Dame Olivia Newton-John (26 September 1948 – 8 August 2022) was a British-Australian singer, actress and activist. She was a four-time
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
winner whose music career included 15 top-ten singles, including 5 number-one singles on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100 and two number-one albums on the
''Billboard'' 200: ''
If You Love Me, Let Me Know
''If You Love Me, Let Me Know'' is a United States and Canada-only album by singer Olivia Newton-John, released on 28 May 1974. Other than the title track, all the material was from her previous three albums, '' Olivia'' (1972), '' Music Makes ...
'' (1974) and ''
Have You Never Been Mellow
''Have You Never Been Mellow'' is the fifth studio album by British-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John, released on 12 February 1975 by MCA Records.
Reception
Both the title single and the album rose to the top of their respective US charts ...
'' (1975). Eleven of her
singles
Singles are people not in a committed relationship.
Singles may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''Singles'' (miniseries), a 1984 Australian television series
* ''Singles'' (1992 film), written and directed by Cameron Crowe
* ''Singles'' ...
(including two
Platinum
Platinum is a chemical element with the symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a dense, malleable, ductile, highly unreactive, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name originates from Spanish , a diminutive of "silver".
Platinu ...
) and 14 of her
albums
An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records coll ...
(including two Platinum and four 2× Platinum) have been
certified
Certification is the provision by an independent body of written assurance (a certificate) that the product, service or system in question meets specific requirements. It is the formal attestation or confirmation of certain characteristics of a ...
Gold by the
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA).
In 1978, Newton-John starred in the
musical film
Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, but in some cases, they serve merely as breaks ...
''
Grease'', which was the highest-grossing musical film at the time and whose
soundtrack
A soundtrack is recorded music accompanying and synchronised to the images of a motion picture, drama, book, television program, radio program, or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack o ...
remains one of the
world's best-selling albums. It features two major hit
duet
A duet is a musical composition for two performers in which the performers have equal importance to the piece, often a composition involving two singers or two pianists. It differs from a harmony, as the performers take turns performing a solo ...
s with co-star
John Travolta: "
You're the One That I Want
"You're the One That I Want" is a song performed by American actor and singer John Travolta and Anglo-Australian singer, songwriter and actress Olivia Newton-John for the 1978 film version of the musical '' Grease''. It was written and produc ...
"—which is one of the
best-selling singles of all time—and "
Summer Nights". Her signature solo recordings include the
Record of the Year
The Grammy Award for Record of the Year is presented by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the recording industry, without reg ...
Grammy winner "
I Honestly Love You
"I Honestly Love You" is a song recorded by Olivia Newton-John released in 1974 on the album '' Long Live Love'' in United Kingdom and ''If You Love Me, Let Me Know'' in the United States. The song became a worldwide pop hit, her first number- ...
" (1974) and "
Physical
Physical may refer to:
*Physical examination
In a physical examination, medical examination, or clinical examination, a medical practitioner examines a patient for any possible medical signs or symptoms of a medical condition. It generally co ...
" (1981)—''Billboards highest ranking Hot 100 single of the 1980s. Other defining
hit singles
A hit song, also known as a hit record, hit single or simply a hit, is a recorded song or instrumental that becomes broadly popular or well-known. Although ''hit song'' means any widely played or big-selling song, the specific term ''hit record' ...
include "
If Not for You
"If Not for You" is a song by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan from his October 1970 album '' New Morning''. It was also issued as the A-side of a single in Europe in early 1971. The song is a love song to Dylan's first wife, Sara Dylan. H ...
" and "
Banks of the Ohio "Banks of the Ohio", also known as "Down on the Banks of the Ohio" and "I'll Never Be Yours", is a 19th-century murder ballad, written by unknown authors. The lyrics tell of "Willie" who invites his young lover for a walk during which she rejects hi ...
" (both 1971), "
Let Me Be There
"Let Me Be There" is a popular song written by John Rostill. It was first recorded by Olivia Newton-John and released in September 1973 as the second single from her studio album of the same name. The country-influenced song was Newton-John's fi ...
" (1973), "
If You Love Me (Let Me Know)
"If You Love Me (Let Me Know)" is a song written by John Rostill that was a 1974 hit single for Olivia Newton-John. It was her second release to hit the top 10 in the United States, reaching number 5 on the pop chart and number 2 on the Easy L ...
" (1974), "
Have You Never Been Mellow
''Have You Never Been Mellow'' is the fifth studio album by British-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John, released on 12 February 1975 by MCA Records.
Reception
Both the title single and the album rose to the top of their respective US charts ...
" (1975), "
Sam" (1977), "
Hopelessly Devoted to You" (1978; also from ''Grease''), "
A Little More Love" (1978), "
Twist of Fate" (1983) and, from the 1980 film ''
Xanadu'', "
Magic
Magic or Magick most commonly refers to:
* Magic (supernatural), beliefs and actions employed to influence supernatural beings and forces
* Ceremonial magic, encompasses a wide variety of rituals of magic
* Magical thinking, the belief that unrela ...
" and "
Xanadu" (with the
Electric Light Orchestra).
With global sales of more than 100 million records, Newton-John established herself as one of the
best-selling music artists of all time. Newton-John, who battled breast cancer three times, was an advocate and sponsor for
breast cancer research. She also was an activist for
environmental
A biophysical environment is a biotic and abiotic surrounding of an organism or population, and consequently includes the factors that have an influence in their survival, development, and evolution. A biophysical environment can vary in scale f ...
and
animal rights
Animal rights is the philosophy according to which many or all sentient animals have moral worth that is independent of their utility for humans, and that their most basic interests—such as avoiding suffering—should be afforded the sa ...
causes.
Early life
Newton-John was born on 26 September 1948
in
Cambridge
Cambridge ( ) is a university city and the county town in Cambridgeshire, England. It is located on the River Cam approximately north of London. As of the 2021 United Kingdom census, the population of Cambridge was 145,700. Cambridge bec ...
, England, to Brinley "Bryn" Newton-John (1914–1992) and Irene Helene (née Born; 1914–2003).
Her father was born in
Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...
to a middle-class family. Her mother was born in Germany and had come to the UK with her family in 1933 to escape the
Nazi Regime
Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
. Newton-John's maternal grandfather was
German Jewish
The history of the Jews in Germany goes back at least to the year 321, and continued through the Early Middle Ages (5th to 10th centuries CE) and High Middle Ages (''circa'' 1000–1299 CE) when Jewish immigrants founded the Ashkenazi Jewish ...
