Sonny Bono
b. Salvatore Bono, 12 February 1935, Detroit, Michigan, USA. Although primarily associated with the '60s folk-rock boom, Bono's career began the previous decade as director of A&R at Specialty Records. He co-wrote She Said Yeah for Larry Williams, later covered by the The Rolling Stones, and also pursued a recording career with the first of several singles bearing numerous aliases, including Don Christy, Sonny Christy and Ronny Sommers. A fruitful period under the aegis of producer Phil Spector inspired Bono to found the ill-fated Rush label, but he achieved a greater fame when Needles And Pins, a collaboration with Jack Nitzsche, was successfully recorded by Jackie DeShannon and the Searchers. In 1963 Bono met, and married, Cherilyn La Pierre, better known as Cher. Her fledgling singing career was subsequently augmented by their work as a duo, firstly as Caesar And Cleo, then Sonny And Cher. In 1965 the couple enjoyed an international smash with I Got You Babe, written, arranged and produced by Bono, who resurrected solo ambitions in the wake of its success. Although Laugh At Me reached the Top 10 in the US and UK, The Revolution Kind, Sonny's disavowal of the counter-culture, failed to emulate this feat. Bono's lone album, INNER VIEWS, was an artistic and commercial disaster and he subsequently abandoned solo recordings. Although Sonny and Cher sundered the personal partnership in 1974, they continued to host a popular television show. However, Bono later concentrated on an acting career with regular appearances on television and in several films, notably HAIRSPRAY. A registered Republican, he was voted mayor of Palm Springs in 1988, the day after his ex-wife won an Oscar for her role in MOONSTRUCK. In 1991, Bono announced his intention to run for the senate at the next election.