Salvatore Phillip “Sony” Bono was a recording artist, producer and politician, born on 16th February 1935, in Detroit, Michigan USA, probably best known for his partnership with Cher, his second wife, as the singing duo Sonny & Cher, but also as the mayor of Palm Springs, California from 1988 to 1992. He was also the congressman for California’s 44th district from 1995 until his death in 1998.
Have you ever wondered how rich Sonny Bono was? According to sources it has been estimated that Sonny Bono’s overall net worth was $15 million, accumulated by building a lucrative entertainment career. His later political engagements also significantly added to his net worth.
Sonny Bono Net Worth $15 Million
Born the son of Sicilian immigrants, Bono spent his childhood in Los Angeles from his seventh year. He went to Inglewood High School but dropped out, and did various jobs to make a living before pursuing a career as a songwriter, and singer for Johny Otis’s label during the early ‘60s, and when his career finally took off, working with numerous famous names such as Sam Cooke and Phil Spector. It was in the early 1960s when Bono met his future wife, Cher, and the two formed a partnership that became widely popular as the “Sonny & Cher” singing duo. They released the hit song “I Got You Babe” in 1965, which reached the top of the pop charts. After their first success, they rose to fame over the next years with songs like “Baby Don’t Go” and “The Beat Goes On”. The duo also became a popular nightclub act which combined comedy and singing, and that led to them appearing in “The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour” in the summer of 1971, sometimes even with their young daughter; the program became extremely popular and aired until 1974. This set a firm base to his net worth.
After separating from Cher in 1975, his music and acting career faced a downward trend, but Sonny soon found himself a new vocation. He became a conservative Republican, running for mayor of Palm Springs shortly after entering the world of politics in the late ‘80s. Eventually, he won the post and served as the town’s mayor until 1992. That same year, he made an unsuccessful run for the Senate, but two years later he was elected to Congress as a Representative from California’s 44th Congressional District, where he became popular for his sharp if deeply conservative views.
In January 1998, while on a holiday with his family, Bono suffered a terrible skiing accident that resulted in his tragic death. Shortly after, his wife Mary ran for his congressional seat and won election to Congress, serving their district until 2003.
When it comes to his private life, Sonny married four times. His first marriage was to Donna Rankin(1954-62) with whom he had a daughter. In 1964, he married Cher with whom he had another daughter. After their divorce in 1975, Bono remarried, this time to Susie Coelho(1981-84), and his last marriage was to Mary Whitaker from 1986 until his death, and with whom he had two more children. Sonny was named a godparent to Anthony Kiedis, today’s famous vocalist of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, as he was his father’s close friend.