Nobel Prize
The Nobel Prizes ( ; sv, Nobelpriset ; no, Nobelprisen ) are five separate prizes that, according to Alfred Nobel's will of 1895, are awarded to "those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind." Alfr ...
–winning physicist
Max Born
Max Born (; 11 December 1882 – 5 January 1970) was a German physicist and mathematician who was instrumental in the development of quantum mechanics. He also made contributions to solid-state physics and optics and supervised the work of a n ...
;
Born was practising Lutheranism before being officially baptised as a Lutheran in March 1914, before Irene's birth. Her maternal grandmother Hedwig was the daughter of German Jewish jurist
Victor Ehrenberg, and of his Lutheran wife, Helene Agatha von Jhering. Through Helene Agatha, Olivia was a descendant of Protestant theologian
Martin Luther
Martin Luther (; ; 10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German priest, theologian, author, hymnwriter, and professor, and Order of Saint Augustine, Augustinian friar. He is the seminal figure of the Reformation, Protestant Refo ...
. Helene Agatha's own father, Newton-John's great-great-grandfather, was jurist
Rudolf von Jhering
Caspar Rudolph Ritter von Jhering (also Ihering) (22 August 1818 – 17 September 1892) was a German jurist. He is best known for his 1872 book ''Der Kampf ums Recht'' (''The Struggle for Law''), as a legal scholar, and as the founder of a ...
. Olivia's uncle was pharmacologist
Gustav Victor Rudolf Born
Gustav Victor Rudolf Born FRCP, HonFRCS, FRS (29 July 1921 – 16 April 2018) was a German-British professor of Pharmacology at King's College London and Research Professor at the William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and The London Sch ...
. Through her Ehrenberg line, Newton-John was a third cousin of comedian
Ben Elton
Benjamin Charles Elton (born 3 May 1959) is an English comedian, actor, author, playwright, lyricist and director. He was a part of London's alternative comedy movement of the 1980s and became a writer on the sitcoms '' The Young Ones'' and ''Bla ...
.
Newton-John's father was an
MI5
The Security Service, also known as MI5 ( Military Intelligence, Section 5), is the United Kingdom's domestic counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), G ...
officer on the
Enigma
Enigma may refer to:
*Riddle, someone or something that is mysterious or puzzling
Biology
*ENIGMA, a class of gene in the LIM domain
Computing and technology
* Enigma (company), a New York-based data-technology startup
* Enigma machine, a family ...
project at
Bletchley Park
Bletchley Park is an English country house and estate in Bletchley, Milton Keynes ( Buckinghamshire) that became the principal centre of Allied code-breaking during the Second World War. The mansion was constructed during the years following ...
who took
Rudolf Hess
Rudolf Walter Richard Hess (Heß in German; 26 April 1894 – 17 August 1987) was a German politician and a leading member of the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany. Appointed Deputy Führer to Adolf Hitler in 1933, Hess held that position unt ...
into custody during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. After the war, he became the headmaster of the
Cambridgeshire High School for Boys
The Cambridgeshire High School for Boys was founded as the Cambridge and County School for Boys in Cambridge, England, in 1900.
History
It was later the Cambridge and County High School for Boys, and then finally the Cambridgeshire High School ...
and was in this post when Newton-John was born.
Newton-John was the youngest of three children, following her brother Hugh (1939–2019), a medical doctor, and her sister Rona (1941–2013), an actress who was married to restaurateur Brian Goldsmith
and was later married to Newton-John's ''
Grease'' co-star
Jeff Conaway
Jeffrey Charles William Michael Conaway (October 5, 1950 – May 27, 2011) was an American actor. He portrayed Kenickie in the film '' Grease'' and had roles in two television series: struggling actor Bobby Wheeler in ''Taxi'' and security offic ...
(from 1980 until their divorce in 1985). She also had a half-brother, Toby, and a half-sister, Sarah, both of whom were born of her father's second marriage.
In early 1954, when Newton-John was five, her family emigrated to
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
, Australia, on the
SS ''Strathaird''.
[ Note: London to Fremantle, Western Australia.] Her father worked as a professor of German and as the master of
Ormond College
Ormond College is the largest of the residential colleges of the University of Melbourne located in the city of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is home to around 350 undergraduates, 90 graduates and 35 professorial and academic residents.
H ...
at the
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb nor ...
.
Her family attended church while her father served as the head of the Presbyterian college.
Newton-John attended Christ Church Grammar School in the Melbourne suburb of
South Yarra
South Yarra is an inner-city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 4 km south-east of Melbourne's Melbourne central business district, Central Business District, located within the Cities of City of Melbourne, Melbourne and City of Sto ...
and then the
University High School in
Parkville.
Career
Career beginnings
Newton-John went to primary school with
Daryl Braithwaite
Daryl Braithwaite (born 11 January 1949) is an Australian singer. He was the lead vocalist of Sherbet (1970–1984 and many subsequent reunions). Braithwaite also has a solo career, placing 15 singles in the Australian top 40, including t ...
, who also followed a singing career. At age 14, she formed Sol Four, a short-lived all-girl group, with three classmates, often performing at a coffee shop owned by her brother-in-law.
Newton-John originally wanted to become a veterinarian, but then chose to focus on performance after doubting her ability to pass science exams.
In 1964, Newton-John's acting talent was first recognised portraying "Lady Mary Lasenby" in her
University High School's production of ''
The Admirable Crichton
''The Admirable Crichton'' is a comic stage play written in 1902 by J. M. Barrie.
Origins
Barrie took the title from the sobriquet of a fellow Scot, the polymath James Crichton, a 16th-century genius and athlete. The epigram-loving Ernest is p ...
'' as she became the Young Sun's Drama Award best schoolgirl actress runner-up. She then became a regular on local Australian television shows, including ''Time for Terry'' and
HSV-7
HSV is a television station in Melbourne, Australia. It is part of the Seven Network, one of the three main commercial television networks in Australia, its first and oldest station. It launched in time for the 1956 Summer Olympic Games in Melb ...
's ''
The Happy Show'', where she performed as "Lovely Livvy". She also appeared on ''
The Go!! Show
''The Go!! Show'' (also known simply as ''Go!!'') was an Australian popular music television series which aired on ATV-0, Melbourne, from August 1964 to August 1967. It was produced by DYT Productions at the ATV-0 studios in Nunawading, Victor ...
'' where she met her future duet partner, singer
Pat Carroll
Patricia Ann Carroll (May 5, 1927 – July 30, 2022) was an American actress and comedian. She was known for voicing Ursula in ''The Little Mermaid'' and for appearances in CBS's ''The Danny Thomas Show'', ABC's '' Laverne & Shirley'', and NB ...
