Salvatore Phillip "Sonny" Bono (; February 16, 1935 – January 5, 1998) was an American singer, actor, and politician who came to fame in partnership with his second wife
Cher
Cher (; born Cherilyn Sarkisian; May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Often referred to by the media as the Honorific nicknames in popular music, "Goddess of Pop", she has been described as embodying female ...
as the popular singing duo
Sonny & Cher
Sonny & Cher were an American pop and entertainment duo in the 1960s and 1970s, made up of husband and wife Sonny Bono and Cher. The couple started their career in the mid-1960s as R&B backing singers for record producer Phil Spector.
The pair f ...
. A member of the
Republican Party, Bono served as the 16th
mayor of Palm Springs, California
The Mayor of Palm Springs, California is a largely ceremonial title, elected at-large, with no executive functions. The Mayor is the chairman of the city council meetings. The legislative body is the five-member city council, which is voted into ...
, from 1988 to 1992, and served as the
U.S. representative
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...
for
California's 44th district from 1995 until his death in 1998.
The United States
Copyright Term Extension Act
The Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act – also known as the Copyright Term Extension Act, Sonny Bono Act, or (derisively) the Mickey Mouse Protection Act – extended copyright terms in the United States in 1998. It is one of several a ...
of 1998, which extended the term of copyright by 20 years, was named in honor of Bono when it was passed by Congress nine months after his death.
Mary Bono
Mary Bono (née Whitaker and formerly Mary Bono Mack, born October 24, 1961) is an American politician, businesswoman, and lobbyist who served Palm Springs and most of central and eastern Riverside County, California, in the U.S. House of Repres ...
(one of Sonny's widows) had been one of the original sponsors of the legislation, commonly known as the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act.
Early life
![SonnyCher1966 (cropped)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f5/SonnyCher1966_%28cropped%29.jpg)
Bono was born in
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...
, the son of Zena "Jean" (née DiMercurio) and Santo Bono.
His father was born in
Montelepre
Montelepre (; scn, Muncilebbri) is a town and ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Palermo, Sicily, Italy. It is known for having been the native city of Sicilian bandit Salvatore Giuliano, of architect Rosario Candela, as well as the ances ...
,
Palermo
Palermo ( , ; scn, Palermu , locally also or ) is a city in southern Italy, the capital (political), capital of both the autonomous area, autonomous region of Sicily and the Metropolitan City of Palermo, the city's surrounding metropolitan ...
, Italy, and his mother was also of Italian descent. His mother called him "Sono" as a term of endearment, which evolved over time into "Sonny". Sonny was the youngest of three siblings; he had two sisters, Fran and Betty.
The family moved to
Inglewood, California
Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 107,762. It was incorporated on February 14, 1908. The city is in the South Bay ...
, when he was seven, and his parents divorced soon afterwards.
Bono decided early in life to become part of the music business, and began writing songs as a teenager. "Koko Joe", a song he wrote at age 16, was recorded by
Don and Dewey
Don and Dewey were an American rock, blues and R&B duo, comprising Don "Sugarcane" Harris (Don Francis Bowman Harris; June 18, 1938 – December 1, 1999) and Dewey Terry (Dewey Steven Terry; July 17, 1937 – May 11, 2003).
History
Both Harr ...
in 1958, and later covered by several other artists including
The Righteous Brothers
The Righteous Brothers are an American musical duo originally formed by Bill Medley and Bobby Hatfield but now comprising Medley and Bucky Heard. Medley formed the group with Hatfield in 1963. They had first performed together in 1962 in the Lo ...
. Bono attended
Inglewood High School, but did not graduate, opting to drop out so he could begin to pursue a career as a songwriter and performer.
He worked at a variety of jobs while trying to break into the music business, including waiter, truck driver, construction laborer, and butcher's helper.
Career
Entertainment career
![Sonny and Cher Show - 1976](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3e/Sonny_and_Cher_Show_-_1976.jpg)
Bono began his music career as a songwriter at
Specialty Records
Specialty Records was an American record label founded in Los Angeles in 1945 by Art Rupe. It was known for rhythm and blues, gospel, and early rock and roll, and recorded artists such as Little Richard, Guitar Slim, Percy Mayfield, and Lloyd Pr ...
