In her new memoir Cher: The Memoir, Part 1, released on November 19, 78-year-old Cher opens up about her turbulent marriage to Gregg Allman and the emotional rollercoaster that marked their relationship. The Believe singer recounts the moment when Allman ended their brief marriage with a note that spoke volumes about his insecurities surrounding her professional ties with her ex-husband, Sonny Bono.
It was 1976, and Cher was gearing up to film the Sonny & Cher Show, a project that would reunite her with Bono. But before the cameras could roll, Cher discovered she was pregnant. When she shared the news with Allman, her husband was skeptical. According to Cher, Allman not only doubted her pregnancy but also refused to meet with her upon returning to Los Angeles. This wasn’t just a personal disagreement—it was a professional complication, too.
The Ramblin’ Man musician was reportedly incensed by the tabloid frenzy surrounding the new “love triangle” between Cher, Bono, and himself, exacerbated by the upcoming show. Cher remembers it as a deeply painful moment in their already fragile relationship. Eventually, Allman left her a letter that laid bare his feelings of betrayal and emotional conflict. The note, which Cher describes in her memoir, read: “I have two choices—go back to Macon and be heartbroken and lonely, or stay here and be made a fool of. The latter of which I just can’t do because I’m a man, and a damn good one.”
Allman’s words, drenched in hurt and pride, reflect the complex emotions that often boiled over during their time together. He ended his note by admitting that, while he couldn’t live with the idea of being “made a fool,” he still wished he could.
Cher’s relationship with Allman, who tragically passed away in 2017, was marked by passionate highs and devastating lows. The couple married in 1975, shortly after Cher’s divorce from Sonny Bono. But just nine days into their marriage, Cher filed for divorce. They reconciled, staying together until 1979. Their time together was not without its struggles—Cher has been candid about Allman’s substance abuse issues, which took a toll on their marriage. “It was really intense, but it’s hard to have a marriage with someone who’s doing drugs,” she told The Daily Mail in 2018. “Drugs and I were just never meant to be together.”
Despite the tension, Cher and Allman did have some sweet moments, including the birth of their son, Elijah Blue Allman, in 1976. They also collaborated musically, releasing the album Two the Hard Way in 1977.
Allman’s struggles with addiction were not the only issue that weighed on their marriage. In the early years, Cher had to contend with public perceptions of her life. The ongoing media frenzy about her relationship with Bono—who would forever remain her “partner in crime” despite their personal separation—added another layer of complexity to her life with Allman. For a time, it seemed as though the press couldn’t get enough of Cher’s love triangle. But as Cher writes in her memoir, her emotional heartache from Allman’s exit was as real as any tabloid headline.
In Cher: The Memoir, Part 1, Cher doesn’t shy away from the messy, complex parts of her past. As she prepares for a multi-city book tour starting in New York City on November 20, fans are getting an intimate, unflinching look at the woman who became a legend, overcoming personal and professional obstacles with her trademark honesty and humor.
Whether it was dealing with a painful breakup, navigating complicated relationships, or facing the harsh glare of the media, Cher’s memoir promises to give readers a deeper understanding of the star who, for over five decades, has been both an icon and an enigma.
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