Age, Biography and Wiki
Cher was born Cherilyn Sarkisian on May 20, 1946, making her 79 years old as of June 2025. Born in El Centro, California, Cher rose to fame in the 1960s as part of the duo Sonny & Cher. She is renowned for her distinctive contralto voice and versatility in both music and film.
| Occupation | Voice Actress |
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| Date of Birth | 20 May 1946 |
| Age | 79 Years |
| Birth Place | El Centro, California, US |
| Horoscope | Taurus |
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Height, Weight & Measurements
Cher is known for her striking appearance. She stands at a height of about 5 feet 9 inches (175 cm) and maintains a weight consistent with her active lifestyle.
By the late 1960s, Sonny and Cher's music stopped charting. Berman observed that the "heavy, loud sound" of bands such as Jefferson Airplane and Cream made their folk-rock feel "too bland". Cher later said she "loved" the new electric-guitar-driven sound of Led Zeppelin and Eric Clapton and wanted to adapt, but Sonny refused. Their monogamous lifestyle during the sexual revolution and anti-drug stance at the height of widespread drug use alienated American youths. According to Bego, "in spite of their revolutionary unisex clothes, Sonny and Cher were quite 'square' when it came to sex and drugs." In an attempt to recapture their young audience, the duo produced and starred in William Friedkin's musical film Good Times (1967), which was commercially unsuccessful.
| Height | 5 feet 9 inches |
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Dating & Relationship Status
Cher has been in several notable relationships, including her marriage to Sonny Bono, with whom she had a daughter, Chastity Sun Bono. She has also been married to Gregg Allman and has been involved in various high-profile relationships throughout her career.
Her father, John Sarkisian, an Armenian-American truck driver with drug and gambling problems, was rarely present during her early life. Her mother, Georgia Holt, was a model and actress of Irish, English, German and Cherokee descent. Cher's paternal grandparents were survivors of the Armenian genocide. Cher's parents divorced when she was ten months old. Before leaving, her father placed her in an orphanage for several months; Holt was allowed to visit once a week, only able to see Cher through a window. Both found the experience traumatic.
In 1951, Holt married actor John Southall, with whom she had Cher's half-sister, Georganne. Holt's marriage to Southall ended when Cher was nine; Cher later described him as her "real father" and a "good-natured man who turned belligerent when he drank too much". Holt remarried and divorced several times, frequently moving the family across states, including New York, Texas and California. They often struggled financially, and Cher recalled using rubber bands to hold her shoes together. While living in Los Angeles, Holt pursued acting while working as a waitress, occasionally securing minor TV roles for her daughters in shows such as The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.
At 16, Cher left school and moved out of her mother's house to live with a friend. She took acting classes and supported herself by dancing in nightclubs along Hollywood's Sunset Strip, where she introduced herself to performers, managers and agents. According to Berman, "[Cher] did not hesitate to approach anyone she thought could help her get a break". Cher met performer Sonny Bono, 11 years her senior, in November 1962 when he was working for record producer Phil Spector. Cher's friend moved out and Cher accepted Sonny's offer to be his housekeeper. Sonny introduced Cher to Spector, who used her as a backup singer on many recordings, including the Righteous Brothers' "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" and the Ronettes' "Be My Baby". Spector produced her first single, "Ringo, I Love You", which Cher recorded under the name Bonnie Jo Mason. Many radio programmers rejected the song, mistaking Cher's deep contralto for a man's voice and assuming it was a male homosexual singing a love song to the Beatles drummer Ringo Starr.
Meanwhile, Sonny dated others and by the end of the 1960s their relationship had begun to unravel. According to People, "[Sonny] tried desperately to win her back, telling her he wanted to marry and start a family." They officially married after she gave birth to Chaz Bono on March 4, 1969. The duo spent $500,000 and mortgaged their home to make the film Chastity (1969). Written and produced by Sonny, it tells the story of a young woman, played by Cher, searching for the meaning of life. The art film failed commercially, putting the couple $190,000 in debt with back taxes. Some critics noted that Cher showed acting potential; Cue magazine wrote, "Cher has a marvelous quality that often makes you forget the lines you are hearing."
