Sonny Bono was a validated man in 1965. After many, many years on the edge of the record industry as a promotion man, percussionist, A&R man, songwriter,gofer, and unsuccessful recording artist, (1) at age 30 he was now a certified rock & roll star as his duet with his wife cher, “I Got You Babe,” climbed to the top of the charts. ................................................................................................... (1) It’s only to understand why, in 1964, he sang with the stronger-voiced Cher: Sonny’s whiny, nasel delivery was not unlike the style of Bob Dylan, whome success opened the gate for legions of bad singers. It’s harder to imagine what he was thinging prior to 1964, when he made solo singles without the comforting model of Dylan.
