Information AboutCher |
Cher first rose to prominence in 1965 as one half of the pop/rock duo Sonny & Cher . She also established herself as a solo recording artist, releasing 25 albums, numerous compilations and tallying 55 Top 100 , and 34 '' Billboard '' Top 40 entries over her career both solo and with Sonny. These include eighteen Top 10 singles and five number one singles. According to the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles, in the UK Cher had 12 top ten hits, including three number one singles between 1965 and 2003 . She became a television star in the 1970s and a well-regarded film actress in the 1980s. In 1987, she won the Academy Award For Best Actress for her role in the romantic comedy '' Moonstruck ''. In a career that has now surpassed 40 years, Cher has established herself as a legendary pop culture icon and one of the most popular female artists in music history. http://www.guitarmasta.net/c/cher/ http://www.budapestweek.com/newsites/performance/performance21.html Since her debut in 1964 Cher has sold over 180 million records worldwide http://www.geocities.com/thecherzone/biographie.html which includes an estimated 70 million solo singles . [http://procher.org/portal/modules/articles/article.php?id=172] . Cher is considered One Of The Biggest-selling Artists Of All Time . EARLY LIFE CAREER 1962-1964: Career beginnings Cher first met Sonny Bono in Los Angeles ' Aldo's coffee shop in November 1962 when she was sixteen. The much older Sonny (he was already 27) was working for legendary Record Producer Phil Spector at Gold Star Studios in Hollywood . Sonny and Cher became fast friends, eventual lovers, and later married. Through Sonny, Cher started as a session singer, and would sing backup on several of Spector’s classic recordings, including The Righteous Brothers ' " You've Lost That Loving Feeling ", The Crystals ' " Da Doo Ron Ron " and The Ronettes ’ " Be My Baby ". During this time, the duo was a big hit on diverse college campuses across the country, including Stanford University, a large university in California, as well as St. Lawrence University, a small Upstate New York college. Her first solo recording was the unsuccessful novelty single "Ringo, I Love You," released under the pseudonym of Bonnie Jo Mason and produced by Phil Spector. Her second attempt was "Dream Baby", released under the name "Cherilyn", was written and produced by Sonny Bono. Both were released in 1964. 1965-1967: Career development See Also: Sonny & Cher Now calling themselves Sonny & Cher , the duo released their first album ''Look at Us'' in the summer of 1965. This album contained the overnight smash single " I Got You Babe " (1965) which would reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 . Cher was 19 years old. A re-released " Baby Don't Go ", peaked at number eight. Several more hits would follow, most notably "Just You" (no. 20, 1965) " But You're Mine " (no. 15, 1965), " What Now My Love " (no. 14, 1966) " Little Man " (no. 21, 1966) and " The Beat Goes On " (no. 6, 1967). Sonny and Cher charted a total of 11 Billboard Top 40 hits between 1965 and 1972 and 6 Top 10 hits. The duo became a sensation, traveling and performing around the world. Following an appearance on '''', '' Top Of The Pops '', ''Hollywood a Go-Go'', ''Podunk'', ''Hollywood Palace'', '' Hullabaloo '', '' Beat Club '', '' Ready Steady Go! '' and '' Shindig! ''. While initially perceived as the slightly awkward and less important half of the popular singing duo, Cher disguised her Stage Fright and nervousness with quick-witted barbs directed at her partner. She soon rose to prominence as the more outspoken, daring and provocative half of the team. With her dark, exotic looks, she became a fashion trendsetter, helping to popularize fashions such as Bellbottoms , and incorporating " Hippie " attire and eccentric gowns and elaborate costumes into their live shows. Later in 1965, Cher released her debut solo album, titled '' All I Really Want To Do '' which reached number 16 on the Billboard 200 album chart. The gold-certified album contained a cover of the Bob Dylan song " All I Really Want To Do " which peaked at number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 . In 1966 Cher released her second solo album on the Imperial Records label, '' The Sonny Side Of Cher ''. It peaked at number 26 in the U.S. charts, and number 11 in the UK chart. It contained the singles " Where Do You Go (#25 on the Billboard Hot 100 , as well as " Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down) "(#2 on the Billboard Hot 100). Both hits were written and produced by Sonny Bono. In the United States, the latter was Cher's biggest solo hit of the 1960s. Other artists to record versions of the song include Frank Sinatra , Nancy Sinatra , Cliff Richard , Petula Clark , and Terry Reid . Also in 1966 she released another album, '' Cher ''; The album itself was not as successful as its two predecessors. However it did manage to provide the European top ten hit " Sunny ". 