, where his song "Things You Do to Me" was recorded by
Sam Cooke, and went on to work for record producer
Phil Spector
Harvey Phillip Spector (born Harvey Philip Spector; December 26, 1939January 16, 2021) was an American record producer and songwriter, best known for his innovative recording practices and entrepreneurship in the 1960s, followed decades later by ...
in the early 1960s as a promotion man, percussionist and "
gofer
A gofer, go-fer or gopher is an employee who specializes in the delivery of special items to their superior(s). Examples of these special items include a cup of coffee, a tool, a tailored suit, or a car. Outside of the business world, the term ...
". One of his earliest songwriting efforts, "
Needles and Pins" was co-written with
Jack Nitzsche
Bernard Alfred "Jack" Nitzsche ( '; April 22, 1937 – August 25, 2000) was an American musician, arranger, songwriter, composer, and record producer. He first came to prominence in the early 1960s as the right-hand-man of producer Phil Spec ...
, another member of Spector's production team. In 1965, he achieved commercial success with his wife
Cher
Cher (; born Cherilyn Sarkisian; May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Often referred to by the media as the Honorific nicknames in popular music, "Goddess of Pop", she has been described as embodying female ...
in the singing duo
Sonny & Cher
Sonny & Cher were an American pop and entertainment duo in the 1960s and 1970s, made up of husband and wife Sonny Bono and Cher. The couple started their career in the mid-1960s as R&B backing singers for record producer Phil Spector.
The pair f ...
. Bono wrote, arranged and produced a number of hit records including the singles "
I Got You Babe
"I Got You Babe" is a song performed by Sonny & Cher and written by Sonny Bono. It was the first single taken from their debut studio album '' Look at Us''. In August 1965, their single spent three weeks at number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 1 ...
" and "
The Beat Goes On", although Cher received more attention as a performer.
He played a major part in Cher's early solo recording career, writing and producing singles including "
Bang Bang" and "
You Better Sit Down Kids
"You Better Sit Down Kids" is a major hit single by American singer/actress Cher in 1967 from her fourth studio album '' With Love, Chér'', released in November 1967 by Imperial Records. The song was written by her then-husband Sonny Bono. Sung ...
".
Under a pseudonym, Bono co-wrote "
She Said Yeah
She most commonly refers to:
*She (pronoun), the third person singular, feminine, nominative case pronoun in modern English.
She or S.H.E. may also refer to:
Literature and films
*'' She: A History of Adventure'', an 1887 novel by H. Rider Hagga ...
", covered by
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...
on their 1965 LP ''
December's Children''. His lone hit single as a solo artist, "
Laugh at Me", was released in 1965 and peaked at No. 10 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. In live concerts, Bono introduced the song by saying "I'd like to sing a medley of my hit". His only other single as a solo artist, "The Revolution Kind", reached No. 70 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 later that year. His solo album, ''
Inner Views'', was released in 1967.
![Sonny-Bono](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/da/Sonny-Bono.jpg)
Sonny continued to work with Cher through the early and mid-1970s, starring in a popular television variety show, ''
The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour
''The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour'' was an American variety show that starred American pop singers Sonny Bono and Cher, who were married to each other at the time. The show ran on CBS in the United States, and premiered in August 1971. The show was ...
'', which ran on
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
from 1971 to 1974. In 1974 his solo variety show, The Sonny Comedy Revue, which ran on
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
for one season. From 1976 to 1977, the duo, since divorced, returned to perform together on ''The Sonny and Cher Show''. Their last appearance together was on ''
Late Night with David Letterman'' on November 13, 1987, on which they sang "
I Got You Babe
"I Got You Babe" is a song performed by Sonny & Cher and written by Sonny Bono. It was the first single taken from their debut studio album '' Look at Us''. In August 1965, their single spent three weeks at number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 1 ...
".
In 2011, Sonny Bono was inducted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame.
Film and television
Bono's acting career included bit parts as a guest performer in such television series as ''
Fantasy Island
''Fantasy Island'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by Gene Levitt. It aired on ABC from 1977 to 1984. The series starred Ricardo Montalbán as the mysterious Mr. Roarke and Hervé Villechaize as his assistant, Tattoo. Gu ...
