Cher – The Memoir – Part One

Things to know about this book: 1. Though Cher apparently worked with three or four successive ghost writers, the volume mostly sounds as we imagine she would – unpretentious, candid, sassy, easy on vernacular. 1. A. We like her. 2. She must’ve kept diaries of which there’s no mention, as specific events are often dated and detailed. Sometimes this adds color, at others it emerges as lists. (More the former until the end which seems to peter out exhausted.) 3. Cher never wanted to sing.

1946 Georgia and Cheryl (Courtesy of Cher)

Volume One is one-third childhood. Her mother, Georgia Holt, an aspiring vocalist, was married and divorced seven times to six husbands – violent, charismatic addicts to rich, boring businessmen. She was attractive, pursued and impulsive. There’s a happy, middle aged relationship with a man 22 years her junior. Patterns?  Whether a cigarette girl at the Copa, a salesgirl, or an extra in films – whatever it took to support the kids was done.

Cheryl Sarkisian and her sister Gee were shifted all over the country from caregiver to caregiver, with time at a charity facility, in houses empty of furniture, and staffed homes with swimming pools… “I mean jeez, my family. You can’t make it up.”  She’s understandably always had issues with security and abandonment. Her mother’s men are described, but there’s no self pity, no complaining.

Cher and Sonny 1971 (Public Domain)

The relationship with Svengali-like Sonny began with hero worship. “I swear to God, it was like Maria and Tony. Everyone else in the room faded.” Everyone seemed to know and like him. Having fled her parents’ to a friend’s couch, the 16 year-old was once again facing homelessness when Sonny moved next door. “Son was a grown-up without being too grown-up.” He agreed to take her in (twin beds) if she’d keep house. Her benefactor was a womanizer. She was a child.

Cher sang absentmindedly while cleaning. Sonny was surprised. A combination gopher and A & R wanna-be for infamous producer Phil Spector, he kept talking her up to his boss. One day Darlene Love didn’t show up to the studio on time. Spector conscripted Sonny and Cher as additional back-up and was so impressed with her, he had Cher working 15 hour days. Paying Sonny, the producer assumed, entitled him to “use” his girlfriend. Cher met a lot of great musicians, but never received remuneration. Nor was her voice “commercial enough” for a solo career. Sonny discouraged acting classes.

Asked to pick up a wildly drunk Spector at the airport and seeing him brandish a gun at home, Cher remained unintimidated. Hell, at 17, Warren Beatty picked her up and took her to his place. They went on a couple of dates. “Nothing happened.” Sonny wrote “Baby Don’t Let Go.” They met Brian Wilson and 19 year-old Mick Jagger. Sonny wrote “I Got You Babe.” Cher was still cutting their hair and making their clothes. The partners played “the road.”

Told they should go to London where “Babe” was getting airplay, Sonny sold literally everything. With nothing to return to, the couple boarded a plane wearing what became their signature look. When the hotel turned them away because of appearance, reporters were waiting outside. That was it. The city opened its arms and doors. They met everyone, were feted everywhere. By the time they got back, haircuts and outfits were being copied. Descriptions of apparel/costumes is fun.

The UK Single (Public Domain)

Six Cher solo albums and a new house later, despite a show at The Hollywood Bowl, they were broke. Cher knew nothing about money. Sonny handled things. Not only did he arrange a contract which his soon-to-be-wife would later discover siphoned off almost all her earnings, but he controlled what she wore, who she saw, every meal, every outing, every job. He’d have jealous tantrums. It’s hard to reconcile this with the vividly independent woman she became after leaving him. Well, maybe not so independent.

Sonny and Cher went back on the road. One night, in front of a spare audience in a third rate venue, Cher turned her back and started to kibitz with the band, then Sonny. Audience loved it. The couple developed an act. Both were quick and naturally funny. Cher would disparage Sonny. He’d swat at her. This was the Sonny and Cher we all knew.

Eventually, the team was offered a television contract for their own show which became a phenomenal hit until severed by divorce. It’s fascinating to learn that through acrimony, law suits, and life challenging moments going forward, onstage, they invariably slipped right back into entertaining bonhomie. (Even with separate lives, Cher called Sonny when she needed emotional support.)

Sonny and Cher ready for an awards show (Courtesy of Cher)

A relationship with David Geffen is deeply plumbed and sympathetic. “I was his first,” she writes. Woman? They were quickly close. He took care of the deceptive Cher Enterprises contract, new living quarters, promotion – and proposed. They hung with Bob Dylan and his wife, Warren Beatty and Julie Christie, Joni Mitchell, Jack Nicholson and Angelica Huston (“Toots”), John Lennon, Harry Nilsson…She loved him.

Cher was offered her own show. She introduced herself as 28 years old, 5’7”, “104 pounds when happy, 108 pounds when I’m miserable. I’m 106 now. My fate is in your hands.” Ratings were great. Cher was happy. Bob Mackie went from The Carol Burnett Show nextdoor to Cher – costuming both women, creating Cher’s iconic look. She decided not to marry David. “It was too soon on the heels of my divorce from Sonny.”

Cher and Gregg with Elijah one day old 1976 (Courtesy of Cher)

Gregg Allman came next. (David never seems to have been told goodbye.) Apparently a sweetheart when straight, his heroin addiction repeatedly tore them apart until Cher finally gave up. Her popularity ballooned. We don’t need to hear about quite so many guests or shows. There were other men, a few mentioned in passing. Young ones hadn’t yet cornered the market.  She mothered toddler Chastity by Sonny and Elijah Blue by Greg with dedication and pleasure. Last pages are devoted to the kids.

A lot of men fell quickly for Cher, many took care of her. Women were drawn to honesty, guts and gusto. The icon sounds amazingly open. Once she stepped into her own skin, there was no stopping her and certainly no judging. Volume I ends in the early eighties with friend Francis Ford Coppola encouraging her film acting aspiration.

Opening Courtesy of Cher: In the Rudi Gernreich outfit the saleswoman told me I couldn’t afford. I bought it in three colors.

Cher – The Memoir – Part One
DEYST- An imprint of William Morrow

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