Cher has announced the passing of her mother, former singer and actress Georgia Holt, at the age of 96, two months after being hospitalised with pneumonia.
The 76-year-old announced her mother’s death on Twitter, keeping the announcement short.
Cher had told fans earlier in the year, in September, that Holt was suffering from health problems following her battle with pneumonia.
“Sorry I’ve Been Mia. Mom’s Been Sick Off & On. She Just Got Out Of Hosp. She Had Pneumonia,” the iconic singer wrote on social media at the time.
“Home is the Best Medicine For Her. She’s Getting Better.”
Fans of the mother and daughter flooded Cher’s social media with messages of condolences and support while sharing tributes to Holt.
No further details of Holt’s death have been released, however, Cher said her mother “would be thrilled” by all the kind words the world has to say about her.
Like her daughter, Holt also had a career in the entertainment industry. She had roles in a variety of TV shows and films in the ’50s including I Love Lucy and The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.
Holt’s singing career was fairly recent, even though she’d recorded an album in 1980 called Honky Tonk Woman, featuring covers and duets with Cher, the album was lost until 2013.
Following the album’s eventual release, Cher put out a documentary about her mother, detailing Holt’s struggles through life including six broken marriages and financial distress.
In the documentary, Dear Mom, Love Cher, the iconic singer revealed her mother was given an ultimatum by her own mother when she got pregnant to either have an abortion or go back to her husband.
Holt had chosen to ignore her mother and instead gave birth to Cherilyn Sarkisian, making her a 19-year-old single mother. Unfortunately, Holt’s financial struggles lead to her putting her daughter in an orphanage temporarily.
“My mum is exactly like Rocky. She never gives up!” Cher told EW.com, speaking of her mother’s battles.
Holt is survived by daughter Cher, grandsons Chaz Bono and Elijah Blue Allman, and partner Craig Spencer.