1968-1969: Career woes Sonny and Cher's career had stalled by 1968, as album sales dried up. Their gentle, easy-listening rock folk sound and drug-free life had become "unhip" in an era becoming increasingly consumed with Psychedelic Rock , and the overall evolutionary change in the American pop culture landscape during the late 1960s. Sonny and Cher's only child together, Chastity Bono , was born on March 4 , 1969 . The duo made another unsuccessful foray into film later in 1969 with Bono writing and Producing the film ''Chastity'', intended as a dramatic debut for Cher as an actress. That film (directed by first and only-time director Alessio De Paulo) was also a commercial failure. 1970-1974: TV and musical stardom In 1970, Sonny and Cher starred in their first television special, ''The Sonny and Cher Nitty Gritty Hour''. A mixture of Slapstick Comedy , Skits and live music, the appearance was a critical success, which led to numerous guest spots on other television shows. Among the many guests who appeared on ''The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour'' were Chuck Berry , Carol Burnett , George Burns , Glen Campbell , Dick Clark , Tony Curtis , Bobby Darin , Phyllis Diller , Merv Griffin , The Jackson Five , Jerry Lee Lewis , Liberace , Steve Martin , Ronald Reagan , Burt Reynolds , Neil Sedaka , Dinah Shore , The Supremes , Sally Struthers , The Righteous Brothers and Racquel Welch . The duo also revived its recording career, releasing four more albums for " (no. 7, 1971) and " A Cowboy's Work Is Never Done " (no. 8, 1972). Now 25, Cher continued to establish herself as a solo recording artist, enlisting the help of hit producer Snuff Garrett . Her first solo number-one hit was " Gypsys, Tramps & Thieves " (no. 1, 1971). Released in September 1971, the Album Of The Same Name peaked at number 16 on the Billboard 200 , and remained on the chart for 45 weeks. Another single from the album, " The Way Of Love (no. 7, 1972)" peaked at number seven in February 1972. Cher scored her second number one with " Half-Breed " (no. 1, 1973) which became a signature song from the gold-certified album '' Half-Breed .'' In 1974, Cher had her third number-one solo hit with " Dark Lady " (no. 1, 1974), also from the Album Of The Same Name . Cher's first '' Greatest Hits '' album was released in 1974. By the third season of the ''Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour'', the marriage of Sonny and Cher was falling apart; the duo separated later that year. The show imploded, while still in the top 10 of the ratings. What followed was a nasty, very public divorce (finalized on June 27 , 1975 ). Cher won a Golden Globe Award for Best Performance By an Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy for ''The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour'' in 1974. Bono launched his own show, '' The Sonny Comedy Revue '', in the fall of 1974 while Cher also announced plans to host and star in a new variety TV series of her own. Bono’s show was abruptly canceled, however, after only six weeks. 1975-1979: Solo career and misses The ''Cher'' show debuted as an elaborate, all-star television special on February 16 , 1975 featuring Flip Wilson , Bette Midler and special guest Elton John . Cloris Leachman and Jack Albertson both won Emmy Awards for their appearances as guest stars a few weeks later, and the series received four additional Emmy nominations that year. Other guests included Pat Boone , David Bowie , Ray Charles , Dion , Patti Labelle , Cheryl Ladd , Wayne Newton , Linda Ronstadt , Lily Tomlin and Frankie Valli . The variety series' debut season ranked 22nd in the year-end Nielsen Ratings . A good deal of press was generated throughout 1975 regarding Cher's exposed navel, and the daring ensembles created by famed designer Bob Mackie . Her show featured numerous outlandish costume changes, even more than typical variety shows. The ''Cher'' show ran for two half-seasons, before a pregnant Cher pulled the plug herself, deciding instead to reunite with her ex-husband for a revamped version of '' The Sonny And Cher Comedy Hour ''. On June 30 , 1975 , three days after her divorce from Sonny was final, Cher married rock musician Gregg Allman , a founding member of the Allman Brothers Band . They had one son, Elijah Blue Allman born July 10 , 1976 . Together, they released the album, '' Two The Hard Way '', under the rubric Allman and Woman, which featured a cover of the Smokey Robinson hit " You've Really Got A Hold On Me ". This project was not considered a critical or commercial success. They were divorced by 1977. From 1975 to 1978 Cher released a series of unsuccessful albums: '' Stars '', '' I'd Rather Believe In You '' and '' Cherished ''. On February 2 , 1976 ''The Sonny and Cher Show'' debuted with a Top 10 rating and high expectations. Some of the guests who appeared on The Sonny and Cher Show included Frankie