Cher, singer and actor
Cher, singer and actor, shares the eight tracks, book and luxury item she would take with her if cast away to a desert island. With Lauren Laverne.
Cher has been a global star for over six decades. Her career has spanned music, television and film and throughout that time her outfits have made flamboyant fashion statements.
She was born Cherilyn Sarkisian in El Centro, California and had a peripatetic childhood. Her mother married six times and with each new husband the family moved house.
In 1962, when she was 16, Cher met Sonny Bono in a coffee shop. She moved in with Sonny as his housekeeper and personal assistant and began singing backing vocals for his boss, the music producer Phil Spector. In 1965 Sonny and Cher released I Got You Babe which reached number one in the US and UK charts – knocking the Beatles off the top of the chart.
Cher is an award-winning actor who has starred in films including Silkwood, Mask and Moonstruck. In October 1998 she released her 22nd studio album Believe – the title track remains the biggest-selling number one by a solo female artist in British chart history.
DISC ONE: Whiter Shade of Pale - Procol Harum
DISC TWO: Love Me Tender - Elvis Presley
DISC THREE: A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes - Ilene Woods
DISC FOUR: Evil - Stevie Wonder
DISC FIVE: You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’ - The Righteous Brothers
DISC SIX: I Can’t Make You Love Me - Bonnie Raitt
DISC SEVEN: Minute By Minute - The Doobie Brothers
DISC EIGHT: A Change Is Gonna Come - Sam Cooke
BOOK CHOICE: The Saracen Blade by Frank Yerby
LUXURY ITEM: An eyelash curler
CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: A Change Is Gonna Come - Sam Cooke
Presenter Lauren Laverne
Producer Paula McGinley
On radio
Nine things we learned from Cher’s Desert Island Discs
Cher on seeing Elvis live, discovering her vocal talents and playing by her own rules.
Music Played
-
Procol Harum
A Whiter Shade Of Pale
- Procol Harum.
- Parlophone.
- 11.
-
Elvis Presley
Love Me Tender
- The Ultimate Elvis Collection, Vol. 5.
- Top Tracks.
- 10.
-
Ilene Woods
A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes
- Magical Disney, Vol. 2.
- Music Today Records.
- 5.
-
Stevie Wonder
Evil
- Music Of My Mind.
- Motown.
- 9.
-
The Righteous Brothers
You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'
- Their Way: Classic Crooners.
- Universal Music Australia Pty. Ltd..
- 7.
-
Bonnie Raitt
I Can't Make You Love Me
- The Best Of Bonnie Raitt.
- EMI Records Limited.
- 6.
-
The Doobie Brothers
Minute By Minute
- The Platinum Collection.
- Rhino.
- 14.
-
Sam Cooke
A Change Is Gonna Come
- Ain't That Good News.
- RCA Victor.
- 7.
Broadcasts
- Sunday 10:00´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 4
- Today 09:00´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 4
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Podcast
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Desert Island Discs
Castaway guests share the soundtrack of their lives.