Book excerpt: Pop star, TV star, movie star, wife & mother, Cher has remained at the top of the entertainment tree for over 30 years and shows no signs of slowing down. Her extraordinary popularity was stunningly confirmed in 1998, when her No.1 hit 'Believe' became the UK's biggest-selling single of the year. In The First Time, she talks about the many other defining moments of her life, from her first memories of her mother to the eulogy to her former husband and singing partner, Sonny Bono, whose death in 1997 affected her deeply. She reflects upon her fluctuating pop career, which began as a backing singer in Phil Spector's recording studio, the stupendous success of Sonny and Cher's 'I Got You Babe',meetings with Andy Warhol, The Rolling Stones and Brian Wilson, and the move to Hollywood which brought her an Oscar for 'Moonstruck'. Told in her own inimitable style with dozens of her own photographs, THE FIRST TIME is the true story of the events that shaped the life of a luminous star.