Advertisement
Cher, born on May 20, 1946, in El Centro, California, United States, is the daughter of Georgia Holt and John Paul Sarkisian, and her stepfather was Gilbert Hartmann LaPiere.
Her father, John Sarkisian, worked as an Armenian-American truck driver, while her mother, Georgia Holt (formerly known as Jackie Jean Crouch), had a career as a model and actress. Cher's parents parted ways when she was just ten months old.
Cher has a half-sister named Georganne, the product of her mother's previous marriage to actor John Southall. Her rise to fame began as one-half of the folk rock duo Sonny & Cher in 1965. Their hit song "I Got You Babe" soared to number one on both the US and UK charts, and they went on to sell an impressive 40 million records worldwide.
Cher's name became synonymous with success due to her chart-topping singles "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)" and "You Better Sit Down Kids." Besides her music career, she also made her mark in television, starring in shows like The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour and Cher during the 1970s. With the release of the US Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves," "Half-Breed," and "Dark Lady," she became the female artist with the most number-one singles in the history of the United States at that time.
Cher stands as a remarkable artist, holding the distinction of being the only one in history to achieve a number-one single on a Billboard chart in six consecutive decades, spanning from the 1960s to the 2010s. Her versatility extends beyond music, with notable performances in films such as Silkwood (1983), Mask (1985), The Witches of Eastwick (1987), and Moonstruck (1987).
With an astounding 100 million record sales, Cher rightfully claims her place among the world's best-selling music artists. Her talents have been recognized with a myriad of prestigious awards, including a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, an Academy Award, three Golden Globe Awards, the Billboard Icon Award, as well as honors from the Kennedy Center Honors and the Council of Fashion Designers of America.