'', ''
Charlie's Angels'', ''
The Love Boat
''The Love Boat'' is an American romantic comedy/drama television series that aired on ABC from 1977 to 1986; in addition, four three-hour specials aired in 1986, 1987, and 1990. The series was set on the luxury passenger cruise ship MS ''Pa ...
'', ''
The Six Million Dollar Man
''The Six Million Dollar Man'' is an American science fiction and action television series, running from 1973 to 1978, about a former astronaut, USAF Colonel Steve Austin, portrayed by Lee Majors. After a NASA test flight accident, Austin is re ...
'' and ''
CHiPs
''CHiPs'' is an American crime drama television series created by Rick Rosner and originally aired on NBC from September 15, 1977, to May 1, 1983. It follows the lives of two motorcycle officers of the California Highway Patrol (CHP). The seri ...
''. In the 1975 TV movie ''
Murder on Flight 502
''Murder on Flight 502'' is a 1975 American made-for-television drama mystery thriller film directed by George McCowan. The film stars Robert Stack, Sonny Bono and Farrah Fawcett-Majors, along with an all-star ensemble television cast in suppor ...
'', he played the role of rock star Jack Marshall. He appeared in the 1980 miniseries ''Top of the Hill''. He played the role of mad bomber Joe Selucci in ''
Airplane II: The Sequel'' (1982) and appeared in the horror film ''
Troll
A troll is a being in Nordic folklore, including Norse mythology. In Old Norse sources, beings described as trolls dwell in isolated areas of rocks, mountains, or caves, live together in small family units, and are rarely helpful to human be ...
'' (1986). He also portrayed racist entrepreneur Franklin von Tussle in the
John Waters
John Samuel Waters Jr. (born April 22, 1946) is an American filmmaker, writer, actor, and artist. He rose to fame in the early 1970s for his transgressive cult films, including '' Multiple Maniacs'' (1970), '' Pink Flamingos'' (1972) and '' Fe ...
film ''
Hairspray
Hairspray may refer to:
* Hair spray, a personal grooming product that keeps hair protected from humidity and wind
* ''Hairspray'' (1988 film), a film by John Waters
** ''Hairspray'' (1988 soundtrack), the film's soundtrack album
** ''Hairspray ...
'' (1988). In ''
Men in Black
In popular culture and UFO conspiracy theories, men in black (MIB) are purported men dressed in black suits who claim to be quasi- government agents, who harass, threaten, or sometimes even assassinate unidentified flying object (UFO) witnesse ...
'' (1997), Bono is one of several oddball celebrities seen on a wall of video screens that monitor extraterrestrials living among us. He also appeared as the Mayor of Palm Springs (which he actually was at the time) in several episodes of ''
P.S. I Luv U'' during the 1991–92 TV season, and on ''
Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman'' (in season 1, episode 9 "The Man of Steel Bars", which aired November 21, 1993), in which he played Mayor Frank Berkowitz. He also made a minor appearance as himself in the comedy film ''
First Kid
''First Kid'' is a 1996 American slapstick comedy film directed by David Mickey Evans and starring Sinbad and Brock Pierce. It was mostly filmed in Richmond, Virginia.
Plot
Sam Simms is a Secret Service agent assigned by his superior Wilkes ...
'' (1996).
Bono guest-starred as himself on ''
The Golden Girls
''The Golden Girls'' is an American sitcom created by Susan Harris that aired on NBC from September 14, 1985, to May 9, 1992, with a total of 180 half-hour episodes, spanning seven seasons. With an ensemble cast starring Bea Arthur, Betty White ...
'' episode "Mrs. George Devereaux" (originally broadcast November 17, 1990), in which he vied with
Lyle Waggoner
Lyle Wesley Waggoner (; April 13, 1935 – March 17, 2020) was an American actor, sculptor, presenter, travel trailer salesman and model, known for his work on ''The Carol Burnett Show'' from 1967 to 1974 and for playing the role of Steve Trevor ...
for Dorothy's (
Bea Arthur
Beatrice Arthur (born Bernice Frankel; May 13, 1922 – April 25, 2009) was an American actress and comedian. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York City, Arthur began her career on stage in 1947, attracting critical acclaim before achieving ...
