Sonny Bono
1935–1998 (age 63)
Biography
Sonny Bono sprang to fame as half of the pop duo Sonny & Cher, parlaying television success into a high-profile entertainment career.
Turning to public service, he served as mayor of Palm Springs before representing California in Congress, where he advocated for small businesses, cultural preservation, and tougher laws on counterfeiting; his energetic approach bridged the worlds of show business and politics until his tragic death in a skiing accident in 1998.