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Stories

Cher Is Suing Ex-Husband Sonny Bono’s Widow For Breach Of Contract

by Lauren Novak

Published October 14, 2021

Cher is suing Sonny Bonos widow

Cher has filed a lawsuit against Sonny Bono‘s widow, Mary Bono. She is alleging that Mary, Sonny’s fourth wife and widow has been illegally withholding her royalties. Cher was previously married to Sonny and they performed together as Sonny & Cher. Cher claims she should still be receiving royalties from their music but has not.

Sonny and Cher were married from 1967 until 1974. The filing states, “When they divorced, Plaintiff and Sonny agreed to an equal division of their community property and, to that end, in 1978 Sonny irrevocably assigned to Plaintiff, as her sole and separate property throughout the world and in perpetuity, fifty percent of their rights in musical composition royalties, record royalties, and other assets.”

Related:

  1. Cher’s Son Gets Caught Up In Mom’s $1 Million Lawsuit Against Ex-Husband Sonny Bono’s Widow Over Royalties
  2. Sonny & Cher’s Former Luxury California Mansion Is On Sale For $115 Million

Cher is suing Sonny Bono’s widow Mary Bono

LARGER THAN LIFE: THE KEVYN AUCOIN STORY, Cher, 2018
LARGER THAN LIFE: THE KEVYN AUCOIN STORY, Cher, 2018. © The Orchard /courtesy Everett Collection

It continued, “Since 1978, Plaintiff has been the unchallenged owner of her fifty percent of all musical composition and record royalties to which Plaintiff and Sonny were entitled by reason of their collaboration and marriage, including fifty percent of all royalties that Sonny, his businesses, and his successors, receive from those musical compositions and recordings.”

RELATED: Cher’s Son Chaz Bono Makes A Rare Public Appearance, Discusses Transition Hardships

mary bono
4 Januray 2014 – Palm Springs, California – Mary Bono. 25th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival held at the Palm Springs Convention Ceter. Photo Credit: Byron Purvis/AdMedia/Image Collect

In response, Mary “claims that a wholly inapplicable statutory termination provision of the Copyright Act of 1976… has undone Plaintiff’s ownership of her royalties from the songs and recordings that she and Sonny made famous during their marriage, and deprived Plaintiff of other long-established rights under the 1978 agreement.” Sonny passed away in 1998 while still married to Mary. She became the administrator of his estate.

Sonny & Cher in the 1970s
Sonny & Cher in the 1970s / Everett Collection

Basically, Cher is claiming that Mary is refusing to pay her fifty percent of the royalties per their contract. She is now seeking a trial by jury. Stay tuned to find out how this gets resolved.

RELATED: Sonny & Cher’s Former Luxury California Mansion Is On Sale For $115 Million

Next up: Sharon Osbourne Claims Former ‘Talk’ Co-Host Sheryl Underwood Forced Into Anger Management
Previous article: Sharon Osbourne Claims Former ‘Talk’ Co-Host Sheryl Underwood Forced Into Anger Management
Next Post: Candace Cameron Bure Suffered PTSD, “Stress And Anxiety” Hosting ‘The View’

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