Editing Cher (section)

=== 1974–1979: Divorce, marriage to Gregg Allman and media scrutiny ===
Cher and Sonny ended their relationship in late 1972 but stayed legally married for two more years to protect their careers.<ref name=SonnyDiary>{{cite magazine |url=http://people.com/archive/on-the-record-vol-49-no-18/ |title=On the Record |magazine=[[People (magazine)|People]] |date=May 11, 1998 |access-date=January 17, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161226221615/http://people.com/archive/on-the-record-vol-49-no-18/ |archive-date=December 26, 2016}}</ref> Their relationship had been troubled for years due to Sonny's infidelity and controlling behavior.<ref>{{cite magazine |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |date=November 20, 2024 |last=Spanos |first=Brittany |title=Cher Says Lucille Ball Told Her to Leave Sonny – and More Things We Learned From Her Memoir |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/cher-memoir-sonny-relationship-1235173707/ |access-date=March 3, 2025 |archive-date=November 20, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241120205513/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/cher-memoir-sonny-relationship-1235173707/ |url-status=live}}</ref> By 1973, they lived in the same house while dating other people. "The public still thinks we are married," Sonny wrote in his diary, "[and] that's the way it has to be."<ref name=SonnyDiary/>

In January 1974, Cher won the [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy|Golden Globe Award for Best TV Actress]] for ''The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour''.<ref name=GoldenGlobes>{{cite web |url=http://www.goldenglobes.com/person/cher |title=Cher – Golden Globes |publisher=[[Hollywood Foreign Press Association]] |access-date=January 17, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151226131525/http://www.goldenglobes.com/person/cher |archive-date=December 26, 2015}}</ref> Sonny filed for separation the next month, citing "[[irreconcilable differences]]".{{sfn|Berman|2001|p=35}} A week later, Cher countered with a divorce suit, accusing him of "[[involuntary servitude]]" and withholding her rightful share of their earnings.{{sfn|Berman|2001|p=35}} Their show was cancelled in April 1974.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sonny and Cher Show Cancelled |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-vancouver-sun-sonny-and-cher-show-ca/167555252/ |newspaper=[[Vancouver Sun]] |publisher=[[United Press International]] |date=April 6, 1974 |access-date=March 9, 2025 |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> Later that year, Sonny launched ''[[The Sonny Comedy Revue]]'' with the same creative team, but it was canceled after 13 weeks.{{sfn|Hyatt|2003|p=231}}

[[File:David Bowie and Cher 1975.JPG|thumb|alt=Cher, holding a microphone, wears a dark floral-patterned outfit and a short bob hairstyle. Beside her, David Bowie wears a dark suit with a buttoned-up shirt.|right|Cher performing with [[David Bowie]] (in his American TV debut) on the variety show ''[[Cher (TV series)|Cher]]'', 1975]]

During divorce proceedings, Cher learned she was legally an employee of Cher Enterprises, a company 95% owned by Sonny and 5% by his lawyer. She was also required to work exclusively for Sonny's company, leaving her with no career or financial control.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Miller |first=Laura |author-link=Laura Miller (writer) |date=November 22, 2024 |title=Cher's memoir is totally fabulous |url=https://slate.com/culture/2024/11/cher-book-memoir-review-hell-yeah.html |magazine=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]] |access-date=November 22, 2024}}</ref> Record executive [[David Geffen]], with whom Cher had begun a relationship in 1973, helped her break free from the contract.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/grammys-cher-david-geffen-289539 |magazine=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |date=November 2, 2012 |last=Higgins |first=Bill |access-date=January 17, 2016 |title=How David Geffen Romanced Cher and Built a Music Empire |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160121132802/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/grammys-cher-david-geffen-289539 |archive-date=January 21, 2016}}</ref> Cher won custody of Chaz after a highly publicized legal battle,{{sfn|Berman|2001|p=35}} and their divorce was finalized on June 26, 1975.{{sfn|Bono|1992|p=4}} Geffen hoped to marry Cher, but she ended the relationship due to his possessiveness and struggles with his sexuality.{{efn|According to biographer [[Tom King (writer)|Tom King]], Cher's relationship with [[David Geffen]] began when he confided in her about his struggles with his sexual identity and his hope that a relationship with a woman might lead to true love. Moved by his honesty, she entered the relationship while in the final stages of her marriage to [[Sonny Bono]]. They planned to marry within a year, but Cher reconsidered due to Geffen's controlling behavior—similar to Sonny's—and his persistent attraction to men. Geffen later came out as gay.<ref name=Geffen>{{cite news |title=Cher Tore Geffen's Heart Out, Dumped Bi-Guy Mogul for Allman |url=https://nypost.com/2000/02/25/cher-tore-geffens-heart-out-dumped-bi-guy-mogul-for-allman-bio/ |date=February 25, 2000 |last=Hoffmann |first=Bill |newspaper=[[New York Post]] |access-date=March 2, 2025 |archive-date=August 23, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170823004006/https://nypost.com/2000/02/25/cher-tore-geffens-heart-out-dumped-bi-guy-mogul-for-allman-bio/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/books/first/k/king-operator.html |title=The Operator: David Geffen Builds, Buys, and Sells the New Hollywood |isbn=0679457542 |last=King |first=Tom |author-link=Tom King (writer) |year=2000 |publisher=[[Random House]] |access-date=March 2, 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180512111208/https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/books/first/k/king-operator.html |archive-date=May 12, 2018}}</ref>}}