) affection in a dream sequence. In Blanche's (
Rue McClanahan
Eddi-Rue McClanahan (February 21, 1934 – June 3, 2010) was an American actress and comedian best known for her roles on television as Vivian Harmon on '' Maude'' (1972–78), Aunt Fran Crowley on '' Mama's Family'' (1983–84), and Blanche ...
) dream, her husband is still alive, and Bono uses his power as Mayor of Palm Springs to have Waggoner falsely arrested so he can have Dorothy to himself. Sophia (
Estelle Getty
Estelle Gettleman (née Scher; July 25, 1923 – July 22, 2008), known professionally as Estelle Getty, was an American
actress and comedian best known for her portrayal of Sophia Petrillo on ''The Golden Girls'' (1985–92), for which she won ...
) had been hoping for Sonny and Dorothy to get together and actively supported Sonny.
Political career
![President Ronald Reagan and Nancy Reagan shaking hands with Sonny Bono and Mary Bono](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8c/President_Ronald_Reagan_and_Nancy_Reagan_shaking_hands_with_Sonny_Bono_and_Mary_Bono.jpg)
Bono entered politics after experiencing great frustration with local government bureaucracy in trying to open a restaurant in
Palm Springs, California. Bono made a successful bid to become the new mayor of Palm Springs. He served four years, from 1988 to 1992. He was instrumental in spearheading the creation of the
Palm Springs International Film Festival
Palm Springs International Film Festival (sometimes stylized shortly as PSIFF) is a film festival held in Palm Springs, California. Originally promoted by Mayor Sonny Bono and then sponsored by Nortel,here for Table of Contents it started in 1989 ...
, which is held each year in Bono's memory.
Bono ran for the
Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
nomination for
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and pow ...
in 1992, but the nomination went to the more conservative
Bruce Herschensohn, and the election to the Democrat
Barbara Boxer
Barbara Sue Boxer (née Levy; born November 11, 1940) is an American politician and lobbyist who served in the United States Senate, representing California from 1993 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, she previously served as the U.S. ...
. Bono and Herschensohn became close friends after the campaign. Bono was elected to the
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...
in 1994 to represent
California's 44th congressional district
California's 44th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of California. The district is centered in South Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Harbor Region. It is currently represented by Democrat Nanette Barragán. T ...
. He was one of twelve co-sponsors of a House bill extending
copyright
A copyright is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the exclusive right to copy, distribute, adapt, display, and perform a creative work, usually for a limited time. The creative work may be in a literary, artistic, education ...
. Although that bill was never voted on in the Senate, a similar Senate bill was passed after his death and named the
Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act
Sonny is a common nickname and occasional given name. Often it can be a derivative of the English word "Son", a name derived from the Ancient Germanic element *sunn meaning "sun", a nickname derived from the Italian name Salvatore (especially in N ...
in his memory. It is also known (derisively) as the
Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse is an animated cartoon Character (arts), character co-created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks. The longtime mascot of The Walt Disney Company, Mickey is an Anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic mouse who typically wears red sho ...
Protection Act.
![Sonny Bono 1995](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/Sonny_Bono_1995.jpg)
He championed the restoration of the
Salton Sea
The Salton Sea is a shallow, landlocked, highly saline body of water in Riverside and Imperial counties at the southern end of the U.S. state of California. It lies on the San Andreas Fault within the Salton Trough that stretches to the Gulf o ...
, bringing the giant lake's plight to national attention. In 1998, then
Speaker of the House
The speaker of a deliberative assembly, especially a legislative body, is its presiding officer, or the chair. The title was first used in 1377 in England.
Usage
The title was first recorded in 1377 to describe the role of Thomas de Hungerf ...
Newt Gingrich
Newton Leroy Gingrich (; né McPherson; born June 17, 1943) is an American politician and author who served as the 50th speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1995 to 1999. A member of the Republican Party, he was the U ...
made a public appearance and speech at the shore of the lake on Bono's behalf.
In their book ''Tell Newt to Shut Up'',
David Maraniss
David Maraniss ( ; born 1949) is an American journalist and author, currently serving as an associate editor for ''The Washington Post''.
