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Biography
Infobox officeholder|name=Sonny Bono|image=Sonny Bono.jpg|caption=|birthname=Salvatore Phillip Bono|birth_date=birth date|1935|2|16|birth_place= Detroit|Detroit, Michigan , United States|US |death_date=death date and age|1998|1|5|1935|2|16|death_place= Stateline, Nevada , near SouthLake Tahoe, California , United States|US |resting_place= Desert Memorial Park Cathedral City, California , US|state= California |district= California's 44th congressional district|44th |term_start=January 3, 1995|term_end=January 5, 1998|predecessor= Al McCandless |successor= Mary Bono Mack |order2= List of Mayors of Palm Springs, California|16th |office2=Mayor of Palm Springs|term_start2=April 1988|term_end2=April 1992|predecessor2= Frank Bogert |successor2= Lloyd Maryanov |party= Republican Party (United States)|Republican |religion= Catholic Church|Roman Catholicism Scientology |spouse=Donna Rankin (1954–1962, divorced) Cher|Cherilyn Sarkisian (1964–1975, divorced) Susie Coehlo (1983–1984, divorced) Mary Bono Mack|Mary Whitaker (1986–1998, his death)|children=Christine Bono Chaz Bono Chesare Elan Bono Chianna Marie Bono Infobox musical artist|genre= Pop music|Pop , rock music|rock |occupation= Singer , musician , songwriter , record producer|producer , actor |years_active=1963–1995|label=|associated_acts= Cher , Sonny & Cher |background=solo_singer Salvatore Phillip " Sonny " Bono (February 16, 1935 – January 5, 1998) was an United States|American recording artist , record producer , actor , and politician whose career spanned over three decades.
Early life
Born in Detroit to Italian American|Italian immigrants Jean and Santo,cite web|url= http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800057596/bio|title=Sonny Bono Biography|publisher=Yahoo& #33; Movies|accessdate=2009-10-08 Sonny was the youngest of three siblings; he had two older sisters, Fran and Betty. Bono attended Inglewood High School (California)|Inglewood High School in Inglewood, California , but did not graduate.cite news|url= http://articles.latimes.com/1998/jan/07/news/mn-5814|title=Sonny Bono, a Chronology|publisher=Los Angeles Times|date=1998-01-07|accessdate=2009-10-08|first=Nona|last=Yateswhich? |date=November 2010
Career
Entertainment career
See also|Sonny & CherBono began his music career working at Specialty Records where his song "Things You Do to Me" was recorded by Sam Cooke , and went on to work for the legendary record producer Phil Spector in the early 1960s as a promotion man, percussionist and " gofer ". One of his earliest songwriting efforts was " Needles and Pins (song)|Needles and Pins " which he co-wrote with Jack Nitzsche , another member of Spector's production team. 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 ", although Cher received more attention as a performer. He also played a major part in Cher's early solo career with recordings such as " Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)|Bang Bang " and " You Better Sit Down Kids ".
Bono also recorded as a solo artist under the name of Sonny. He had only one hit single as a solo artist, " Laugh At Me ". "Laugh At Me" was released in 1965 and peaked at #10 on the Billboard Hot 100. In live concerts, Bono would sing the song with an introduction of, "I'd like to sing a medley of my hit." His only other single as a solo artist was a follow-up release, "The Revolution Kind", which reached number 70 on the Billboard Hot 100 later that same year. Bono also recorded an unsuccessful Sonny album titled Inner Views in 1967.cite web|url= http://www.rhinohandmade.com/browse/ProductLink.lasso? Number=7704|title=Sonny Bono - Inner Views - from Rhino Handmade|publisher=Rhinohandmade.com|accessdate=2009-10-08
Sonny continued to work with Cher through the early and mid-'70s starring in a popular television variety show , The Sonny and Cher Show , which ran on CBS from 1971 to 1974. From 1976 to 1977, the couple returned to performing together on The Sonny and Cher Show despite being divorced. Their last appearance together was on Late Night with David Letterman on November 13, 1987,"Sonny & Cher Boost Ratings". The New Mexican . Santa Fe, New Mexico. November 29, 1987, p. 35, accessed through NewspaperARCHIVE.com on March 13, 2009."Sonny and Cher Reunited on David Letterman Show." Aiken Standard . Aiken, South Carolina. November 15, 1987. p. 3. accessed through NewspaperARCHIVE.com on March 13, 2009. when they sang " I Got You Babe ".cite web|title= http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=KW-Rs5kLzJY& feature=related|url= http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=KW-Rs5kLzJY& feature=related
Bono continued his acting career, doing bit roles in such shows as Fantasy Island and The Love Boat . He played the part of mad bomber Joe Selucci in Airplane II: The Sequel and the part of Franklin Von Tussle in John Waters' Hairspray (1988 film)|Hairspray . In the film Men in Black (film)|Men In Black , Bono is one of several oddball celebrities seen on a wall of video screens that monitor extraterrestrials living among us. In 1986 he also appeared in the horror movie Troll (film)|Troll . He also appeared in several episodes of P.S. I Luv U starring Connie Sellecca and Greg Evigan during the 1991-92 TV season as the Mayor of Palm Springs which he really was at the time. His last acting role was in the television series Lois& Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (Season 1, Episode 9, originally aired on November 21, 1993), in which he played the Mayor Frank Berkowitz. He also made a minor appearance as himself in the 1996 film First Kid .