Cher signed a $2.5&nbsp;million deal with [[Warner Bros. Records]] in 1975.{{sfn|Crampton|Rees|1999|p=194}} According to Bego, she intended for her first album under the label to establish her as a serious rock artist rather than "just a pop singer".{{sfn|Bego|2001|pp=97–98}} Attempting a more introspective style inspired by singer-songwriters such as [[Joni Mitchell]], [[Carly Simon]] and [[James Taylor]], she released ''[[Stars (Cher album)|Stars]]'' (1975), which was a commercial and critical failure.{{sfn|Bego|2001|pp=97–98}} [[Janet Maslin]] of ''[[The Village Voice]]'' wrote, "Cher is just no rock and roller&nbsp;... Image, not music, is Cher Bono's main ingredient for both records and TV."{{sfn|Berman|2001|p=41}} Despite its initial reception, the album later gained [[Cult following|cult status]] and is considered among her best work.<ref name=Danza>{{cite web |url=http://dancemusic.about.com/cs/features/a/CherBackDean.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050918071057/http://dancemusic.about.com/cs/features/a/CherBackDean.htm |archive-date=September 18, 2005 |title=Cher: Back To The Dance Floor! |last1=Danza |first1=Johnny |last2=Ferguson |first2=Dean |website=[[About.com]]}}</ref>

Cher debuted her solo CBS show, ''[[Cher (TV series)|Cher]]'', on February 12, 1975.{{sfn|Bego|2001|p=101}} The show showcased Cher's music, comedy, monologues and an extensive wardrobe—the largest for a weekly TV series.{{sfn|Berman|2001|p=36}}{{sfn|Bego|2001|p=102}} Critics praised it, with the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' stating, "Sonny without Cher was a disaster. Cher without Sonny&nbsp;... could be the best thing that's happened to weekly television this season."{{sfn|Bego|2001|p=102}} Musical guests included [[David Bowie]] (in his American TV debut), [[Ray Charles]], [[Elton John]], [[Bette Midler]], [[Tina Turner]] and [[the Jackson 5]], with ''Billboard'' crediting Cher for bringing "a rock sensibility to [[Prime time|prime-time TV]]".<ref>{{cite magazine |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |url=https://www.billboard.com/lists/cher-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-reasons-why/ |access-date=March 4, 2025 |date=December 19, 2023 |last=Grein |first=Paul |url-status=live |title=12 Reasons Cher Belongs in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231219164951/https://www.billboard.com/lists/cher-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-reasons-why/ |archive-date=December 19, 2023}}</ref> Despite high ratings, the show ended after two seasons, replaced by a reunion show with ex-husband Sonny.{{sfn|Lonergan|Studwell|1999|p=208}} ''[[The Ringer (website)|The Ringer]]''{{'}}s Lindsay Zoladz commented that [[Television censorship|network censors]] were stricter with Cher as a single woman, viewing her as more provocative alone than as Sonny's wife.<ref>{{cite web |last=Zoladz |first=Lindsay |url=https://www.theringer.com/music/2019/7/30/20732359/cher-believe-life-career-sonny-bono-moonstruck-mask-silkwood-oscars |title=Believe in Her or Not, Cher Has Always Believed in Herself |website=[[The Ringer (website)|The Ringer]] |date=July 30, 2019 |accessdate=May 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190730155250/https://www.theringer.com/music/2019/7/30/20732359/cher-believe-life-career-sonny-bono-moonstruck-mask-silkwood-oscars |archive-date=July 30, 2019}}</ref> Cher later reflected, "Doing a show alone was more than I could handle."{{sfn|Lonergan|Studwell|1999|p=208}}

[[File:Cher and Gregg Allman (cropped).jpg|thumb|alt=Cher, in a fitted tank top and jeans, stands next to Gregg Allman, who has long blond hair and a beard, wearing a buttoned-up shirt.|right|upright=0.9|Cher with then-husband [[Gregg Allman]] in 1976]]