, and her future music producer,
John Farrar
John Clifford Farrar ( ; born 8 November 1946) is an Australian music producer, songwriter, arranger, singer, and guitarist. As a musician, Farrar is a former member of several rock and roll groups including The Mustangs (1963–64), The Stra ...
(Carroll and Farrar later married). In 1965 she entered and won a talent contest on the television program ''
Sing, Sing, Sing
"Sing, Sing, Sing (With a Swing)" is a 1936 song, with music and lyrics by Louis Prima, who first recorded it with the New Orleans Gang. Brunswick Records released it on February 28, 1936 on the 78rpm record format, with "It's Been So Long" as th ...
'' hosted by 1960s Australian icon
Johnny O'Keefe
John Michael O'Keefe (19 January 1935 – 6 October 1978) was an Australian rock and roll singer whose career began in the 1950s. Some of his hits include " Wild One" (1958), " Shout!" and "She's My Baby". In his twenty-year career, O'Keefe rel ...
, performing the songs "
Anyone Who Had a Heart" and "
Everything's Coming Up Roses
"Everything's Coming Up Roses" is a song with music by Jule Styne and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, written initially for the 1959 Broadway musical '' Gypsy.'' Introduced in the show's inaugural production by Ethel Merman, "Everything's Coming Up R ...
". She was initially reluctant to use the prize she had won, a trip to Great Britain, but travelled there nearly a year later after her mother encouraged her to broaden her horizons.
Newton-John recorded her first single, "Till You Say You'll Be Mine", in Britain for
Decca Records
Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis (Decca), Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934 by Lewis, Jack Kapp, American Decca's first president, and Milton Rackmil, who later became American ...
in 1966.
While in Britain, Newton-John missed her then-boyfriend,
Ian Turpie
Ian or Iain is a name of Scottish Gaelic origin, derived from the Hebrew given name (Yohanan, ') and corresponding to the English name John. The spelling Ian is an Anglicization of the Scottish Gaelic forename ''Iain''. It is a popular name in Sc ...
,
with whom she had co-starred in an Australian telefilm, ''
Funny Things Happen Down Under
''Funny Things Happen Down Under'' is a 1965 Australian-New Zealand musical film directed by Joe McCormick. It stars Olivia Newton-John, Ian Turpie and Howard Morrison, and is best remembered today for being Newton-John's first film.
Plot
The ...
''. She repeatedly booked trips back to Australia that her mother cancelled.
Newton-John's outlook changed when Pat Carroll moved to the UK. The two formed a duo called "Pat and Olivia" and toured nightclubs in Europe. (In one incident, they were booked at
Paul Raymond's Revue in
Soho
Soho is an area of the City of Westminster, part of the West End of London. Originally a fashionable district for the aristocracy, it has been one of the main entertainment districts in the capital since the 19th century.
The area was develop ...
, London, and were unaware that it was a
strip club
A strip club is a venue where strippers provide adult entertainment, predominantly in the form of striptease or other Erotic dancing, erotic or exotic dances. Strip clubs typically adopt a nightclub or Bar (establishment), bar style, and can also ...
until they began to perform onstage dressed primly in frilly high-collared dresses.)
["] During
this period she and Carroll contributed backup vocals to recordings by a number of other artists, notably the song "Come In, You'll Get Pneumonia" by
the Easybeats
The Easybeats were an Australian rock band that formed in Sydney in late 1964. They enjoyed a level of success that in Australia rivalled The Beatles. They became the first Australian rock act to score an international hit, with the 1966 sing ...
. After Carroll's visa expired, forcing her to return to Australia, Newton-John remained in Britain to pursue solo work until 1975.
Newton-John was recruited for the group Toomorrow,
formed by American producer
Don Kirshner
Donald Kirshner (April 17, 1934 – January 17, 2011) was an American music publisher, music consultant, rock music producer, talent manager, and songwriter. Dubbed "the Man with the Golden Ear" by ''Time'' magazine, he was best known fo ...
. In 1970, the group starred in a "science fiction musical"
film
A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...
and recorded an accompanying
soundtrack album
A soundtrack album is any album that incorporates music directly recorded from the soundtrack of a particular feature film or television show. The first such album to be commercially released was Walt Disney's ''Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'' ...
on
RCA Records
RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...
, both named after the group. That same year the group made two single recordings, "You're My Baby Now"/"Goin' Back" and "I Could Never Live Without Your Love"/"Roll Like a River". Neither track became a chart success; the project failed and the group disbanded.
Early success
Newton-John released her first solo album, ''
If Not for You
"If Not for You" is a song by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan from his October 1970 album '' New Morning''. It was also issued as the A-side of a single in Europe in early 1971. The song is a love song to Dylan's first wife, Sara Dylan. H ...
'' (US No. 158 Pop), in 1971. (In the UK, the album was known as ''Olivia Newton-John''.) The
title track
A title track is a song that has the same name as the album or film in which it appears. In the Korean music industry, the term is used to describe a promoted song on an album, akin to a single, regardless of the song's title.
Title track may a ...
, written by
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Often regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture during a career sp ...
, was her first international hit (US No. 25 Pop, No. 1
Adult Contemporary
Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quie ...
/"AC").
Her follow-up single, "
Banks of the Ohio "Banks of the Ohio", also known as "Down on the Banks of the Ohio" and "I'll Never Be Yours", is a 19th-century murder ballad, written by unknown authors. The lyrics tell of "Willie" who invites his young lover for a walk during which she rejects hi ...
", was a top 10 hit in the UK and Australia. She was voted Best British Female Vocalist two years in a row by the magazine ''
Record Mirror
''Record Mirror'' was a British weekly music newspaper between 1954 and 1991 for pop fans and record collectors. Launched two years after the ''NME'', it never attained the circulation of its rival. The first UK album chart was published in ''Re ...
''. She made frequent appearances on
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard (born Harry Rodger Webb; 14 October 1940) is an Indian-born British musican, singer, producer, entrepreneur and philanthropist who holds both British and Barbadian citizenship. He has total sales of over 21.5 million s ...
's weekly show ''It's Cliff Richard''
and starred with him in the telefilm ''The Case''.
In 1972, Newton-John's second UK album, ''
Olivia Olivia may refer to:
People
* Olivia (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the name
* Olivia (singer) (Olivia Longott, born 1981), American singer
* Olívia (basketball) (Carlos Henrique Rodrigues do Nascimento, born 19 ...
