Sonny Bono
Salvatore Phillip "Sonny" Bono (February 16, 1935 – January 5, 1998) was an American record producer, singer, actor, politician, and Catholic whose career spanned over three decades. Bono began his music career working for the legendary record producer Phil Spector in the early 1960s. Later in the same decade, he achieved commercial success, along with his then-wife Cher, as part of the singing duo Sonny and Cher. Bono wrote, arranged and produced a number of hit records with singles like "I Got You, Babe" and "The Beat Goes On" though few people knew he did more than sing. Cher got more attention as a musical talent. Sonny and Cher starred in a popular television variety show, The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour, which ran on CBS from 1971 to 1974. But there again, Cher seemed lively and funny, and Sonny a bit slow. They had a daughter, Chastity Bono, and divorced in 1974. Sonny continued his acting career, doing bit roles in such shows as Fantasy Island and The Love Boat. He played the part of a mad bomber in Airplane: The Sequel. Bono married Susie Coelho and divorced her in 1984; he married again in 1986 to Mary Whitaker. He became a practicing Scientologist. The couple had two children, Chesare Elan Bono and Chianna Marie Bono. Bono entered politics after experiencing great frustration with local government bureaucracy in trying to open a restaurant in Palm Springs, California. With local conservative talk radio host Marshall Gilbert as his campaign manager (and later as the godfather of his two children by his wife Mary), Bono placed a successful bid to become the new mayor of Palm Springs. He was instrumental in making the city more business-friendly and in spearheading the creation of the Nortel Palm Springs International Film Festival, now held each year in Bono's memory. After unsuccessfully running for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate in 1992, Bono was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1994 to represent the 44th Congressional District of California. He introduced the controversial Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act during his tenure to benefit the music industry and also championed the restoration of the Salton Sea, bringing the giant lake's plight to national attention. Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich made a public appearance and speech at the shore of the lake on Bono's behalf. He died of injuries from hitting a tree while skiing at the Heavenly Ski Resort near South Lake Tahoe, California. His widow Mary was elected to fill his unexpired Congressional term, and has since been re-elected in 1998 and later elections in her own right. She continues to champion many of her late husband's causes, including the ongoing fight as how to best save the Salton Sea. Bono's final resting place is Desert Memorial Park in nearby Cathedral City, the same cemetery in which Frank Sinatra was laid to rest later that same year. The epitaph on Bono's headstone appropriately reads: "The Beat Goes On". This page about Sonny Bono includes information from a Wikipedia article. Additional articles about Sonny Bono News stories about Sonny Bono External links for Sonny Bono Videos for Sonny Bono Wikis about Sonny Bono Discussion Groups about Sonny Bono Blogs about Sonny Bono Images of Sonny Bono |
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The epitaph on Bono's headstone appropriately reads: "The Beat Goes On". The album also included the song "On Bended Knee", which replaced "I'll Make Love to You" at number one on the pop charts, making the group the only other artist besides Elvis Presley and The Beatles to replace themselves as number one on the pop singles chart. Bono's final resting place is Desert Memorial Park in nearby Cathedral City, the same cemetery in which Frank Sinatra was laid to rest later that same year. charts for 16 weeks in 1995, their third record-setting single following "End of the Road" in 1992 (13 weeks) and "I'll Make Love to You" in 1994 (14 weeks), which was taken from the group's second album, II. She continues to champion many of her late husband's causes, including the ongoing fight as how to best save the Salton Sea. #1 pop hits between 1992 and 1997, including "One Sweet Day," a collaboration with Mariah Carey that topped the U.S. His widow Mary was elected to fill his unexpired Congressional term, and has since been re-elected in 1998 and later elections in her own right. They had five U.S. He died of injuries from hitting a tree while skiing at the Heavenly Ski Resort near South Lake Tahoe, California. Based on the record sales, Boyz II Men are the most successful R&B group of all time. Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich made a public appearance and speech at the shore of the lake on Bono's behalf. The band consists of Wanya Morris, Michael McCary, Shawn Stockman, and Nathan Morris. He introduced the controversial Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act during his tenure to benefit the music industry and also championed the restoration of the Salton Sea, bringing the giant lake's plight to national attention. Boyz II Men is a Motown vocal group from Philadelphia, founded in 1988. Senate in 1992, Bono was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1994 to represent the 44th Congressional District of California. 1999 "I Will Get There" #32 US. After unsuccessfully running for the Republican nomination for U.S. 1998 "Can't Let Her Go" #23 UK. He was instrumental in making the city more business-friendly and in spearheading the creation of the Nortel Palm Springs International Film Festival, now held each year in Bono's memory. 1997 "A Song for Mama" #7 US, #34 UK. With local conservative talk radio host Marshall Gilbert as his campaign manager (and later as the godfather of his two children by his wife Mary), Bono placed a successful bid to become the new mayor of Palm Springs. 1997 "4 Seasons of Loneliness" #1 US, #10 UK. Bono entered politics after experiencing great frustration with local government bureaucracy in trying to open a restaurant in Palm Springs, California. Boyz II Men) #3 US, #17 UK. The couple had two children, Chesare Elan Bono and Chianna Marie Bono. 1996 "Hey Lover" (LL Cool J feat. He became a practicing Scientologist. 1995 "One Sweet Day" (with Mariah Carey) #1 US, #6 UK. He played the part of a mad bomber in Airplane: The Sequel. Bono married Susie Coelho and divorced her in 1984; he married again in 1986 to Mary Whitaker. 1995 "Water Runs Dry" #2 US, #24 UK. Sonny continued his acting career, doing bit roles in such shows as Fantasy Island and The Love Boat. 1995 "Thank You" #21 US, #26 UK. They had a daughter, Chastity Bono, and divorced in 1974. 1994 "On Bended Knee" #1 US, #20 UK. But there again, Cher seemed lively and funny, and Sonny a bit slow. 1994 "I'll Make Love to You" #1 US, #5 UK. Sonny and Cher starred in a popular television variety show, The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour, which ran on CBS from 1971 to 1974. 1993 "Let It Snow" #32 US. Cher got more attention as a musical talent. 1993 "In the Still of the Nite (I'll Remember)" #3 US, #27 UK. Bono wrote, arranged and produced a number of hit records with singles like "I Got You, Babe" and "The Beat Goes On" though few people knew he did more than sing. 1992 "End of the Road" #1 US, #1 UK. Later in the same decade, he achieved commercial success, along with his then-wife Cher, as part of the singing duo Sonny and Cher. 1991 "Uhh Ahh" #16 US. Bono began his music career working for the legendary record producer Phil Spector in the early 1960s. 1991 "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" #2 US. Salvatore Phillip "Sonny" Bono (February 16, 1935 – January 5, 1998) was an American record producer, singer, actor, politician, and Catholic whose career spanned over three decades. 1991 "Motownphilly" #3 US, #23 UK (1992 release). 2004 "Throwback" #52 US. 2002 "Full Circle" #10 US. 2001 "Legacy: The Greatest Hits Collection" #89 US, #2 UK; US sales: 500,000. 2000 "Ballad Collection". 2000 "Nathan Michael Shawn Wanya" #4 US; US Sales: 500,000. 1997 "Evolution" #1 US, #12 UK; US Sales: 2,000,000. 1995 "The Remix Collection" #17 US; US Sales: 1,000,000. 1994 "II" #1 US, #17 UK; US Sales: 14,000,000. 12/24/1994 #2 USA, The Billboard Top 100 Singles. 1993 "Christmas Interpretations" #19 US; US Sales: 2,000,000. 1991 "Cooleyhighharmony" #3 US, #7 UK; US Sales: 9,000,000. |