • 1996 - "Not Enough Love In the World" UK #31
  • 1996 - "The Sun Aint Gonna Shine Anymore" UK #22
  • 1998 - "Believe" UK #1; US #1 (2x Platinum)- in 24 countries #1, and over 30 countries Top 10
  • 1999 - "Strong Enough" Croatien/Denmark #1; US #57; Top 10 UK/Germany/France/Belgian/Swiss/Europe/Italy/Austria/Finland/New Zealand/Spain/Jogoslawien
  • 1999 - "All or Nothing" US #38; UK/Europe 12; Top 10 Rumaenien/Finnland/Jogoslawien/Denmark; Norway #19
  • 1999 - "Dovè lAmore" UK #21; Top 10 Europe/Italy/Rumaenien/Finnland/Spain/Creeze
  • 2001 - "The Musics No Good Without You" Russia #1; Top 10 UK/Canada/Italy/Taiwan/Portugal; Top 20 Sweden/Norway/Europe/Finnland
  • 2002 - "Alive Again" Germany #27; Israel #8; Norway #32; Swiss #80
  • 2002 - "Song For The Lonely" US Maxi-Single #1; US POP #7; Hot US #85; Canada #18
  • 2002 - "A Different Kind of Love Song" US Maxi-Single #2
  • 2003 - "When The Moneys Gone/Love One Another" US Maxi Single #2
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US other charts

Year Title  Hot Dance Music/Club Play    Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales    Adult Contemporary  
1979 Take Me Home # 2 Not released Not released
1988 Skin Deep # 41 Not released Not released
1988 We All Sleep Alone Not released Not released #11
1989 After All Not released Not released # 1
1989 If I Could Turn Back Time Not released Not released # 1
1989 Just Like Jesse James Not released Not released # 9
1990 Heart of Stone Not released Not released # 30
1990 The Shoop Shoop Song Not released Not released # 7
1991 Love and Understanding Not released Not released # 3
1991 Save Up All Your Tears Not released Not released # 16
1991 The Shoop Shoop Song Not released Not released # 7
1992 When Lovers Become Strangers Not released Not released # 15
1996 One by One # 7 # 6 # 9
1996 Paradise Is Here # 11 # 27 Not released
1998 Believe # 1 # 1 # 3
1999 All or Nothing # 1 # 2 Not released
1999 Dove L'Amore # 5 Not released Not released
1999 Strong Enough # 1 # 3 # 29
2001 The Music's No Good Without You # 19 Not released Not released
2002 Song for the Lonely # 1 # 1 # 11
2002 A Different Kind of Love Song # 1 # 2 # 30
2002 (This Is) A Song For The Lonely # 23 # 1 # 15
2003 When the Money's Gone # 1 # 2 Not released
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Filmography

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TV Work

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Awards

  • 1989 - Academy Award - Best Actress - Moonstruck
  • 1974 - Golden Globe Award - Best TV Actress - Musical/Comedy - Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour
  • 1984 - Golden Globe Award - Best Supporting Actress - Silkwood
  • 1987 - Golden Globe Award - Best Actress - Moonstruck
  • 1985 - Cannes Film Festival - Best Actress - Mask
  • 2003 - Emmy Award - Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special - Farewell Tour
  • 1999 - Grammy - Best Dance Recording - Believe
  • 1999 - Hollywood Walk of Fame - For TV - Sonny and Cher
  • 1991 - Echo "German Grammy Award" - best International Female Singer
  • 1999 - Echo "German Grammy Award" - best International Female Singer
  • 2001 - Bambi - most successful Female Singer in History
  • 2004 - Women's World Award - one of the most successful actresses/singers
  • 2000 - World Music Award - Lifelong Contribution to the Music Industry award
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Surveys & Polls

  • 1999 - Pollstar's Top Tours "North American" # 6
  • 2002 - Pollstar's Top Tours "North American" # 2
  • 2003 - Pollstar's Top Tours "North American" # 3
  • 2004 - Pollstar's Top Tours "North American" # 17
  • 2005 - Pollstar's Top Tours "North American" # 7
  • 1977 - 10 Celebrities, Girls Want to Be #8
  • 70´s - AAFRPS Ideal Face of the 1970's # 3
  • 2004 - E!'s 101 Most Starlicious Makeovers # 3
  • 1986 - High Society's 30 Sexiest Celebrities #1
  • 1986 - Hollywood Square Celebrities [1966-82] #1
  • 1992 - Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum's 5 Most Beautiful Women of History #2
  • 2002 - Netscape's Top 10 Double Threats #1
  • 1975 - People Magazine Best Seller of the Year #1
  • 1976 - People Magazine Best Seller of the Year #1
  • People Magazine Cover Champs # 11 (Vote ranking #1)
  • 1975 - People Magazine's 25 Most Intriguing People #1
  • 1987 - People Magazine's 25 Most Intriguing People #1
  • 2004 - Top 10 Shortest Celebrity Marriages #3 (Vote ranking #1)
  • TV Guide's 50 Sexiest Stars #13
  • 2003 - USA Today Pop Candy's 100 People of the Year #19 (Vote ranking #1)
  • VH-1/TV Guide's 100 Greatest Moments that Rocked TV #20; #59; #87 (Vote ranking #1; #2; #3)
  • VH-1's 25 Greatest Rock Star Cameos #2 (Vote ranking #1)
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See also

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External links

fr:Cher (chanteuse) he:שר (זמרת) nl:Cher (zangeres) ja:シェール no:Cher pl:Cher (piosenkarka) pt:Cher sh:Cher sr:Шер sv:Cher (artist)

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