'', was released but never formally issued in the United States, where her career floundered after ''If Not for You''. Subsequent singles, including "
Banks of the Ohio "Banks of the Ohio", also known as "Down on the Banks of the Ohio" and "I'll Never Be Yours", is a 19th-century murder ballad, written by unknown authors. The lyrics tell of "Willie" who invites his young lover for a walk during which she rejects hi ...
" (No. 94 Pop, No. 34 AC) and remakes of George Harrison's "
What Is Life
"What Is Life" is a song by English rock musician George Harrison from his 1970 triple album ''All Things Must Pass''. In many countries, it was issued as the second single from the album, in February 1971, becoming a top-ten hit in the Unit ...
" (No. 34 AC) and
John Denver
Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. (December 31, 1943 – October 12, 1997), known professionally as John Denver, was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, actor, activist, and humanitarian whose greatest commercial success was as a solo singe ...
's "
Take Me Home, Country Roads
"Take Me Home, Country Roads", also known simply as "Country Roads", is a song written by Bill Danoff, Taffy Nivert and John Denver about West Virginia. It was released as a single performed by Denver on April 12, 1971, peaking at number two ...
" (No. 119 Pop), made minimal impact on the
Hot 100
The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streaming ...
. Her fortune changed with the release of "
Let Me Be There
"Let Me Be There" is a popular song written by John Rostill. It was first recorded by Olivia Newton-John and released in September 1973 as the second single from her studio album of the same name. The country-influenced song was Newton-John's fi ...
" in 1973. The song reached the American top 10 on the Pop (No. 6), Country (No. 7),
and AC (No. 3) charts and earned her a
Grammy
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...
for Best Country Female
and an Academy of Country Music award for Most Promising Female Vocalist.
Her second American album, named ''
Let Me Be There
"Let Me Be There" is a popular song written by John Rostill. It was first recorded by Olivia Newton-John and released in September 1973 as the second single from her studio album of the same name. The country-influenced song was Newton-John's fi ...
'' after the hit single, was her third in Britain, where the LP is known as ''Music Makes My Day''. It is also called ''Let Me Be There'' in Australia; however, the US and Canadian versions featured an alternate track list that mixed new cuts with selections from ''Olivia'' and also recycled six songs from ''If Not for You'', which was going out of print.
In 1974, Newton-John represented the United Kingdom in the
Eurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest (), sometimes abbreviated to ESC and often known simply as Eurovision, is an international songwriting competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), featuring participants representing pr ...
with the song "
Long Live Love". The song was chosen for Newton-John by the British public out of six possible entries (Newton-John later admitted that she disliked the song). Newton-John finished fourth at the contest, held in
Brighton
Brighton () is a seaside resort and one of the two main areas of the City of Brighton and Hove in the county of East Sussex, England. It is located south of London.
Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze A ...
, behind the Swedish winning entry, "
Waterloo" by
ABBA
ABBA ( , , formerly named Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid or Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Frida) are a Swedish supergroup formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The group's ...
. All six Eurovision contest song candidates—"Have Love, Will Travel", "Lovin' You Ain't Easy", "Long Live Love", "Someday", "Angel Eyes" and "Hands Across the Sea"—were recorded by Newton-John and included on her ''
Long Live Love'' album, her first for the
EMI Records
EMI Records (formerly EMI Records Ltd.) is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It originally founded as a British flagship label by the music company of the same name in 1972, and launched in January 1973 as the succ ...
label.
The ''Long Live Love'' album was released in the US and Canada as ''
If You Love Me, Let Me Know
''If You Love Me, Let Me Know'' is a United States and Canada-only album by singer Olivia Newton-John, released on 28 May 1974. Other than the title track, all the material was from her previous three albums, '' Olivia'' (1972), '' Music Makes ...
''. All the Eurovision entries were dropped for different and more country-flavoured tunes intended to capitalise on the success of "Let Me Be There"; the North American offering used selections from ''Long Live Love'', ''Olivia'' and ''Music Makes My Day'', and only the title cut was new. ''If You Love Me, Let Me Know''
title track
A title track is a song that has the same name as the album or film in which it appears. In the Korean music industry, the term is used to describe a promoted song on an album, akin to a single, regardless of the song's title.
Title track may a ...
was its first single and reached No. 5 Pop, No. 2 Country
(her best country position to date) and No. 2 AC.
The next single, "
I Honestly Love You
"I Honestly Love You" is a song recorded by Olivia Newton-John released in 1974 on the album '' Long Live Love'' in United Kingdom and ''If You Love Me, Let Me Know'' in the United States. The song became a worldwide pop hit, her first number- ...
", became Newton-John's signature song. Written and composed by
Jeff Barry
Jeff Barry (born Joel Adelberg; April 3, 1938) is an American pop music songwriter, singer, and record producer. Among the most successful songs that he has co-written in his career are " Do Wah Diddy Diddy", " Da Doo Ron Ron", " Then He Kiss ...
and
Peter Allen,
the ballad became her first Pop number-one (staying there for two weeks), second AC number-one (for three weeks) and third top 10 Country (No. 6) hit and earned Newton-John two more
Grammys
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
for Record of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance – Female. In her 2018 autobiography, ''Don't Stop Believin','' Newton-John describes "I Honestly Love You" as a song which is "so simple, with a meaning that was deeper than the ocean".
In many of her concert performances, Newton-John closed with this tune, and she further explains: “It’s such a special song, and I have some very profound memories of times that I’ve sung it, very intimate times, with special people in my life; and all through my life, it’s meant something different to me, and every time I sing it it has a different resonance”. The success of the singles "If You Love Me (Let Me Know)" and "I Honestly Love You" helped the album reach No. 1 on both the pop (one week) and country (eight weeks) albums charts. In the UK and Australia, "If You Love Me (Let Me Know)" was featured on compilations titled ''First Impressions'' and ''Great Hits! First Impressions'' respectively. In 1974, George Hamilton IV also presented to her the (BCMA) British Country Music Association Award for "Female Vocalist of the Year" in London, England.
In the United States, Newton-John's success in
country music
Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...
sparked a debate among purists, who took issue with a foreigner singing country-flavoured pop music being classed with native Nashville artists.
In addition to her Grammy for "Let Me Be There", Newton-John was also named the
Country Music Association Female Vocalist of the Year in 1974, making her the first British singer to have won the award. Consequently, defeating more established Nashville-based nominees
Loretta Lynn
Loretta Lynn (; April 14, 1932 – October 4, 2022) was an American country music singer and songwriter. In a career spanning six decades, Lynn released multiple gold albums. She had numerous hits such as " You Ain't Woman Enough (To Take My M ...