Avalon , Muhammed Ali , Raymond Burr , Ruth Buzzi , Charo , Barbara Eden , Farrah Fawcett , Terri Garr , Bob Hope , Don Knotts , Jerry Lewis , Tony Orlando , The Osmonds , Debbie Reynolds , The Smothers Brothers , Tina Turner , Twiggy , and Betty White . However, ratings soon fell, and the show was cancelled after its second season. Their overall television success, though brief, was unique because variety programming in general was no longer attracting viewers, other than '' The Carol Burnett Show .'' Cher continued to release numerous solo albums during this period, though none matched the critical or commercial success of her earlier 70s recordings. She made a brief return to prime time starring in the television specials ''Cher … Special'' in 1978 (for which guest star Dolly Parton was nominated for an Emmy Award) and ''Cher … and Other Fantasies'' in 1979. One highlight for her fans was a song and dance number based on the classic musical '' West Side Story '' in which Cher portrayed each of the main characters. Later in 1979, Cher would capitalize on the disco craze, signing with Casablanca Records , and racking up another Top-10 single with " Take Me Home " (no.8, 1979). Sales of the album '' Take Me Home '' may have been boosted by the image of a scantily-clad Cher in a Viking outfit on the album’s cover. The album was RIAA-certified Gold. For her second Casablanca release, '' Prisoner '' (1979), Cher appeared on the album's cover virtually naked and wrapped in chains, spurring controversy among some women's rights groups for her perceived "sex slave" image. This album produced the minor hit single '' Hell On Wheels '' (no.59, 1979); the tune was also featured in the film "Roller Boogie". 1980-1987: Film stardom and musical breakout In 1980 , Cher, at age 34, formed the rock band Black Rose with her then-partner, guitarist Les Dudek, and released the album '' Black Rose '' by year's end. The album failed to sell, despite an appearance on '' The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson '', and the band broke up the following year. The same year, Cher penned a song for the film " Foxes ", called "Bad Love". The song can be found on the international version of '' The Very Best Of Cher ''. In 1981, Cher released her first Top 5 hit in for his album Dead Ringer . In 1982 , Cher released '' I Paralyze '', promoting it on '' American Bandstand '' and ''The Tonight Show'', but critics panned the album and sales were disappointing. With album sales and hit singles again at a standstill, Cher decided to expand her career into serious film acting. Her earliest entertainment ambitions had always lain in film, as opposed to music. However, she soon found herself in an uphill battle trying to land credible roles for a woman now in her mid-30s with little acting experience. At the time, she was quoted as saying that she didn’t really care if she ever made another record. In 1982, at 36, Cher landed her first major role in an off-Broadway production of '' Come Back To The Five And Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean ''. Her performance was critically praised, and she was later cast in the film version, which was directed by acclaimed Hollywood director Robert Altman . She was next cast alongside Meryl Streep and Kurt Russell in the critically hailed drama '' Silkwood '' (1983) in which her character was a lesbian. She received her first Academy Award nomination, as Best Supporting Actress . She later won the Golden Globe Award as Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama for her performance. Cher's next film was a starring role in the acclaimed '' Mask '' (1985), directed by Peter Bogdanovich . The film also starred Eric Stoltz , Laura Dern , Estelle Getty and Sam Elliott , and it was considered her first critical and commercial success as a leading actress. For her role as a mother of a severely disfigured boy, Cher won the Best Actress prize at the Cannes Film Festival . In 1985, Cher was honored with Harvard University's Hasty Pudding Woman Of The Year Award. In 1987, she starred in three films: the thriller '' Suspect '' with Dennis Quaid ; the dark comedy/fantasy film '' The Witches Of Eastwick '' with Jack Nicholson , Susan Sarandon and Michelle Pfeiffer ; and the romantic comedy '' Moonstruck '' with Nicolas Cage and Olympia Dukakis . For ''Moonstruck'', directed by Norman Jewison , she won the 1988 Academy Award For Best Actress , the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Musical/Comedy, and the Favorite Film Actress award at the People’s Choice Awards. 