The Real Reason Cher Is Suing Sonny Bono's Widow

In the 1970s, Sonny and Cher were one of the most popular entertainment duos around. As noted by Biography, the pair first met in the 1960s and, by 1964, they were married. The following year they became superstars with the release of their iconic duet "I Got You Babe." Their fame eventually landed them their own primetime TV show called "The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour," but soon after that show's four-year run ended, Sonny and Cher divorced in 1975.

After their divorce, the couple remained off-and-on friends through the years as well as co-parents to their son, Chaz Bono. The singer and style icon even delivered Sonny's eulogy after he died in a skiing accident in 1998, per the Daily Mail. Now, however, she is claiming that the terms of their divorce entitled her to more money than she's received and is going to court to win what she feels is rightfully hers. 

On October 13, 2021, Cher filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles federal court claiming that when they divorced, she and ex-husband Sonny Bono agreed to share any royalties earned from songs they recorded together. Cher is suing former Representative Mary Bono, Sonny's fourth wife whom he was married to when he died, claiming she "has undone" the singer and actress' ownership to the songs and right to the royalties, according to ABC7. Cher is seeking at least $1 million in her lawsuit.

At the time of his death in 1998, Sonny was serving in the United States House of Representatives as a California congressman. His wife, Mary, ran for his seat after he passed and served in the House from 1998-2013.

In 1998, Cher was also much closer to the Bonos, and when she delivered his eulogy it was clear how much she would miss her first husband when she said, "When I was a young there was this section in Reader's Digest called 'The Most Unforgettable Character I Ever Met.' No matter how old I get, no matter how many people I meet, that person will always be Son for me" (via Biography)