Sonny and Cher.

Entertainer Cher (Cheryl Sarkisian) rose from teenage pop star
("I Got You Babe") to Oscar-winning actress ("Moonstruck").

1987

On May 16, 1929, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and
Sciences handed out its first awards, at a dinner party for
around 250 people held in the Blossom Room of the
Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood, California.

The brainchild of Louis B. Mayer, head of the powerful MGM
film studio, the Academy was organized in May 1927 as a
non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement and
improvement of the film industry.

Its first president and the host of the May 1929 ceremony was
the actor Douglas Fairbanks, Sr. Unlike today, the winners
of the first Oscars—as the coveted gold-plated statuettes
later became known—were announced before the awards
ceremony itself.

The first official Best Picture winner was Wings, directed by
William Wellman. The most expensive movie of its time, with
a budget of $2 million.
   

On May 12, 1957, race car driver A.J. Foyt (1935- ) scored his
first professional victory, in a U.S. Automobile Club (USAC)
midget car race in Kansas City, Missouri.

He practiced at the Indy 500 track in 1993, but retired on the
first day of qualifying races. Apart from auto racing teams,
Foyt’s later business interests have included car dealerships,
funeral homes, oil investments and thoroughbred racehorses.

"Chattanooga Choo Choo" is a 1941 song that was written by
Mack Gordon and composed by Harry Warren. It was originally
recorded as a big band/swing tune by Glenn Miller and His
Orchestra and featured in the 1941 movie Sun Valley Serenade      
and received a gold record, presented by RCA Victor in 1942
(below) for sales of 1.2 million copies.  

(L to R) Paul Douglas, W. Wallace Early and Glenn Miller, February 10, 1942.        
    

Alton Glen "Glenn" Miller (March 1, 1904 – December 15, 1944)

Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25, 1917 – June 15, 1996)

"First Lady of Song" Ella Fitzgerald becomes the first Black
woman to win a Grammy at the Recording Academy’s inaugural
awards show on May 4, 1959.

During the event at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, Fitzgerald
took home two of 28 awards for best jazz and female vocal
performances. “Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Song
Book” bested performances by Doris Day, Eydie Gorme, Peggy
Lee and Keely Smith for best female vocal performance.

In contrast “Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Song Book”
won for jazz performance.

That year, Count Basie became the first Black man to win a
Grammy, also taking home two awards, for best jazz group
performance and best performance by a dance band.