On June 30, 1975, four days after finalizing her divorce from Sonny, Cher married rock musician [[Gregg Allman]], co-founder of [[the Allman Brothers Band]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/cher-marries-greg-allman |title=Cher marries Greg Allman |work=[[History (U.S. TV channel)|History]] |access-date=January 17, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160106054924/http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/cher-marries-greg-allman |archive-date=January 6, 2016}}</ref> whom she had been dating since January, shortly after ending her relationship with Geffen.{{sfn|Paul|2014|p=234}} She filed for divorce nine days later due to his heroin and alcohol problems, but they reconciled within a month.<ref name=Cagle-1992>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.ew.com/article/1992/07/10/gregg-allman-and-chers-troubled-marriage|title=Gregg Allman and Cher's troubled marriage|first=Jess|last=Cagle|date=July 10, 1992|access-date=January 17, 2016|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117034138/http://www.ew.com/article/1992/07/10/gregg-allman-and-chers-troubled-marriage|archive-date=November 17, 2015}}</ref> Their son, [[Elijah Blue Allman]], was born on July 10, 1976.{{sfn|Berman|2001|p=42}} Cher's TV reunion with Sonny, ''[[The Sonny and Cher Show]]'', debuted on CBS in February 1976—the first show ever to star a divorced couple. Although it premiered to strong ratings,{{sfn|Hochman|1999|p=1004}} their biting onscreen banter about the divorce{{sfn|Lonergan|Studwell|1999|p=208}} along with her troubled relationship with Allman sparked a public backlash{{sfn|Parish|Pitts|2003|p=150}} that contributed to the show's cancellation in August 1977.{{sfn|Hochman|1999|p=1004}}

In 1976, [[Mego Corporation|Mego Toys]] released a line of [[Sonny & Cher dolls]]. The Cher doll became the year's best-selling doll, surpassing [[Barbie]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Cherry |first=Rona |date=December 19, 1976 |title=Toying With a Name |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1976/12/19/archives/toying-with-a-name-toying-with-a-name-helps-sell-the-toys.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200723073935/https://www.nytimes.com/1976/12/19/archives/toying-with-a-name-toying-with-a-name-helps-sell-the-toys.html |archive-date=July 23, 2020 |access-date=July 20, 2018 |newspaper=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> Cher's next albums, ''[[I'd Rather Believe in You]]'' (1976) and ''[[Cherished]]'' (1977)—marking a return to her earlier [[Storytelling|narrative]] pop style at Warner's producers' insistence—were commercial failures.{{sfn|Bego|2001|p=116}} ''[[Orange Coast (magazine)|Orange Coast]]''{{'}}s Keith Tuber commented that Cher's weekly TV shows may have hurt her record sales, as audiences could see and hear her without needing to buy her music.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Tuber |first=Keith |date=April 10, 1979 |title=Music |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Zg0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA76 |access-date=March 4, 2025 |magazine=[[Orange Coast (magazine)|Orange Coast]]}}</ref>

In 1977, under the rubric "Allman and Woman", Cher and Allman recorded the duet album ''[[Two the Hard Way]]''.<ref name=Cagle-1992/> The couple toured Europe to support the album,<ref>{{cite news |title=Gregg and Cher are singing together |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/valley-news-gregg-and-cher-are-singing/163947797/ |newspaper=[[Valley News]] |last=Gruber |first=Ruth |publisher=[[United Press International]] |date=November 16, 1977 |access-date=January 25, 2025}}</ref> though audience reception was mixed.{{sfn|Allman|Light|2012|p=280}} With a combination of Cher fans and Allman Brothers fans in attendance, fights frequently broke out at venues, prompting Cher to cancel the tour.{{sfn|Allman|Light|2012|p=281}} Their relationship ended soon after the tour's cancellation,{{sfn|Quirk|1991|p=118}} and their divorce was finalized in 1979.<ref>{{cite web |publisher=[[A&E Networks]] |url=http://www.biography.com/people/gregg-allman-20791309 |website=[[Biography (TV program)|Biography.com]] |title=Gregg Allman Biography |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160131191342/http://www.biography.com/people/gregg-allman-20791309 |archive-date=January 31, 2016}}</ref> In 1978, Cher began a two-year [[live-in relationship]] with [[Kiss (band)|Kiss]] member [[Gene Simmons]].<ref>Multiple sources:
* {{cite magazine|magazine=[[People (magazine)|People]]|url=http://people.com/archive/cover-story-chers-new-flame-vol-9-no-14/|title=Cher's New Flame|first=Lois|last=Armstrong|date=April 10, 1978|access-date=January 18, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161226221806/http://people.com/archive/cover-story-chers-new-flame-vol-9-no-14/|archive-date=December 26, 2016}}
* {{cite magazine|magazine=[[People (magazine)|People]]|url=http://people.com/archive/cover-story-chers-life-with-gene-vol-12-no-17/|title=Cher's Life With Gene|first=Lois|last=Armstrong|date=October 22, 1979|access-date=January 18, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161226221846/http://people.com/archive/cover-story-chers-life-with-gene-vol-12-no-17/|archive-date=December 26, 2016}}
* {{cite magazine |date=August 18, 1980 |title=Rock On! |url=http://people.com/archive/cover-story-rock-on-vol-14-no-7/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161226221505/http://people.com/archive/cover-story-rock-on-vol-14-no-7/ |archive-date=December 26, 2016 |access-date=January 18, 2016 |magazine=[[People (magazine)|People]]}}</ref> She briefly returned to prime-time TV with the specials ''[[Cher... Special]]'' (1978)—featuring a segment in which she performs all of the roles in her version of ''[[West Side Story]]''—and ''[[Cher... and Other Fantasies]]'' (1979).{{sfn|Bego|2001|p=119}}{{sfn|Bego|2001|p=133}}