,
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, known primarily for her work in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album d ...
and
Tanya Tucker
Tanya Denise Tucker (born October 10, 1958) is an American country music singer and songwriter who had her first hit, "Delta Dawn", in 1972 at the age of 13. Over the succeeding decades, Tucker became one of the few child performers to mature int ...
, as well as Canadian artist
Anne Murray
Morna Anne Murray (born June 20, 1945) is a retired Canadian singer. Her albums, consisting primarily of pop, country, and adult contemporary music, have sold over 55 million copies worldwide during her over 40-year career.
Murray was the fir ...
.
This protest, in part, led to the formation of the short-lived Association of Country Entertainers (ACE). Newton-John was eventually supported by the country music community.
Stella Parton
Stella Mae Parton (born May 4, 1949) is an American country singer and songwriter widely known for a series of country singles that charted during the mid-to-late-1970s, her biggest hit being "I Want to Hold You in My Dreams Tonight" in 1975. Sh ...
, Dolly's sister, recorded "
Ode to Olivia
"Ode to Olivia" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Stella Parton. It appears on Parton's debut solo album, ''I Want to Hold You in My Dreams Tonight'', released in 1975. Written by Parton and Bob G. Dean, "Ode to Olivia" is a respons ...
" and Newton-John recorded her 1976 album, ''
Don't Stop Believin''', in
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the List of muni ...
.
Encouraged by expatriate Australian singer
Helen Reddy, Newton-John left the UK and moved to the US. Newton-John topped the Pop (one week) and Country (six weeks) albums charts with her next album, ''
Have You Never Been Mellow
''Have You Never Been Mellow'' is the fifth studio album by British-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John, released on 12 February 1975 by MCA Records.
Reception
Both the title single and the album rose to the top of their respective US charts ...
''. For 45 years, Olivia held the
Guinness World Record
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...
for the shortest gap (154 days) by a female between new Number 1 albums (''If You Love Me, Let Me Know > Have You Never Been Mellow'') on the US Billboard 200 album charts until
Taylor Swift
Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bor ...
in 2020 (140 days with ''
folklore
Folklore is shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the traditions common to that culture, subculture or group. This includes oral traditions such as tales, legends, proverbs and jokes. They include material culture, ranging ...
>
evermore''). The ''If You Love Me, Let Me Know'' album generated two singles – the
John Rostill
John Henry Rostill (16 June 1942 – 26 November 1973) was an English musician, bassist and composer, recruited by the Shadows to replace Brian Locking.
Biography
Born in Kings Norton, Birmingham, England, Rostill attended Rutlish School in ...
-penned title track (No. 1 Pop, No. 3 Country,
No. 1 AC)
and "
Please Mr. Please
"Please Mr. Please" is a song written by Bruce Welch and John Rostill, both members of British pop singer Cliff Richard's backing band, The Shadows.Hyatt, Wesley (1999). ''The Billboard Book of #1 Adult Contemporary Hits'' (Billboard Publication ...
" (No. 3 Pop, No. 5 Country, No. 1 AC).
Her pop career cooled with the release of her next album, ''
Clearly Love
''Clearly Love'' is the sixth studio album by Olivia Newton-John, released in September 1975.
Commercial performance
The album was certified gold in the US. and both of the album's singles were country chart hits, with " Something Better to Do" ...
''. Her streak of five consecutive gold top 10 singles on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100 ended when the album's first single, "
Something Better to Do", stopped at No. 13 (also No. 19 Country and No. 1 AC). Her albums still achieved gold status, and she returned to the top ten of the Hot 100 and
''Billboard'' 200 charts again in 1978.
Newton-John's singles continued to top the AC chart, where she amassed ten No. 1 singles, including a record seven consecutively:
* "
I Honestly Love You
"I Honestly Love You" is a song recorded by Olivia Newton-John released in 1974 on the album '' Long Live Love'' in United Kingdom and ''If You Love Me, Let Me Know'' in the United States. The song became a worldwide pop hit, her first number- ...
" (1974) – 3 weeks
* "
Have You Never Been Mellow
''Have You Never Been Mellow'' is the fifth studio album by British-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John, released on 12 February 1975 by MCA Records.
Reception
Both the title single and the album rose to the top of their respective US charts ...
" (1975) – 1 week
* "
Please Mr. Please
"Please Mr. Please" is a song written by Bruce Welch and John Rostill, both members of British pop singer Cliff Richard's backing band, The Shadows.Hyatt, Wesley (1999). ''The Billboard Book of #1 Adult Contemporary Hits'' (Billboard Publication ...
" (1975) – 3 weeks
* "
Something Better to Do" (1975) – 3 weeks
* "
Let It Shine"/"
He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother
"He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" is a ballad written by Bobby Scott and Bob Russell. Originally recorded by Kelly Gordon in 1969, the song became a worldwide hit for the Hollies later that year and also a hit for Neil Diamond in 1970. It h ...
" (1976) – 2 weeks
* "
Come on Over
''Come On Over'' is the third studio album by Canadian country music singer Shania Twain. It was released on November 4, 1997, by Mercury Records. Produced by Robert John "Mutt" Lange, the album became the best-selling country album, the best ...
" (1976) – 1 week
* "
Don't Stop Believin'
"Don't Stop Believin' is a song by American rock band Journey. It was released in October 1981 as the second single from the group's seventh studio album, ''Escape'' (1981), released through Columbia Records. "Don't Stop Believin'" shares writ ...
" (1976) – 1 week
She provided a prominent, but uncredited, vocal on
John Denver
Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. (December 31, 1943 – October 12, 1997), known professionally as John Denver, was an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, actor, activist, and humanitarian whose greatest commercial success was as a solo singe ...
's "
Fly Away" single, which was succeeded by her own single, "
Let It Shine"/"
He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother
"He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" is a ballad written by Bobby Scott and Bob Russell. Originally recorded by Kelly Gordon in 1969, the song became a worldwide hit for the Hollies later that year and also a hit for Neil Diamond in 1970. It h ...
", at No. 1 on the AC chart. ("
Fly Away" returned to No. 1 after the two-week reign of "
Let It Shine".) Newton-John also continued to reach the Country top 10 where she tallied seven top 10 singles through 1976's "
Come on Over
''Come On Over'' is the third studio album by Canadian country music singer Shania Twain. It was released on November 4, 1997, by Mercury Records. Produced by Robert John "Mutt" Lange, the album became the best-selling country album, the best ...
" (No. 23 Pop, No. 5 Country,
No. 1 AC) and six consecutive (of a career nine total) top 10 albums through 1976's ''
Don't Stop Believin''' (No. 30 Pop, No. 7 Country).
