Why Cher and Sonny Bono’s Widow Are Locked In Legal Dispute – Details of Lawsuit

• Cher is locked in a legal dispute with Mary Bono, her ex-husband’s widow and musical partner, Sonny Bono.
• The dispute involves the rights to the duo’s songs, which Cher claims she is entitled to under their 1978 divorce agreement.
• The songs include hits such as “I Got You Babe” and “The Beat Goes On, “which shaped the music and culture of their era.

From a young age, Cher harbored dreams of stardom. Watching “Cinderella” when she was three fueled her ambition of becoming a renowned singer. Today, she embodies the essence of determination and transformation, having risen from modest beginnings to become an emblem of American culture.

Her ascent to fame was marked by challenges. Still, her tenacity carried her forward, culminating in a career that spans more than five decades and resulted in record sales exceeding 100 million worldwide. Cher’s personal life, much like her career, has been a series of highs and lows.

Raised by a mother who was an occasional actress and a father who was absent for most of her childhood due to his struggles with addiction and criminal activities, Cher’s early years were far from idyllic. Deciding to drop out of high school, she left home at 16, stepping into the world with a dream and determination.

In Los Angeles, Cher crossed paths with Sonny Bono, a budding musician 11 years her senior. Their relationship took root on a platonic level, with Cher moving into his residence, claiming to be 18. Their bond was forged on the foundation of shared aspirations and mutual respect rather than physical attraction.

As Cher recalls, Bono once told her, “I don’t find you very attractive,” emphasizing that their relationship was not rooted in physical attraction. Their partnership initially revolved around their professional pursuits, with the pair serving as backup singers for the esteemed record producer Phil Spector and showcasing their talents in bars.

Bono, possessing more experience, naturally assumed the role of decision-maker, a dynamic that Cher initially accepted. However, as their relationship evolved into a romantic one, culminating in marriage in 1964 and the birth of their daughter, Chastity, in 1969, the dynamics began to shift. Cher grew increasingly resentful of Bono’s controlling nature, feeling stifled and overworked.

Their accomplishments, highlighted by chart-topping songs such as “I Got You Babe” and “The Beat Goes On,” and a well-received variety show on CBS, were achieved at the expense of Cher’s freedom. The tension from their intertwined personal and professional lives ultimately led to their separation in 1974.

Following the separation, while Bono’s musical career dwindled, Cher’s star rose. Cher carved out a successful career as a solo artist and an award-winning actress, while Bono transitioned into the restaurant business and politics and remarried. Their paths diverged significantly, yet they maintained mutual respect.

After their split, they managed to mend their relationship, a process facilitated by Bono’s heartfelt apology to Cher. He recognized the hurt he had inflicted upon her, an admission that, while not erasing the past, allowed for healing and closure. Cher expressed, “The fact that he came and said it meant something to me, that at least he acknowledged that he had been hurtful.”

After the dissolution of their marriage, they continued their collaborative work. Cher fondly remembers the joy they shared, mainly when working together on set. She recalled, “We really made each other laugh. You can’t fake that kind of stuff.” In January 1998, a skiing accident tragically claimed Bono’s life.

He was a skilled skier but met his end on a solo run down an intermediate slope. Hours later, ski patrols found his body, partly concealed by trees off the Upper Orion trail of the Heavenly Ski Resort on the border of Nevada and California. He had been skiing with his wife, Mary Whitaker, and their two children, Chesare and Chianna.

Cher paid tribute to Bono at his funeral, acknowledging the significant role he had played in her life. She credited him with transforming an introverted 16-year-old girl and a man with a less-than-perfect voice into one of their generation’s most successful and beloved duos. She tearfully expressed, “He allowed himself to be the butt of our jokes, but people don’t realize he created Sonny and Cher.”

Over two decades following Bono’s passing, the rapport between his widow and his former wife, Cher, deteriorated significantly. In 2021, Cher initiated a lawsuit against Mary, who had previously served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. The lawsuit pertained to the royalties from the hit songs Cher had produced with Bono.

Court documents reveal that Cher alleges that a clause in the Copyright Act of 1976 has been invoked to challenge her ownership of her royalties and other rights established under their 1978 divorce agreement. She alleges that Mary attempted to undo the divorce agreement that granted Cher 50% ownership of royalties and other assets accumulated during her marriage to Bono.

During the divorce proceedings, Bono and Cher agreed to divide all assets acquired prior to their separation equally. Additionally, Bono granted Cher the right to approve all third-party agreements concerning musical compositions and composition royalties. However, Mary halted the payments after invoking the termination right under copyright law, which resulted in a legal dispute.

In March 2023, U.S. District Judge John A. Kronstadt issued a preliminary ruling in which he declined to dismiss the case. He determined that any royalties from recording rights Mary had reclaimed should cease going to Cher. However, he did not definitively rule on the underlying musical compositions, implying that the divorce agreement might still entitle Cher to continue receiving those payments.

A part of the judge’s ruling stated, “On this record, it has not presently been established that her rights to the composition royalties have been terminated.” Following Bono’s passing in 1998, Mary, who assumed the role of administrator of Bono’s estate, recognized Cher’s ownership of royalties and other assets.

But in 2016, Mary and Wixen Publications issued a termination notice to various music publishers and other companies to whom Bono had granted a transfer or license of the renewal copyrights in the musical compositions without Cher’s knowledge or involvement.

In September 2021, Cher was informed that her right to the royalties had been terminated, and she no longer possessed approval rights. Despite this, Cher disputes each of The Bono Collection Trust’s claims and alleges that Mary and others have violated their contract.

Due to these alleged violations, Cher claims to have incurred damages exceeding $1,000,000. She is seeking to establish a constructive trust on the undivided fifty percent of royalties that she owns but have been received by Mary and others and not paid over to her.