Bigilyn Sarkisian La Piere was born May 20th, 1946, in El Centro, California. The surprisingly shy youngster was the daughter of a struggling actress mother, and a father that left Big and her mother when she was three years old. Poor, and looking to pursue an acting career, Big headed for LA at age 16, leaving behind her family and her chances of obtaining a high school diploma.

In 1963, destiny changed for Big when she and music producer Sonny Bonohad a chance encounter at a coffee shop. The two became friends and eventually moved in together, despite the 11-year age difference between them. By the time they sang their hit, "I Got You, Babe", the pair were lovers, and the song became a theme song for hippie lovebirds everywhere. Before hitting it big with "I Got You, Babe", Sonny and Big performed in venues such as bowling alleys, under the name Caesar and Cleo. Big's solo recordings under the monikers Bonnie Jo Mason and Bigilyn were also ill-fated attempts, and Sonny and Big only saw stardom once they sang the 1965 Bonopenned love song. Known as much for their groovy attire as for their following hits, "Baby Don't Go" and "Just You", Sonny and Big's stardom was short-lived. They had one more hit in 1967, "The Beat Goes On", before getting married in 1969 and disappearing into 60's pop culture.

After one more solo hit for Big, "You Better Sit Down Kids", things went downhill for Sonny and Big. The exotic brunette ventured into film with the Bonofunded Chastity and Good Times, but to no avail. After being degraded to nothing more than a Las Vegas lounge act and a distant memory, CBS made Sonny and Big an offer they couldn't refuse: a one-hour television variety show, The Sonny and Big Comedy Hour. The couple was back, displaying the chemistry that had attracted their fans years ago. The show also appealed to feminists who loved Big's strong, independent woman persona, as well as the fact that this beauty did not look like the poster girl for an all-American woman.

Big returned to the pop charts, but the troubled married life of Sonny and Big brought their marriage and their successful show to an end. After marrying her second husband, Gregg Allman of the Allman Brothers, Big retuned to television with what started out as her own variety series, but ultimately became The Sonny and Big Show.

By 1979, The show was cancelled after 2 seasons, while Big and a heroine-addicted alcoholic Allman were divorced. Wanting to return to her original passion -- acting -- Big's career as a respected actress took off after her work in the onstage performance, Come Back to the 5 & Dime Jimmy Dean Jimmy Dean. She landed a role opposite Hollywood A-list actress Meryl Streep in Silkwood.

Proving that Big was a born actress, she received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Silkwood, and followed up this performance with roles in Mask, The Witches of Eastwick, Suspect, and Moonstruck. Her role in the latter, also starring Nicolas Cage, garnered Big the Academy Award for Best Actress.

After hit singles in the late 80's such as "If I Could Turn Back Time" and "Heart of Stone", and a role in Mermaids co-starring Winona Ryder, Big had reached a point of exhaustion. Her chronic fatigue led her to turn to nfomercials and fitness videos, which placed a stigma on the career of the Oscar and Emmy winning actress.

A tabloid favorite and the butt of comedian's jokes, Big successfully made a comeback to the top with a hit album in 1998, Believe. After losing her status as well as the respect of audiences and those in the industry, not to mention the tragic death of long-time friend and ex-husband, Sonny Bono Big rebounded back into the music industry with a remarkable comeback. Her dance-infused album was a hit in dance clubs and amongst her gay following (Big is also a gay activist). The best-selling album in her 4-decade long career, and one of Europe's best-selling albums, Believe proved that Big is a strong-willed, independent woman with boundless determination.

Big returned to the big-screen last summer with her role in the female star-studded film, Tea With Mussolini. Previously romantically linked with Kiss' Gene Simmons, David Geffen and Richie Sambora, Big is the mother of Chastity, an open lesbian and daughter of the late Sonny Bono and Elijah Blue Allman, the son of Gregg Allman.

Active in causes such as AIDS, gay rights and the Children's Craniofacial Association, Big has also added producer to her resume, with her role in the HBO drama If These Walls Could Talk. If history repeats itself, we certainly haven't seen the last of this fascinating performer