1987 was also noteworthy for the resurgence in Cher's recording career. After signing with friend David Geffen's label (Geffen Records), Cher released a self-titled album late that year which spawned her first major hit since 1979's "Take Me Home". "I Found Someone" returned her to the Top 10 of Billboard's Hot 100. The ''Cher'' album was the very first 'platinum' certification (though not the last) of Cher's entire career. The follow-up single "We All Sleep Alone" reached #14; however, four additional singles culled from the album ("Perfection", "Skin Deep", "Main Man" and a new version of "Bang Bang") failed to chart significantly. This was not the only time a chat show clash like this occurred. In 2001, Cher was interviewed by British talk show host and television presenter Clive Anderson (most famous for having the Bee Gees get up and walk out on a live interview after Anderson insulted them while they were on his show). Anderson sparked fury almost right away by saying, "Wow, Cher, you look like a million dollars... is that how much it cost?" 1987-1989: Return to musical success In 1987, at the age 41, Cher revived her recording career after a five-year hiatus, under the coordination of rock producer and A&R man John Kalodner . Now with Geffen Records , Cher released the first of three highly successful rock albums, produced by Kalodner and featuring songwriting contributions from the likes of Diane Warren , Jon Bon Jovi , Richie Sambora , Desmond Child , and Michael Bolton . Darlene Love and Bonnie Tyler provided guest vocals. '' Cher '' was released in 1987, and featured the comeback single " I Found Someone " (previously a Hot 100 hit for Laura Branigan ), as well as " We All Sleep Alone " (no. 14, 1988). The album was Cher's biggest yet, being certified platinum in U.S. and selling 7 million copies worldwide. http://www.project80s.com/lyrics/artist-lyrics.php?artist=Cher Cher also tried out producing with the film '' Harry And The Hendersons ''. The albums biggest hit came with the rock hymne " If I Could Turn Back Time , which topped the charts in Australia, peaked at #3 in the US and reached the Top 10 in the UK and some countries around the globe. Further hits from the album were " Just Like Jesse James " (US Top 10, Top 20 in Australia) and " Heart Of Stone " (US Top 20), and it also contained the hit duet with Peter Cetera , " After All " (US #6). The video for " If I Could Turn Back Time " caused controversy, because in it Cher wore a very thin, see-through outfit. Many networks on television, including MTV, initially refused to air the video. MTV network eventually played the video, but only after 9 p.m. This was the second video to be banned by MTV, the first being Laura Branigan's 1984 video for "Self Control"). Cher also launched the Heart Of Stone Tour , which played throughout 1989 and 1990 in various parts of the world. She also starred in the television special ''Cher - Live at the Mirage'', which was filmed during a live concert in Las Vegas . 1990-1992: Artistic development and commercial hits In 1990 Cher starred in the modest box office success '' Mermaids '' with Bob Hoskins , Winona Ryder , and a then-nine-year-old Christina Ricci ; the film received many positive reviews from critics. Cher contributed two songs to its Soundtrack . " Baby I'm Yours " and the album's second single, " The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss) ", surprisingly charted low in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 , but became a smash hit anywhere else, reaching No.1 in the UK and No.3 in Germany and France as well as the Australian Top Five. Around the globe, it became her most successful single at that time, selling more than six million copies worldwide. The European release also included the worldwide hit " The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss) ". The album also sparked another hit single, " Love And Understanding ", a number 3 hit in UK as well as the album's only hit in her native U.S. , entering the Top 20. The follow-ups " Save Up All Your Tears ", " Love Hurts ", and " Could've Been You " were minor hits in Europe . The album ''Love Hurts'' has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide becoming one of the biggest-selling album of her career. In Germany, Cher received the prestigious ECHO award for the most successful female singer of the year. Cher embarked on the Love Hurts Tour throughout 1992. In the same period Cher released two VHS fitness programs, ''Cherfitness: A New Attitude'' and ''Cherfitness: A Body Confidence''. In '' became a huge success, again peaking at number 1 in the United Kingdom for seven non-consecutive weeks, and charting in the Top 10 in several other countries. The album, which contained three newly-recorded tracks (" Oh No Not My Baby ", " Many Rivers To Cross " and " Whenever You're Near ") was available in the United States only as an import. 