Career
''The Washington Post'' assigned Maraniss the job of biographer for their coverage of 2008 president ...
and
Michael Weisskopf
Michael Weisskopf (born 1946) is a Polk Award-winning journalist, currently working as a senior correspondent for ''Time'' magazine. A Pulitzer Prize finalist in 1996 for the accounts he and David Maraniss gave of the activities in 1995 followi ...
credit Bono with being the first person to recognize Gingrich's public relations problems in 1995. Drawing on his long experience as a celebrity and entertainment producer, Bono (according to Maraniss and Weisskopf) recognized that Gingrich's status had changed from politician to celebrity and that he was not making allowances for that change:
Bono remains the only member of Congress to have scored a number-one pop single on the US
''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart.
Personal life
Marriages
Bono was married four times. He married his first wife, Donna Rankin, on November 3, 1954. Their daughter Christine ("Christy") was born on June 24, 1958. They divorced in 1962.
In 1964, Bono married Cherilyn Sarkisian, later known as singer and actress
Cher
Cher (; born Cherilyn Sarkisian; May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Often referred to by the media as the Honorific nicknames in popular music, "Goddess of Pop", she has been described as embodying female ...
. The couple had one child, Chastity (
Chaz Bono), born March 4, 1969. The couple divorced in 1975.
Bono married actress-model
Susie Coelho on New Year's Eve 1981; they divorced in 1984.
He wed
Mary Whitaker in 1986 and they had two children, son Chesare Elan in 1988 and daughter Chianna Maria in 1991.
Godparent
Bono was named a godparent of
Anthony Kiedis, who became a musical artist with his band,
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983, comprising vocalist Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea (musician), Flea, drummer Chad Smith, and guitarist John Frusciante. Their music incorporates element ...
. Sonny was a close friend of Kiedis's father, Blackie Dammett, and often took young Kiedis on weekend trips.
Salton Sea
Bono was a champion of the
Salton Sea
The Salton Sea is a shallow, landlocked, highly saline body of water in Riverside and Imperial counties at the southern end of the U.S. state of California. It lies on the San Andreas Fault within the Salton Trough that stretches to the Gulf o ...
in southeastern California, where a
park
A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are urban green space, green spaces set aside for recreation inside t ...
was named in his honor. The 2005 documentary film ''
Plagues & Pleasures on the Salton Sea'' (narrated by
John Waters
John Samuel Waters Jr. (born April 22, 1946) is an American filmmaker, writer, actor, and artist. He rose to fame in the early 1970s for his transgressive cult films, including '' Multiple Maniacs'' (1970), '' Pink Flamingos'' (1972) and '' Fe ...
) features Bono and documented the lives of the inhabitants of
Bombay Beach,
Niland and
Salton City, as well as the ecological issues associated with the Sea.
Religion
He became interested in
Scientology
Scientology is a set of beliefs and practices invented by American author L. Ron Hubbard, and an associated movement. It has been variously defined as a cult, a business, or a new religious movement. The most recent published census data indi ...
and took Scientology courses partly because of the influence of
Mimi Rogers
Miriam Rogers (née Spickler; born January 27, 1956) is an American actress. Her notable film roles are '' Gung Ho'' (1986), '' Someone to Watch Over Me'' (1987), ''Desperate Hours'' (1990), and '' Full Body Massage'' (1995). She garnered the gre ...
, but stated that he was a
Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
on all official documents, campaign materials and websites. His wife
Mary
Mary may refer to:
People
* Mary (name), a feminine given name (includes a list of people with the name)
Religious contexts
* New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below
* Mary, mother of Jesus, also calle ...
also took Scientology courses. However, after his death, Mary Bono stated that "Sonny did try to break away
rom the Church of Scientologyat one point, and they made it very difficult for him." The Church of Scientology said there was no estrangement from Bono.
Death
![Bono, Sunny (grave)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a3/Bono%2C_Sunny_%28grave%29.jpg)
Bono died on January 5, 1998, of injuries incurred when he hit a tree while skiing at
Heavenly Mountain Resort
Heavenly Mountain Resort is a ski resort located on the California–Nevada border in South Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. It opened for business on December 15, 1955 and has 97 runs and 30 lifts that are spread between Califor ...
in
South Lake Tahoe, California.