She headlined her first US television special, ''A Special Olivia Newton-John'', in November 1976.
In 1977, the single "
Sam", a mid-tempo
waltz
The waltz ( ), meaning "to roll or revolve") is a ballroom and folk dance, normally in triple ( time), performed primarily in closed position.
History
There are many references to a sliding or gliding dance that would evolve into the wa ...
from ''Don't Stop Believin, returned her to the No. 1 spot on the AC (No. 40 Country) and also reached No. 20 Pop, her highest chart placement since "Something Better to Do". By mid-1977, Newton-John's pop, AC, and country success all suffered a slight blow. Her ''
Making a Good Thing Better
''Making a Good Thing Better'' is the ninth studio album by British-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John, released on June 1977.
The album peaked at No. 34 on the US Pop chart and No. 13 on the Country chart. It was Newton-John's first album no ...
'' album (No. 34 Pop, No. 13 Country) was not certified gold, and its only single, the title track (No. 87 Pop, No. 20 AC), did not reach the AC top 10 or the Country chart. Later that year, ''
Olivia Newton-John's Greatest Hits'' (No. 13 Pop, No. 7 Country) became her first
platinum album
Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...
.
Newton-John was appointed
Officer of the Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
(OBE) in the
1979 New Year Honours
The New Year Honours 1979 were appointments in many of the Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries. They were announced on 1 January 1979 to celebr ...
and
Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the
2020 New Year Honours for services to charity, cancer research, and entertainment.
Lawsuit against MCA Records
In April 1975, Newton-John and
MCA entered into an initial two-year, four-album deal in which she was expected to deliver two LPs a year for the record company. MCA also had the option of extending the contract for six more records and three more years; and if the artist did not deliver on time, MCA was allegedly allowed to increase the term of the commitment to account for the lateness.
Per her new agreement with MCA, Newton-John's first three albums, beginning with ''
Clearly Love
''Clearly Love'' is the sixth studio album by Olivia Newton-John, released in September 1975.
Commercial performance
The album was certified gold in the US. and both of the album's singles were country chart hits, with " Something Better to Do" ...
'', came out on schedule. Her fourth, ''
Making a Good Thing Better
''Making a Good Thing Better'' is the ninth studio album by British-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John, released on June 1977.
The album peaked at No. 34 on the US Pop chart and No. 13 on the Country chart. It was Newton-John's first album no ...
'', was late. This delay occurred around the same time she was working on ''
Grease'' for
RSO Records
RSO Records was a record label formed by rock and roll and musical theatre impresario Robert Stigwood and record executive Al Coury in 1973. The letters "RSO" stood for the Robert Stigwood Organisation.
RSO managed the careers of several ma ...
, and the postponement arguably gave MCA—which seemed to want to keep its hold on the performer—the right to exercise its option, extend its contract, and stop her from signing with another enterprise. She also did not deliver a "newly optioned" album.
On 31 May 1978, Newton-John and MCA each filed breach-of-contract actions against the other. Newton-John sued for $10 million and claimed that MCA's failure to adequately promote and advertise her product freed her from their agreement. MCA's countersuit requested $1 million in damages and an injunction against Newton-John working with another music firm.
Ultimately, Newton-John was forbidden from offering her recording services to another label until the five-year pact had run its course. The original covenant was not automatically extended, though she had not duly supplied the total sum of vinyls indicated in the contract.
As a result of the lawsuit, record companies changed their contracts to be based on a set number of albums recorded by a musician and not a specific number of years.
''Grease''
Newton-John's career soared after she starred in the
film adaptation
A film adaptation is the transfer of a work or story, in whole or in part, to a feature film. Although often considered a type of derivative work, film adaptation has been conceptualized recently by academic scholars such as Robert Stam as a dial ...
of the Broadway musical ''
Grease'' in 1978. She was offered the lead role of Sandy after meeting producer
Allan Carr
Allan Carr (born Allan Solomon; May 27, 1937 – June 29, 1999) was an American producer and manager of stage for the screen. Carr was nominated for numerous awards, winning a Tony Award and two People's Choice Awards, and was named Producer o ...
at a dinner party at
Helen Reddy's home.
Disillusioned by her ''
Toomorrow'' experience and concerned that she was too old to play a high school senior (she was 28 during the filming of ''Grease''), Newton-John insisted on a
screen test
A screen test is a method of determining the suitability of an actor or actress for performing on film or in a particular role. The performer is generally given a scene, or selected lines and actions, and instructed to perform in front of a came ...
with the film's co-lead,
John Travolta.
The film accounted for Newton-John's Australian accent by changing her original American character, Sandy Dumbrowski, into Sandy Olsson, an Australian who holidays in the United States and then moves there with her family. Newton-John previewed some of the film's soundtrack during her second American network television special, ''Olivia'', featuring guests
ABBA
ABBA ( , , formerly named Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid or Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Frida) are a Swedish supergroup formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The group's ...
and
Andy Gibb
Andrew Roy Gibb (5 March 1958 – 10 March 1988) was an English singer, songwriter, and actor. He was the younger brother of Barry, Robin and Maurice, who went on to form the Bee Gees.
Gibb came to prominence in the late 1970s through th ...
.
''
Grease'' became the biggest box-office hit of 1978.
The soundtrack album spent 12 non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 and yielded three Top 5 singles for Newton-John: the platinum "
You're the One That I Want
"You're the One That I Want" is a song performed by American actor and singer John Travolta and Anglo-Australian singer, songwriter and actress Olivia Newton-John for the 1978 film version of the musical '' Grease''. It was written and produc ...
" (No. 1 Pop, No. 23 AC) with John Travolta, the gold "
Hopelessly Devoted to You" (No. 3 Pop, No. 20 Country, No. 7 AC) and the gold "
Summer Nights" (No. 5 Pop, No. 21 AC) with John Travolta and the film's cast. "
Summer Nights" was from the original play written by
Jim Jacobs
Jim Jacobs (born October 7, 1942) is an American actor, composer, lyricist, and writer for the theatre, long associated with the Chicago theater scene.
Jacobs is best known for creating the book, storyline, characters, lyrics for the 1971 musi ...
and
Warren Casey
Warren Casey (April 20, 1935 – November 8, 1988) was an American theater composer, lyricist, writer, and actor. He was the writer and composer, with Jim Jacobs, of the stage musical '' Grease''.
Career
Warren Casey was born on April 20, 1935, ...
, but the former two songs were written and composed by her long-time music producer,
John Farrar
John Clifford Farrar ( ; born 8 November 1946) is an Australian music producer, songwriter, arranger, singer, and guitarist. As a musician, Farrar is a former member of several rock and roll groups including The Mustangs (1963–64), The Stra ...
