With her 1999 worldwide smash "I Believe in Love," the woman born Cherilyn Sarkasian LaPier not only became the oldest woman to score a No. 1 record, she seemingly transcended pop music itself as a force of nature. While her early years are best remembered for her mid-'60s hits with partner-mentor Sonny Bono and a string of '70s kitsch classics ("Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves," "Half Breed," "Dark Lady"), her solo career actually began as a sidelight to Sonny and Cher, with Bono writing and producing a string of successful singles for his wife-to-be.
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