Cher Sues Sonny Bono's Fourth Wife & Widow, Mary, For Withholding Royalties

Oct 15, 2021 by apost team

Cher has been an icon for the majority of her life, thanks to her amazing talents as an actress and singer. As a member of the musical duo Sonny & Cher, Cher skyrocketed to pop stardom in the late 1960s and went on to achieve great success in the years to come. She has struggled with heartache and hard times throughout her life but has always been a beacon of hope, positivity, and happiness for many people all over the world.

With plenty of drive and ambition to make a great life for herself full of fame and success, Cher worked hard at perfecting her skills as a singer and actress. Her bold personality helped her meet influential people along the way, but it was ultimately her own talent that made her the star she still is today. Cher's powerful and unique voice helped her stand out against other singers. 

The performer has since become the Goddess of Pop for being a pinnacle figure in the male-dominated entertainment industry. With a career spanning over six decades, it's no surprise that this talented woman has received a plethora of awards and praise for her incredulous work.

Spending so much time in the spotlight has led to much of her private life being made public, including her marriage to Sonny Bono and the life of their son Chaz Bono. Cher has since divorced Sonny Bono, but not the music they made together. According to NBC, Cher is suing Sonny Bono's widow, Mary Bono. Filed on Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2021, in Los Angeles, California, the lawsuit goes after Mary Bono for withholding royalties on the music Sonny and Cher made together. Read on to learn more about the case and the deal Sonny and Cher made regarding their music during their divorce.

Cher was born Cherilyn Sarkisian on May 20, 1946, in El Centro, California. She didn't always live such a lavish and luxurious lifestyle, as Cher and her family struggled financially while the star was young. Before she was even a teenager, Cher had already shown a great interest in the arts and even produced her very own performance of the musical "Oklahoma!" for her fifth-grade teacher and class. Since she was unable to convince the boys in her class to participate, Cher decided to act out the male roles and sing their songs herself. Her unusually low voice fascinated many and ultimately led her to become the star she is today.

When she turned 16 years old, Cher dropped out of school, left home, and moved to Los Angeles with a friend. There, she was able to introduce herself to a litany of other performers as well as managers and talent agents. Her bold personality paid off when she met fellow performer Sonny Bono in November 1962.

Cher and Bono grew closer and became good friends before turning their friendship into a romantic relationship. They got married in a hotel room in Mexico on Oct. 27, 1964. They went on to have one child together named Chaz. Although the original intent for their musical partnership was to help launch Cher's solo career, Cher had other plans and insisted on her new husband joining her along her musical journey. 

They first emerged as a duo called Caesar & Cleo but received poor reviews for their work. After focusing on some solo projects for Cher, the pair tried their hand again at becoming a successful duo under the name Sonny & Cher. 

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"The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour" aired from 1971 until 1974, a variety show filled with comedy sketches and musical performances that gave viewers a chance to get better acquainted with Cher and Bono and really connect with their individual personalities. They had a number of stars appear on the program, including Glen Campbell, Andy Griffith, and Carol Burnett. A new variety show titled "The Sonny and Cher Show" first aired a few years after "The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour" wrapped up. Although Cher and Bono had divorced in 1975, they decided to work on the show together, but fans were not too keen on the joking nature of the divorced couple, leading to the show's cancellation in 1977.

However, before their divorce, the couple had many hits.

The duo's song "I Got You Babe" was a massive hit and reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1965 and spent three weeks at the top of the charts. Rolling Stone then listed the song's original version as one of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2003.

Now, Cher is suing Sonny Bono's widow, Mary Bono, over "I Got You Babe" and another song, "The Beat Goes On," according to NBC. The lawsuit was filed yesterday and claimed that the withholding of the royalties infringes on the agreement that Sonny and Cher made during their divorce. After the 1975 split, the two agreed to split revenue from the music that they created together. Despite this fact, Cher's attorneys alleged that Sonny's fourth wife and widow, Mary Bono, is illegally withholding royalties from the two songs. The suit is seeking at least $1 million in damages.

What do you think about the lawsuit? Let us know your thoughts, and be sure to pass this on to other Cher fans you know!