, specifically for the film.
Newton-John became the second woman (after
Linda Ronstadt
Linda Maria Ronstadt (born July 15, 1946) is a retired American singer who performed and recorded in diverse genres including rock, country, light opera, the Great American Songbook, and Latin. She has earned 11 Grammy Awards, three American ...
in 1977) to have two singles – "Hopelessly Devoted to You" and "Summer Nights" – in the ''Billboard'' top 5 simultaneously.
Newton-John's performance earned her a
People's Choice Award
The People's Choice Awards is an American awards show, recognizing people in entertainment, voted online by the general public and fans. The show has been held annually since 1975, with the winners originally determined using Gallup Polls until ...
for Favourite Film Actress. She was nominated for a
Golden Globe as Best Actress in a Musical and performed the Oscar-nominated "Hopelessly Devoted to You" at the 1979
Academy Awards
The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
.
The film's popularity has endured through the years. It was re-released for its 20th anniversary in 1998
and ranked as the second highest-grossing film behind ''
Titanic
RMS ''Titanic'' was a British passenger liner, operated by the White Star Line, which sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on 15 April 1912 after striking an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City, United ...
'' in its opening weekend. It was re-shown in April 2018 in over 700 American theatres for two days only. The soundtrack is one of the best-selling soundtracks of all time. Following her death in August 2022, AMC announced that the picture would reappear in some of its cinemas over the weekend and that a portion of the proceeds would go to breast cancer research.
Of the film's long-lasting likability, Newton-John contended: "I think the songs are timeless. They're fun and have great energy. The '50s-feel music has always been popular, and it's nostalgic for my generation, and then the young kids are rediscovering it every 10 years or so, it seems. People buying the album was a way for them to remember those feelings of watching the movie and feelings of that time period. I feel very grateful to be a part of this movie that's still loved so much."
Lawsuit against UMG
In June 2006, Newton-John's company ON-J Productions Ltd filed a lawsuit against
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch– American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...
(UMG) for $1 million in unpaid royalties from the ''Grease'' soundtrack. In 2007, it was announced that she and UMG had reached a "conditional settlement".
New image
In November 1978, she released her next studio album, ''
Totally Hot
''Totally Hot'' is the tenth studio album by British-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John, released on 21 November 1978. Commercially, it became her first top-ten album on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart since ''Have You Never Been Mellow'' (1975). ...
'', which became her first solo top 10 (No. 7) album since ''Have You Never Been Mellow''. Dressed on the cover all in leather, Newton-John capitalised on her character's look that was introduced at the end of ''Grease;'' moreover, ''Totally Hot''
's singles – "
A Little More Love" (No. 3 Pop, No. 94 Country, No. 4 AC), "
Deeper Than the Night
"Deeper Than the Night" is a song by Olivia Newton-John. It was released as the second single from Newton-John's tenth studio album, '' Totally Hot''.
The song reached No. 11 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and No. 18 in Canada. On the adult c ...
" (No. 11 Pop, No. 87 Country, No. 4 AC), and the title track (No. 52 Pop) – all demonstrated a more aggressive and uptempo sound for Newton-John.
Although the album de-emphasised the country sound, the LP still reached No. 4 on the Country Albums chart. Newton-John released the B-side, "Dancin' 'Round and 'Round", of the "Totally Hot" single to Country radio. The entry peaked at No. 29 (as well as No. 82 Pop and No. 25 AC), and it became her last charted solo Country airplay single.
Newton-John began 1980 by releasing "
I Can't Help It" (No. 12 Pop, No. 8 AC), a duet with
Andy Gibb
Andrew Roy Gibb (5 March 1958 – 10 March 1988) was an English singer, songwriter, and actor. He was the younger brother of Barry, Robin and Maurice, who went on to form the Bee Gees.
Gibb came to prominence in the late 1970s through th ...
from his ''
After Dark'' album, and by starring in her third television special, ''Hollywood Nights''. Later that year, she appeared in her first film since ''Grease'' when she starred with
Gene Kelly and
Michael Beck
John Michael Beck Taylor (born February 4, 1949), commonly known as Michael Beck, is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Swan in '' The Warriors'' (1979) and Sonny Malone in '' Xanadu'' (1980).
Early life
Beck was born in Memphis, T ...
in the musical fantasy ''
Xanadu''. Although the film was a critical failure,
its soundtrack (No. 4 Pop) was certified double platinum and scored five top 20 singles on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.
Newton-John charted with "
Magic
Magic or Magick most commonly refers to:
* Magic (supernatural), beliefs and actions employed to influence supernatural beings and forces
* Ceremonial magic, encompasses a wide variety of rituals of magic
* Magical thinking, the belief that unrela ...
" (No. 1 Pop, No. 1 AC), "
Suddenly" with
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard (born Harry Rodger Webb; 14 October 1940) is an Indian-born British musican, singer, producer, entrepreneur and philanthropist who holds both British and Barbadian citizenship. He has total sales of over 21.5 million s ...
(No. 20 Pop, No. 4 AC) and the title song "
Xanadu" with the
Electric Light Orchestra (No. 8 Pop, No. 2 AC).
LO also charted with "I'm Alive" (No. 16 Pop, No. 48 AC) and "All Over the World" (No. 13 Pop, No. 46 AC).
"Magic" was Newton-John's biggest pop hit to that point (four weeks at No. 1)
and still ranks as the biggest AC hit of her career (five weeks at No. 1). The film has since become a cult classic and the basis for a
Broadway show
Broadway theatre,Although ''theater'' is generally the spelling for this common noun in the United States (see American and British English spelling differences), 130 of the 144 extant and extinct Broadway venues use (used) the spelling ''Th ...
that ran for more than 500 performances beginning in 2007 and was nominated for four
Tony Awards
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...
including Best Musical.
In 1981, Newton-John released her most successful studio album, the double platinum ''
Physical
Physical may refer to:
*Physical examination
In a physical examination, medical examination, or clinical examination, a medical practitioner examines a patient for any possible medical signs or symptoms of a medical condition. It generally co ...
'', which strongly reinforced her image change by showcasing risqué, rock-oriented material. Newton-John explained ..."I just wasn't in the mood for tender ballads. I wanted peppy stuff because that's how I'm feeling."
Of the title cut, Newton-John said ..."
Roger Davies was my manager at the time; he played it for me and I knew it was a very catchy song."