At Mary's request,
Cher
Cher (; born Cherilyn Sarkisian; May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Often referred to by the media as the Honorific nicknames in popular music, "Goddess of Pop", she has been described as embodying female ...
gave a eulogy at Sonny's funeral. He was buried at
Desert Memorial Park
Desert Memorial Park is a cemetery in Cathedral City, California, United States, near Palm Springs. Opening in 1956 and receiving its first interment in 1957,The Palm Springs Cemetery District itself was covers 504 square miles, including Palm Spr ...
in
Cathedral City, California
Cathedral City, colloquially known as "Cat City", is a desert resort city in Riverside County, California, United States, within the Colorado Desert's Coachella Valley. Situated between Palm Springs and Rancho Mirage, the city has the second larg ...
. The epitaph on Bono's headstone reads "AND THE BEAT GOES ON".
Mary Bono was elected to fill the remainder of her husband's congressional term. She was elected in her own right seven subsequent times before being defeated in the election of 2012.
Honors and tributes
![Sonny Bono Statue in Palm Springs, California](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6d/Sonny_Bono_Statue_in_Palm_Springs%2C_California.jpg)
Sonny Bono has been honored and memorialized with:
* A Golden Palm Star on the
Palm Springs Walk of Stars
The Palm Springs Walk of Stars is a walk of fame in downtown Palm Springs, California, where "Golden Palm Stars", honoring various people who have lived in the greater Palm Springs area, are embedded in the sidewalk pavement. The walk includes po ...
: dedicated to him in 1996.
*
Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act
Sonny is a common nickname and occasional given name. Often it can be a derivative of the English word "Son", a name derived from the Ancient Germanic element *sunn meaning "sun", a nickname derived from the Italian name Salvatore (especially in N ...
: Extended copyright protections effective October 27, 1998.
*
Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge: a
nature reserve
A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or ...
on the
Salton Sea
The Salton Sea is a shallow, landlocked, highly saline body of water in Riverside and Imperial counties at the southern end of the U.S. state of California. It lies on the San Andreas Fault within the Salton Trough that stretches to the Gulf o ...
was renamed in Bono's honor in 1998.
*
Sonny Bono Memorial Park, a small park in
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
, was named in his honor in 1998.
* Sonny Bono Memorial Interchange: an interchange on
California State Route 60 at Nason Street in
Moreno Valley, California
Moreno Valley is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, and is part of the Riverside–San Bernardino–Ontario metropolitan area. It is the second-largest city in Riverside County by population and one of the Inland Empire's p ...
, was named for Bono in September 2000.
* Sony Bono Memorial Freeway: a 40-mile stretch of
Interstate 10
Interstate 10 (I-10) is the southernmost cross-country highway in the American Interstate Highway System. I-10 is the fourth-longest Interstate in the United States at , following I-90, I-80, and I-40. This freeway is part of the originally pl ...
near Palm Springs was dedicated January 10, 2002.
* Sonny Bono Concourse: a concourse at
Palm Springs International Airport
Palm Springs International Airport , formerly Palm Springs Municipal Airport, is an airport two miles (3 km) east of downtown Palm Springs, California, United States. The airport covers and has two runways. The facility operates year-roun ...
dedicated October 22, 2002.
* Sonny Bono Memorial Fountain and Statue: Located in downtown
Palm Springs, California, the statue was dedicated in November 2002.
See also
*
List of actor–politicians
*
List of famous skiing deaths
*
List of United States Congress members who died in office (1950–99)
References
Further reading
* ''Sonny Bono: And the Beat Goes On''. New York: Pocket Books 1991.
* ''Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles'', 12th edition. Menomonee Falls, WI: Record Research, 2009. .
* ''Bono vs. Bono: A Battle Royal '', Bobby Soxers, 2013. .
External links
*
*
*
*
FBI Records: The Vault – Salvatore Phillip "Sonny" Bonoat vault.fbi.gov
S.505: Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bono, Sonny
1935 births
1998 deaths
American actor-politicians
American male film actors
American male singer-songwriters
American politicians of Italian descent
Record producers from California
American Scientologists
American male television actors
Burials at Desert Memorial Park
Mayors of Palm Springs, California
Male actors from Detroit
Skiing deaths
Specialty Records artists
Sports deaths in California
Sonny & Cher
20th-century American male actors
Musicians from Inglewood, California
Male actors from Palm Springs, California
Atco Records artists
Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from California
20th-century American singers
20th-century American politicians
The Wrecking Crew (music) members
Catholics from California
20th-century American male singers
Singer-songwriters from California