1992-1996: Commercial ups-and-downs and controversies In 1994 she collaborated with MTV 's cartoons Beavis And Butt-head for a rock version of Sonny & Cher 's " I Got You Babe ". The next year she with Chrissie Hynde , Neneh Cherry and Eric Clapton topped the UK Singles Chart for one week with charity single " Love Can Build A Bridge ". At age 50, she released an album, mainly of Covers , titled '' It's A Man's World ''. The album was released in Europe at the end of 1995, while in North America in the summer of 1996. The album sparked two European hits " Walking In Memphis " and " One By One ". ''It's a Man's World'' was a moderate success, with more than three million copies worldwide; however, Cher's sales in the United States were slow. Cher starred in the poorly received film '' Faithful '' (1996) with Ryan O'Neal and Chazz Palminteri . Also in 1996, Cher co- Executive-produced the highly anticipated, controversial HBO Abortion drama '' If These Walls Could Talk ,'' with actress Demi Moore . She also co-starred in and directed one of the film’s three segments, earning a Golden Globe Nomination as Best Supporting Actress in a made-for-television movie. 1998: Sonny Bono dies Cher was in . In front of millions, she tearfully and effusively praised the man who had been a father figure, friend, partner, lover, husband, and antagonist. http://dying.about.com/od/famousmemorableeulogies/a/sonny_euolgy.htm Despite charges of Opportunism , Cher continued to openly mourn, also paying tribute to Bono in the sentimental CBS special ''Sonny and Me: Cher Remembers'' (1998), calling her grief "something I never plan to get over." http://www.superiorpics.com/cher/ In 1998, Sonny & Cher received a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame for Television. Cher appeared at the event with Mary Bono , who accepted the award on behalf of her late husband. 1998-1999: Definitive worldwide popularity From the album, three other singles were released, with " Strong Enough " becoming a perfect follow-up hit in Europe , peaking at No.3 in Germany and France as well as the UK Top Five, but failed to gain equally huge success in North America . " All Or Nothing " and " Dov'è L'Amore " were also solid hits in Europe, but again didn't get attention in her native U.S. Cher published her first memoir in late 1998, titled ''The First Time''. Rather than a tell-all, the book was an intriguing collection of Cher's most significant "first-time" memories from her childhood, life and Hollywood career. In January 1999, Cher performed " The Star-Spangled Banner " in front of the Super Bowl XXXIII television audience. Cher also performed on the highly rated television special '' VH1 Divas Live 2 '', performing alongside contemporaries Tina Turner , Elton John , Chaka Khan , Faith Hill , Mary J. Blige , LeeAnn Rimes , Brandy and Whitney Houston . Later in 1999, Cher co-starred in the well-received Franco Zeffirelli film '' Tea With Mussolini '' (1999) with Judi Dench , Maggie Smith , Joan Plowright and Lily Tomlin . Her successful worldwide Do You Believe? Tour travelled throughout the U.S., Canada, and Europe, with the Emmy-nominated television special ''Cher: Live at the MGM Grand In Las Vegas'' airing by year's end. On '' which was released that same year. In Germany she became again best selling female artist of the year and was receiving her second ECHO Award (She and Madonna are the only female artist to do so). 2000-2002: Career established The Do You Believe? Tour continued throughout 2000 and became her most successful tour to that time. In May 2000, Cher was presented with the Lifelong Contribution to the Music Industry Award, at the World Music Awards . In , France and Australia , "Living Proof" even failed to reach the Top 40 , while charting best in Germany by entering at a respective No.13. The lack of huge success was caused by the lead-off single (outside U.S. ) " The Music's No Good Without You ", that only became a modest hit in Europe and Australia, apart from reaching No.1 in Russia and Poland and the UK Top 10. At least the album included several re-mixed songs which found their way onto the Hot Dance, Maxi-Single Sales, Club Play and Adult Contemporary charts. The album was eventually certified gold in U.S. and Germany , and sold more than six million copies worldwide. That year, Cher won the Dance/Club Play Artist of the Year and was presented with a special Artist Achievement Award at the Billboard Music Awards . In May 2002, Cher performed on the , which she claimed would be the final live concert tour of her career, though she vowed to continue recording and releasing music. 2002-2005: '''' era In April 2003, '' The Very Best Of Cher '', a CD collection of all of her greatest hits spanning her entire career, was released. The album peaked at number four on the Billboard 200 album chart, extending her album chart span to over thirty-eight years. The compilation has been certified double platinum and has sold 3.5 million copies worldwide. In February 2004 , at 57, she received another Grammy Award nomination for Best Dance Recording for her song " Love One Another ". During 2004 a Sonny & Cher DVD was released with nine Sonny & Cher shows, during the 1970s . Also in 2004 Cher appeared for a few seconds in the last ABBA video. http://www.abbasite.com/music/dvd.php?ret=/music/dvd.php&id=1519&flash=yes In 2004, Cher released the album '' Gold '', a 2-CD