Sonny Bono
Singer / Actor / Political Figure
Sonny Bono first gained fame in the 1960s as part of the singing duo Sonny and Cher. Their television show made them household names; Bono, with droopy mustache and psychedelic clothes, played a lovable goofball. (The two divorced in 1974.) Despite the enduring goofball tag, Bono was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994. He died after skiing into a tree at the Heavenly Ski Resort near South Lake Tahoe, California. His wife Mary replaced him in his congressional seat.Extra credit: Bono's daughter with Cher, Chastity Bono, is a prominent gay rights activist.
Sonny Bono also appears with Claudine Longet in our Who2 loop Ski Frenzy!
Four Good Links
The Many Mutations of the Sonny & Cher Show
In-depth review of the show's history
Dead Musician Directory: Sonny Bono
Obit and bio, plus links to other late stars
Sonny Bono Was Murdered
Killed by the Russian mob? Let's speculate!
Congresswoman Mary Bono
His widow's official government site
Vital Stats
Birth
Birthplace
Death
5 January 1998
(skiing accident, age 62)
Best Known As
Mod singer turned congressman