In 1972, Cher released the all-ballad album Foxy Lady, demonstrating the evolution of her vocal abilities, according to Bego. Following its release, Garrett quit as producer after disagreeing with Sonny about the kind of material Cher should record. At Sonny's insistence, Cher released the standards album Bittersweet White Light (1973), which was commercially unsuccessful. Later that year, lyricist Mary Dean brought Garrett "Half-Breed", a song about the daughter of a Cherokee mother and a white father, which she had written for Cher. Although no longer working with her, Garrett believed the song was a perfect fit and held onto it until Cher dismissed Sonny as producer and rejoined him. "Half-Breed" became the title track of her next album and her third US number-one single. Both the album and the single were certified gold by the RIAA.
Cher and Sonny ended their relationship in late 1972 but stayed legally married for two more years to protect their careers. Their relationship had been troubled for years due to Sonny's infidelity and controlling behavior. By 1973, they lived in the same house while dating other people. "The public still thinks we are married," Sonny wrote in his diary, "[and] that's the way it has to be."
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Net Worth and Salary
As of 2025, Cher's net worth is estimated at approximately $360 million, according to various sources. Her annual income can vary significantly based on her projects and performances. During her Las Vegas residency, she reportedly earned around $60 million annually, although a substantial portion of this income was allocated to production costs.
In January 1974, Cher won the Golden Globe Award for Best TV Actress for The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour. Sonny filed for separation the next month, citing "irreconcilable differences". A week later, Cher countered with a divorce suit, accusing him of "involuntary servitude" and withholding her rightful share of their earnings. Their show was cancelled in April 1974. Later that year, Sonny launched The Sonny Comedy Revue with the same creative team, but it was canceled after 13 weeks.
Career, Business and Investments
Cher's career is marked by numerous milestones, including her Oscar-winning performance in Moonstruck and hits like "Believe" and "If I Could Turn Back Time." She has also ventured into business, releasing her memoir, launching a gelato brand, and co-producing a biopic about her life. Her adaptability and reinvention have contributed to her enduring success.
Cher (born Cheryl Sarkisian, May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Dubbed the "Goddess of Pop", she is known for her androgynous contralto voice, bold visual presentation and multifaceted career, while cultivating a screen persona that mirrors her public image by often portraying strong-willed and outspoken women. An influential figure in popular culture, her continual reinvention has fueled multiple comebacks over a career spanning more than six decades.
Cher became a TV star in the 1970s with The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour and her solo show Cher, both on CBS, attracting over 30 million weekly viewers. She gained critical acclaim after debuting on Broadway and starring in the film adaptation of Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean (1982). Transitioning to film, she earned two Academy Award nominations—for Silkwood (1983) and Moonstruck (1987), winning the Oscar for Best Actress for the latter—and received the Cannes Film Festival's Best Actress Award for Mask (1985). Other starring roles include The Witches of Eastwick (1987), Mermaids (1990), If These Walls Could Talk (1996, her directorial debut), Tea with Mussolini (1999), Burlesque (2010) and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018). Her life and career inspired the 2018 jukebox musical The Cher Show.
The duo's subsequent albums, The Wondrous World of Sonny & Chér (1966) and In Case You're in Love (1967), failed to match their debut's success, as Cher's solo career increasingly overshadowed their collaborations. Her second solo album, The Sonny Side of Chér (1966), includes "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)", which reached number two in the US and number three in the UK and became her first million-selling solo single. Chér, also released in 1966, contains the international number-one single "Sunny" and the Burt Bacharach and Hal David composition "Alfie"—the first US recording of the song—featured in the American release of the 1966 film Alfie. With Love, Chér (1967) presents songs described by biographer Mark Bego as "little soap-opera stories set to rock music" such as the US top-ten single "You Better Sit Down Kids".
Cher's album Backstage (1968), in which she explores diverse musical genres including bossa nova and anti-war protest settings, was not a commercial success. In 1969, she was dropped by Imperial Records, and Sonny & Cher were dropped by Atco, who offered Cher a solo recording deal. Her 1969 album 3614 Jackson Highway, recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio without Sonny's involvement, marked a shift toward R&B and soul music experimentation. AllMusic called it "the finest album of her career" and "a revelation" decades later. Displeased with the album, Sonny prevented Cher from releasing more recordings for Atco.
