Cher is an American singer, actress, and television personality. She was born Cherilyn Sarkisian on May 20, 1946, in El Centro, California, United States. Her father, John Sarkisian, was an Armenian-American truck driver, and her mother, Georgia Holt, was a model and part-time actress who claimed Irish, English, German, and Cherokee ancestry. However, DNA analysis has shown that Cher is pure Caucasoid (Caucasian, ethnic white) and has no Cherokee ancestry. Chers parents divorced when she was ten months old, and she was raised by her mother and stepfather, Gilbert LaPiere, who adopted her and her half-sister, Georganne. Cher has had a successful career spanning seven decades and is known for her distinctive contralto singing voice and for having worked in numerous areas of entertainment, as well as adopting a variety of styles and appearances throughout her career.