In the dimly lit Pan Pacific Auditorium in downtown Los Angeles, a crowd of nine thousand enthusiastic girls eagerly awaited the appearance of Elvis Presley on stage. Amidst the excitement, eleven-year-old Cherilyn Sarkisian turned to her mother and declared her aspiration: “Mom, I’m going to do that.” This pivotal moment in 1957 marked the transformation of eleven-year-old Cherilyn Sarkisian from a modest background in California to the iconic Cher. Over the years, Cher has achieved remarkable success, selling over 100 million records globally, amassing a wealth of £280 million, and securing the unique distinction of having a number one single on the Billboard chart in six consecutive decades, with her Farewell Tour grossing £195 million.
Approaching her 80th birthday, Cher, who has conquered both the music charts and Hollywood, is now the subject of a new BBC documentary chronicling her extraordinary journey to stardom, which all began with her encounter with Elvis. Reflecting on that moment, Cher recollected: “Elvis came out in his gold suit, and they flashed the lights. I’m thinking, oh my God, it must be amazing to be on that stage. It was the beginning of me knowing what I wanted to do. Most of my friends loved him, I wanted to be him.”
Born in El Centro, California, Cher faced a challenging upbringing, with a young mother and an often absent father. Despite periods of financial hardship, including times of meager meals alternating with living in Beverly Hills, Cher persevered through her struggles. She disclosed her dyslexia, a condition not well understood at the time, recounting a poignant moment when she expressed difficulty with numbers to her mother, who assured her that one day she would have someone to handle such tasks for her.
Cher’s breakthrough arrived in a coffee shop in 1962 at the age of sixteen when she encountered Salvatore Philip Bono, known as Sonny. Despite their age difference, with Sonny being twenty-seven and Cher sixteen, a deep connection blossomed, leading to Cher moving into Sonny’s apartment until her mother intervened. Their collaboration in the music industry commenced when Sonny, working for esteemed producer Phil Spector, recognized Cher’s talent and introduced her to the studio, resulting in the release of her first single, “All I Really Want To Do,” at the age of eighteen in 1965.
The duo’s hit song, “I Got You Babe,” which soared to number one in the US, UK, and Canada, marked a significant milestone in their career, with Sonny and Cher achieving the remarkable feat of having five songs simultaneously in the Billboard top 50, a feat matched only by the Beatles and Elvis Presley. Cher’s success continued with chart-topping hits like “Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves,” “Half-Breed,” and “Dark Lady,” alongside the launch of The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour on CBS in 1971, amassing an impressive viewership of 30 million weekly.
Following a tumultuous period in her personal life, including a divorce from Sonny in 1975 and subsequent marriages, Cher transitioned to a successful acting career, earning critical acclaim for her roles in films like “Silkwood,” “The Witches of Eastwick,” and “Moonstruck,” for which she received an Oscar for Best Actress in 1987. Cher’s comeback in the late nineties with the chart-topping hit “Believe” and subsequent Grammy win for Best Dance Recording in 2000 revitalized her music career.
Throughout her illustrious journey, Cher has continued to break boundaries and defy age-related norms, with her music tours, Vegas residency, and a Broadway musical adaptation of her life story further cementing her legacy. Honored with inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, Cher remains a trailblazer in the entertainment industry as she prepares to celebrate her 80th birthday with unwavering determination and a new album on the horizon.