Certainly one of the most well-known musicians to become a politician, Sonny Bono was also one of the most successful. In 1988, frustrated with the limitations of local politics, the Republican Bono became mayor of Palm Springs, California; in 1994, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served for four years. Bono died tragically in 1998 after sustaining injuries from a skiing accident; he was 62.