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Sonny Bono

 


Songwriter, record producer, singer, session musician and politician Salvatore Phillip “Sonny” Bono was born in Detroit, Michegan on February 16, 1935. The family moved to Inglewood, California when he was seven. In 1957 he became an employee of Specialty Records and in particular, Little Richard’s chauffeur.

He came to fame in partnership with his second wife Cher, as the popular singing duo Sonny and Cher. They met while he was working for Phil Spector and can be heard singing background vocals on “Da do ron ron”, “Be my baby” and the Spector Christmas album.

He took acting roles on film and television and appears in the film “Hairspray”.

He was mayor of Palm Springs, California, from 1988 to 1992, and congressman for California’s 44th district from 1995 until his death in 1998 – he was influential in improving copyright laws and the United States Federal Copyright Term Extension Act, which extended the term of copyright by 20 years, is now commonly known as the Sonny Bono Act.

Sonny Bono is of interest to Sue UK readers for his production of “Soul Motion” by his long time friends Don and Dewey, which was released on Sue WI 4032.

Sonny Bono died in Stateline, Nevada during a skiing accident on January 5, 1998.

Image: M80 Radio

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