Sonny poked a little fun at himself when he guest-starred on The Golden Girls , in the episode "Mrs. George Devereaux", aired November 17, 1990, as himself vying with Lyle Waggoner for Dorothy's ( Beatrice Arthur ) affection in a dream, where Blanche ( Rue McClanahan ) dreams her husband is still alive. In the dream, Sonny uses his power as mayor of Palm Springs, California to have Waggoner falsely arrested just so he can have Dorothy to himself. Later on, after Blanche awakens from the dream, Dorothy is thrilled to learn she picked Sonny this time.
Political career
See also|Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension ActBono entered politics after experiencing great frustration with local government bureaucracy in trying to open a restaurant in Palm Springs, California . With conservatism|conservative talk radio host Marshall Gilbert as his campaign manager, Bono placed a successful bid to become the new mayor of Palm Springs. He served four years (1988 to 1992).cite web|url= http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl? index=B000622|title=BONO, Sonny - Biographical Information| publisher=Bioguide.congress.gov|accessdate=2009-10-08 He was instrumental in spearheading the creation of the Palm Springs International Film Festival , which is now held each year in Bono's memory.
Bono ran for the Republican Party (United States)|Republican nomination for United States Senate in 1992, but the nomination went to the more conservative Bruce Herschensohn , and the election to the Democrat Barbara Boxer . Bono and Herschensohn became close friends after the campaign. Bono was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1994 to represent California's 44th congressional district . He was one of twelve co-sponsors of a House bill extending copyright . http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z? d105:HR02589:| Although that bill was never voted on in the Senate, a similar Senate bill was passed after his death and named the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act in his memory.
He championed the restoration of the Salton Sea ,cite news|url= http://www.cnn.com/EARTH/9801/16/salton.sea/index.html|title=Salton Sea rescue to be named for Sonny Bono|work=CNN|date=1998-01-16 bringing the giant lake's plight to national attention. Speaker of the United States House of Representatives|Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich made a public appearance and speech at the shore of the lake on Bono's behalf.
In their book Tell Newt to Shut Up , David Maraniss and Michael Weisskopf credit Bono with being the first person to recognize Gingrich's public relations problems in 1995. Drawing on his long experience as a celebrity and entertainment producer, Bono (according to Maraniss and Weisskopf) recognized that Gingrich's status had changed from politician to celebrity, and that Gingrich was not making allowances for that change:
quote|You're a celebrity now, ... The rules are different for celebrities. I know it. I've been there. I've been a celebrity. I used to be a bigger celebrity. But let me tell you, you're not being handled right. This is not political news coverage. This is celebrity status. You need handlers. You need to understand what you're doing. You need to understand the attitude of the media toward celebrities. Bono remains the only member of Congress to have scored a #1 pop single on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Author Ronald Kessler mentioned Bono in his expose book Inside Congress. Kessler pointed out that Bono was widely ridiculed and was named one of the "dimmest bulbs" in Congress by Progressive Magazine and that The Washington Post referred to him as the "idiot savant from way beyond the Beltway". Kessler also mentioned that a young staffer named Frederique J. Sandretto had accused Bono of sexually harassing her.
Personal life
Bono married his first wife, Donna Rankin, on November 3, 1954. Their daughter Christine ("Christy") was born on June 24, 1958. They divorced in 1962. In 1964 Bono married singer/entertainer Cher ; their daughter Chastity (now legally named Chaz Bono|Chaz after Transitioning (transgender)|gender transition ) was born on March 4, 1969. In 1975 the couple divorced. Bono then married Susie Coelho , but divorced her in 1984. He wed the much-younger Mary Whitaker in 1986 and they had 2 children, son Chesare Elan on April 25, 1988 and daughter Chianna Maria on February 2, 1991. He became a Scientology|Scientologist , partly because of the influence of Mimi Rogers , but stated that he was a Roman Catholic on all official documents, campaign materials, web sites, etc. Mary Bono Mack|Mary Bono also took Scientology courses. http://www.rickross.com/reference/scientology/celebrities/celebrities2.html Proud Mary Bono, George, August 1999
Bono was named a godparent of Anthony Kiedis who would go on to become one of the biggest musical artists in the world with his band, Red Hot Chili Peppers . Sonny was a close friend of Anthony's father, Blackie Dammett , and would often take the boy on weekend trips. http://www.angelfire.com/punk5/englishrhcpgenius/anthony.html http://www.contactmusic.com/news-article/kiedis.-bedroom-joy-with-cher
Bono was a champion of the Salton Sea in southeastern California, where a Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge|park was named in his honor. The 2005 documentary film Plagues & Pleasures on the Salton Sea cite web|url= http://www.saltonseadoc.com/|title=Plagues & Pleasures on the Salton Sea| publisher=Saltonseadoc.com|accessdate=2009-10-08 (narrated by John Waters (filmmaker)|John Waters ) features Bono and documented the lives of the inhabitants of Bombay Beach, California|Bombay Beach , Niland, California|Niland , and Salton City, California|Salton City , as well as the ecological issues associated with the Sea.