At the lowest point of their career, the duo put together a nightclub routine that relied on a more adult approach to sound and style. According to writer Cintra Wilson, "Their lounge act was so depressing, people started heckling them. Then Cher started heckling back. Sonny ... reprimanded her; then she'd heckle Sonny". The heckling became a highlight of the act and attracted viewers. TV executives took note and the couple began making guest appearances on prime-time shows, in which they presented a "new, sophisticated and mature" image. Cher adopted alluring, low-cut gowns that became her signature outfits.
Since Sonny's first attempts at reviving their recording career as a duo had also been unsuccessful, Kapp Records recruited Snuff Garrett to work with them. He produced Cher's second US number-one single, "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves", which "proved that ... Garrett knew more about Cher's voice and her persona as a singer than Sonny did", wrote Bego. "Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves" was the first single by a solo artist to rank number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart at the same time as on the Canadian singles chart. It was featured on the 1971 album Chér (later reissued under the title Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves), which was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Its second single, "The Way of Love", reached number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and established Cher's more confident image as a recording artist.
In 1974, Cher released "Dark Lady" as the lead single from the album of the same name. It topped the Billboard Hot 100, tying her with Rosemary Clooney, Patti Page and Connie Francis for the most number-one singles by a female solo artist in US history at the time. Later that year, she released a Greatest Hits album that, according to Billboard, proved her to be "one of the most consistent hitmakers of the past five years", as well as a "proven superstar who always sells records". Between 1971 and 1973, Sonny & Cher's recording career was revived with four albums released under Kapp Records and MCA Records: Sonny & Cher Live (1971), All I Ever Need Is You (1972), Mama Was a Rock and Roll Singer, Papa Used to Write All Her Songs (1973) and Live in Las Vegas Vol. 2 (1973). Cher later commented that her tight schedule during this period required her to record entire albums in just a few days while also touring and filming The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour.
During divorce proceedings, Cher learned she was legally an employee of Cher Enterprises, a company 95% owned by Sonny and 5% by his lawyer. She was also required to work exclusively for
Social Network
Cher is active on social media platforms, where she engages with her fans and shares updates about her projects. Her presence on platforms like Instagram and Twitter allows her to connect with her wide fan base.
By fifth grade, Cher organized a class performance of the musical Oklahoma!, taking on male roles when boys refused to participate. At nine, her voice was unusually low for a female child. Fascinated by film stars, Cher idolized Audrey Hepburn, particularly in Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961), emulating Hepburn's character's unconventional outfits and demeanor. She also admired Marlene Dietrich, Bette Davis and Katharine Hepburn, but felt discouraged by the lack of dark-haired actresses in Hollywood. She recalled, "In the Walt Disney cartoons, all the witches and evil queens were really dark. There was nobody I could look at and think, 'That's who I'm like.'" As a child, she dreamed of fame but struggled with feelings of inadequacy, describing herself as "unattractive" and "untalented". Reflecting on her ambitions, she later said, "I couldn't think of anything that I could do ... I just thought, 'I'll be famous'. That was my goal."
In 1961, Holt married bank manager Gilbert LaPiere, who adopted Cher (under the name Cheryl LaPiere) and Georganne and enrolled them at Montclair College Preparatory School, a private school in Encino. Coming from a modest background, Cher faced challenges in the upper-class environment, where, as biographer Connie Berman wrote, her "striking appearance" and "outgoing personality" set her apart. A former classmate recalled, "I'll never forget seeing Cher for the first time. She was so special ... like a movie star, right then and there ... She said she was going to be a movie star and we knew she would." Known for her creativity and wit, Cher excelled in French and English but struggled with other subjects, later discovering she has dyslexia. Her unconventional behavior also stood out: she performed songs for students during lunch and surprised peers when she wore a midriff-baring top. Reflecting on her lack of focus in school, Cher said, "I was never really [there]. I was always thinking about when I was grown up and famous."
Watched by more than 30 million viewers weekly during its three-year run, The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour was praised for the comedic timing, as a deadpan Cher mocked Sonny about his looks and short stature. According to Berman, they "exuded an aura of warmth, playfulness and caring that only enhanced their appeal. Viewers were further enchanted when a young [Chaz] appeared on the show. They seemed like a perfect family." Cher honed her acting skills through comedy sketches, including her original character Laverne, a brash and over-the-top housewife, while her Bob Mackie-designed outfits set 1970s fashion trends.
Education
Cher attended Montclair College Preparatory School in Van Nuys, California. However, she did not pursue higher education, focusing instead on her music career.