collection of all her greatest hits, spanning from her days as one-half of Sonny & Cher to her Living Proof era. It was only a year following the release of her multi-platinum '' The Very Best Of Cher '' album, though All Music Guide nevertheless gave it four and a half out of five stars. Current projects 2007 Plans are now being finalized by Cher, her management team, the executives of AEG Concerts and Caesars Palace for the official announcement of her new contract as one of the entertainers taking over for Celine Dion at The Colloseum In the seventh volume of Chrome Hearts , Cher confirmed she is working on her Twenty-sixth Studio Album but that no recording has taken place as of yet, and gave no indication as to the record's release date. Pop superstar Cher is nursing three broken toes after reportedly falling down stairs at her Malibu, California mansion.The If I Could Turn Back Time singer, 61, fractured the three middle toes on her left foot after tumbling down concrete steps on 15 August, according to U.S. reports. She was left slumped in agony at the bottom of the stairs, and has been hobbling around with her foot in a splint ever since. Singing star Cher has put her Palm Springs mansion up for sale for US$2.4 million. The four-bedroom home measures a massive 4,000 square feet has a pool, a spa and four bedrooms. Cher bought the house in 2004 for $650,000 before carrying our a major makeover and redesign. She told the LA Times: “I’ve been coming to Palm Springs since I was a kid… I have always loved the indoor-outdoor lifestyle you find there. PERSONAL LIFE Marriages and relationships Cher was involved with Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora for two years in the early 1990s, and has also been linked to musicians Eric Clapton and Mark Hudson . Rumours also circulated that Cher was romantically involved with a member of her band during the Farewell Tour. Over the span of her lengthy career, Cher also has been rumored to be romantically linked to numerous men including the singers Elvis Presley and Ricky Martin , the actors Ray Liotta , Matt Dillon , John Heard , Tv host John Loeffler and Tony Anstis and the ice hockey player Ron Duguay . http://www.angelfire.com/tn/KarensPage/meninherlife.html But most of these affairs are unconfirmed so far. Personal wealth As a gay icon She has been imitated by Drag Queen s across the world for decades. Her transition to Dance Music and social activism in recent years has further contributed to her iconic popularity within the gay community. The NBC sitcom '' Will & Grace '' acknowledged her status by making her the idol of gay character Jack McFarland . Cher guest-starred as herself twice on the sitcom, in 2000 and 2002. In 2000, Cher made a cameo on the show, in which Jack believed her to be a drag queen, and said he could "do" a better Cher himself. In 2002, she played God in Jack's imagined version of Heaven . Cher's status may have been boosted by her support of her openly Lesbian daughter Chastity Bono . Although not supporting Chastity immediately after she Came Out , Cher has since become one of the gay community's most vocal advocates. In 1998, Cher was honored with a GLAAD Media Award ( Gay And Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation ) and in November 1999, '' The Advocate '' named Cher one of the '25 Coolest Women'. In October 2005, the Bravo program ''Great Things About Being...'' declared Cher the number one greatest thing about being gay. Her perseverance and longevity are the inspiration for the famous quote by gay impressionist , all that will be left are cockroaches and Cher". Political interests Unlike her late ex-husband Sonny Bono , Cher has always been a staunch Democrat . She has attended and performed at Democratic Party conventions and events. Today, she considers herself a Democrat by default, but more of an Independent because of what she perceives to be the recent moderate to conservative leanings of the current Democratic Party. Cher has always defined herself as an anti-war activist; she demonstrated against the Vietnam War and the video for Turn Back Time in 1989 was sometimes interpreted as a provocation against the army : " Make Love, not war ." Back from her last tour in Europe, Cher declared that Europeans had a very bad image of Americans, mostly because of the Bush administration ." see us as the real terrorists since this stupid war in Iraq and because of all the innocent civilians that were killed within the first [... somehow they're right"; she even shared the stage with Muhammad Muhammad in N.Y.C, an American actor who used to tell stories about the changes in the American muslim's lives since 9/11. On May 18 2006 , Cher was a guest on '' The Ed Schultz Show '' to discuss her work in support of U.S. troops fighting abroad, as well as returning veterans. Schultz noted her involvement with both Operation Helmet and the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, which is constructing