Death
Bono died on January 5, 1998, a month and 11 days short of his 63rd birthday, of injuries sustained when he hit a tree while skiing on the Nevada side of Heavenly Ski Resort near SouthLake Tahoe, California . http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/campaigns/junkie/links/bono.htm Sonny Bono Is Killed in Ski Crash, Washington Post , 1998-01-07 His death came just a little less than a week after Michael LeMoyne Kennedy|Michael Kennedy , a son of Robert F. Kennedy , died in a similar skiing accident in Aspen, Colorado . After Bono's death, Mary told an interviewer from TV Guide that Sonny had been addicted to and was seriously abusing prescription drugs, mainly Vicodin and Valium . Though Mary claimed that Sonny's drug use caused the accident, the autopsy performed by the Douglas County, Nevada|Douglas County Coroner showed no indication of any substances or alcohol.
Bono was survived by his wife Mary Bono Mack|Mary Bono and children Christy, Chianna, Chesare, and Chaz Bono|Chaz . His mother Jean Bono, also survived him, and died on January 15, 2005 at the age of 90. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi? page=gr& GRid=12620247 At Mary Bono's request, Cher gave a eulogy at Sonny's funeral. His remains were buried at Desert Memorial Park in Cathedral City, California . http://www.pscemetery.com/pdfs/interments.pdf Palm Springs Cemetery District "Interment Information" The epitaph on Bono's headstone reads: "And the Beat Goes On."Find a Grave|2312|Sony Bono|work=entertainer, US Congressman|author=Julie Karen Hancock (Cooper) Jackson|date=January 01, 2001|accessdate=June 29, 2011
Bono's wife, Mary, was elected to fill the remainder of his Congressional term. Over 10 years after his death, she continues to champion many of Sonny's causes, including the ongoing fight to save the Salton Sea .
American hip-hop artist Eminem references Bono's skiing accident in his songs "Who Knew" and "Role Model"
British alternative rock band "A" references Bono's death in his song "I LoveLake Tahoe" (included in the 1999 album "A" vs. Monkey Kong and also released as single)
Sonny Bono: And The Beat Goes On . New York: Pocket Books 1991. ISBN 0-671-69366-2
''Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 12th edition . Menomonee Falls WI: Record Research 2009 ISBN 0-89820-180-2 and 978-0-89820-180-2
External links
CongLinks|congbio=B000622
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0095122/ Sonny Bono at the Internet Movie Database
Find a Grave|2312|Sonny Bono|work=Entertainer, US Congressman|author=Julie Karen Hancock (Cooper) Jackson|date=January 01, 2001|accessdate=August 16, 2011
Pop Chronicles|44|1
S-starts-offSuccession box|before= Frank Bogert |title= Mayor of Palm Springs, California |years=April 1988 – April 1992|after= Lloyd Maryanov s-par|us-hsUSRepSuccessionBox|state=California|district=44| before= Al McCandless |after= Mary Bono Mack|Mary Bono |years=January 3, 1995 – January 5, 1998S-end Persondata |NAME=Bono, Salvatore Phillip |ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Sonny Bono |SHORT DESCRIPTION=American politician |DATE OF BIRTH=February 16, 1935 |PLACE OF BIRTH= Detroit , Michigan , United States|US |DATE OF DEATH=January 5, 1998 |PLACE OF DEATH= SouthLake Tahoe, California , United States|US DEFAULTSORT:Bono, Sonny Category:1935 births Category:1998 deaths Category:American actor–politicians Category:American film actors Category:American male singers Category:American people of Sicilian descent Category:American people of Italian descent Category:American record producers Category:American Roman Catholics Category:American Scientologists Category:American singer-songwriters Category:American television actors Category:Burials at Desert Memorial Park Category:California Republicans Category:Mayors of Palm Springs, California Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives from California Category:People from Detroit, Michigan Category:Skiing deaths Category:Specialty Records artists Category:Sports deaths in California Category:Cher Category:Sonny & Cher
