Cher Fast Facts Personal Birth place: El Centro, California Birth name: Cherilyn Sarkisian Mother: Georgia Holt, model Children: with Gregg Allman: Elijah Blue; with Sonny Bono: Chaz Other Facts Dropped out of school and moved to Los Angeles at age 16. Soon afterward, she met Sonny Bono, 11 years her senior. Bono worked for record producer Phil Spector and got Cher work as a backup singer. After Cher’s first single, “Ringo, I Love You” flopped, Bono and Cher formed a duo called Caesar and Cleo. Has dated celebrities including Gene Simmons, Val Kilmer, Tom Cruise and Richie Sambora. During the mid-1970s, Cher dated entertainment mogul David Geffen, who helped her end her business relationship with Bono.