an advanced training skills facility at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas . The center will serve military personnel who have been catastrophically disabled in operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and those severely injured in other operations, as well as in the normal performance of their duties, combat and non-combat related. During the interview with Schultz, Cher again said she is an independent. Her comments about the current political scene in the U.S. led him to interject, "You're fed up with everybody", to which she replied, "I really am. I couldn't be a Republican 'cause I think I believe in too many services for poor people, but I'm fed up with the Democrats. I just think...you're gonna find all their spines where you find the elephant's graveyard." Towards the end of the interview, Schultz asked Cher what she thinks about today's protest songs. She responded, "You know, I think it's the duty of artists to say what they want, in favor or in opposition. Unfortunately, I think that, with Bush administration , you haven't been able to really voice any opposition because of 9/11, if you say anything opposed to the administration, somehow they've been able to wrap themselves in the flag, so that if you have any opposing viewpoint, you're unpatriotic." She was about to offer her thoughts on this, but stopped, saying, "I don't know what you can say on your program, so I won't talk the way I normally talk." Implying her comments would be salty, she did add, though, "I don't like it...it rubs me the wrong way. And if I could say all those seven words George Carlin's famous routine suggests cannot be said on TV , that's what I'd be saying." Humanitarian work Cher has been involved with many humanitarian groups and charity efforts over the years. After appearing in the movie '' Mask ,'' she served as National Chairperson and Honorary Spokesperson of the Children’s Craniofacial Association. Over the years while touring, she frequently donated concert tickets to families and non-profit groups for children and youth with facial deformities. Such donations were alluded to in an episode of the TV series '' X-Files '' entitled ''The Post Modern Prometheus''. She is also the namesake of the Cher Charitable Foundation, which donates funds to various charities and causes close to her heart. IMAGE AND ENDURING POPULARITY Cher’s lasting legacy in Popular Culture has long been disputed. She has stated of herself that “singers don’t consider me a singer and actors don't consider me an actor”, despite her undeniable achievements in both arenas. She is highly respected for her considerable career longevity and ability to bounce back when critics have long written her off. She has also been quoted as saying, “Some years I'm the hottest thing, and the next year, people are so over me”. She has described herself as a "hit and miss artist" and "more of a stylist than a musician." Cher has a very large and devoted fanbase that has transcended generations. Their devotion is evidenced through the biennial Cher Convention which began in Chicago in 2000 as a tribute by fans when her song "Believe" reached number one. With all proceeds going to the Children's Craniofacial Association. The event is now held every other year, and has included Las Vegas in 2002 and 2004, and Los Angeles in 2006. An upcoming fan event, The Cher Expo, with a presentation of Cher memorabilia and a variety show in her honor is planned for Hilton Head Island , South Carolina in 2007 and Atlanta in 2009. A charity drive for Operation Rebound, a division of the Challenged Athletes Foundation, is also planned; monies raised will be used to help amputees from Iraq and Afghanistan return to an active and athletic life. An absurdist Monty Python Ragtime song that pays homage to Henry Kissinger compares the former Secretary Of State 's cleavage more favourably to Cher's. Tattoos Influence In her early career, Cher was a Fashion trendsetter, popularizing long straight hair, Bellbottoms and an exposed Midriff . Through her television shows she inspired women and pushed the Censors with her revealing outfits and creative ensembles, frequently designed by Bob Mackie . She has also inspired a generation of younger singer/actresses who have noted her as being a large influence on them. She has appeared on the cover of '' People '' magazine 13 times. In a recent poll, A&E 's Biography Magazine ranked her as people's third favorite actress of all time behind two of her Hollywood idols, Katharine Hepburn and Audrey Hepburn .
DISCOGRAPHY See Also: Cher discography SELECTED FILMOGRAPHY
SELECTED TELEVISION WORK
TRIVIA Cher is referenced in the book Captain Underpants And The Perilous Plot Of Professor Poopypants by Dav Pilkey . Cher is also referenced in the Nickelback song 'Rockstar' (lyrics: some way between Cher and James Dean is fine for me..") SEE ALSO
NOTES EXTERNAL LINKS
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