The title track, written by
Steve Kipner
Stephen Alan Kipner (born 1950) is an American-born Australian songwriter and record producer, with hits spanning a 40-year period, including chart-topping songs such as Olivia Newton-John's "Physical", Natasha Bedingfield's "These Words", an ...
and Terry Shaddick, spent ten weeks atop the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.
This matched the record at that time held by
Debby Boone
Deborah Anne Boone (born September 22, 1956) is an American singer, author, and actress. She is best known for her 1977 hit, " You Light Up My Life", which spent ten weeks at No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart and led to her winning the ...
's "
You Light Up My Life" for most weeks spent at No. 1 in the rock era. The single was certified platinum, and it ultimately ranked as the biggest song of the decade. (In 2008, ''Billboard'' ranked the song No. 6 among all songs that charted in the 50-year history of the Hot 100.)
"Physical" earned Newton-John her only placement ever on the R&B Singles (No. 28) and Albums (No. 32) charts. The ''Physical'' album spawned two more singles, "
Make a Move on Me
"Make a Move on Me" is a song recorded by singer Olivia Newton-John for her eleventh studio album. ''Physical'' (1981). It was written by John Farrar and Tom Snow, and produced by the former. The follow-up single to the number-one hit "Physical ...
" (No. 5 Pop, No. 6 AC)
and "Landslide" (No. 52 Pop).
The provocative lyrics of the "Physical" title track prompted two
Utah
Utah ( , ) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to it ...
radio stations to ban the single from their playlists. (In 2010,
''Billboard'' magazine ranked this as the most popular single ever about sex.) To counter its overtly suggestive tone, Newton-John filmed an exercise-themed video that turned the song into an
aerobics
Aerobics is a form of physical exercise that combines rhythmic aerobic exercise with stretching and strength training routines with the goal of improving all elements of fitness ( flexibility, muscular strength, and cardio-vascular fitness). ...
anthem and made
headbands a fashion accessory outside the gym.
She helped pioneer the music video industry by recording a
video album
A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device ...
for ''Physical'', featuring videos of all the album's tracks and three of her older hits. The video album earned her a fourth Grammy and was aired as an ABC prime-time special, ''Let's Get Physical'',
becoming a top-10
Nielsen hit. Newton-John said that "Like everyone, I've got different sides of my personality. I've my dominant self, my need-to-be-dominated self, the sane Olivia and the crazy Olivia. Playing these different characters gave me a chance to show strange parts people haven't seen much."
The success of ''Physical'' led to an international tour and the release of her second hits collection, the double-platinum ''
Olivia's Greatest Hits Vol. 2'' (No. 16 Pop), which yielded two more top-40 singles: "
Heart Attack
A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may tr ...
" (No. 3 Pop)
and "Tied Up" (No. 38 Pop). The tour was filmed for her ''Olivia in Concert'' television special, which premiered on
HBO
Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...
in January 1983. The special was subsequently released to video, earning Newton-John another Grammy nomination.
Newton-John reteamed with Travolta in 1983 for the critically and commercially unsuccessful movie ''
Two of a Kind'', redeemed by its platinum soundtrack (No. 26 Pop) featuring "
Twist of Fate" (No. 5 Pop),
"Livin' in Desperate Times" (No. 31 Pop), and a new duet with Travolta, "Take a Chance" (No. 3 AC). Newton-John released another video package, the Grammy-nominated ''Twist of Fate'', featuring videos of her four songs on the ''Two of a Kind'' soundtrack and the two new singles from ''Olivia's Greatest Hits Vol. 2''.
That same year Newton-John and Pat Farrar (formerly Pat Carroll) founded Koala Blue.
The store, originally for Australian imports, evolved into a chain of women's clothing boutiques.
The chain was initially successful, but it eventually declared bankruptcy and closed in 1992.
Newton-John and Farrar later licensed the brand name for a line of Australian wines.
Newton-John, a supporter of
Australian rules football
Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field, often a modified cricket ground. Points are scored by k ...
Carlton
Carlton may refer to:
People
* Carlton (name), a list of those with the given name or surname
* Carlton (singer), English soul singer Carlton McCarthy
* Carlton, a pen name used by Joseph Caldwell (1773–1835), American educator, Presbyterian ...
, performed the
Australian national anthem
"Advance Australia Fair" is the national anthem of Australia. Written by Scottish-born composer Peter Dodds McCormick, the song was first performed in 1878, sung in Australia as a patriotic song. It first replaced "God Save the Queen" as the ...
at the
1986 VFL Grand Final between Carlton and
Hawthorn
Hawthorn or Hawthorns may refer to:
Plants
* '' Crataegus'' (hawthorn), a large genus of shrubs and trees in the family Rosaceae
* ''Rhaphiolepis'' (hawthorn), a genus of about 15 species of evergreen shrubs and small trees in the family Rosace ...
.
Newton-John's music career cooled again with the release of her next studio album, the gold
''
Soul Kiss
''Soul Kiss'' is the twelfth studio album by English-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John, released on 25 October 1985 by Mercury Records in Europe, by Festival Records in Australia, and by MCA Records in the United States. It reached 11 ...
'' (No. 29 Pop),
in 1985.
The album's only charted single was the title track (No. 20 Pop, No. 20 AC).
The video album for ''Soul Kiss'' featured only five of the album's ten tracks (concept videos for the album's singles "Soul Kiss" and "Toughen Up" as well as performance videos of the tracks "Culture Shock", "Emotional Tangle" and "The Right Moment").
After a nearly three-year hiatus following the birth of her daughter Chloe in January 1986, Newton-John resumed her recording career with the 1988 album ''
The Rumour
The Rumour was an English rock band in the late 1970s and early 1980s. They are best known as the backup band for Graham Parker, whose early records (from 1976 to 1980) were credited to Graham Parker & The Rumour. However, The Rumour also ...
''. The album was promoted by an HBO special, ''Olivia Down Under''. Its first single, the title track, was written and produced by
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...
. Both the single (No. 62 Pop, No. 33 AC) and the album (No. 67 Pop) faltered commercially as the nearly 40-year-old Newton-John seemed "old" when compared with the teen queens
Debbie Gibson
Deborah Ann Gibson (born August 31, 1970) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer and actress.
Gibson released her debut album '' Out of the Blue'' in 1987, which spawned several international hits, later being certified triple plati ...
and
Tiffany ruling the pop charts at that time. (The album was praised by critics as more mature, with Newton-John addressing topics such as
AIDS
Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual m ...
("Love and Let Live"), the environment and single-parent households.)
The second single, "Can't We Talk It Over in Bed", did not chart, but was released in 1989 by
Grayson Hugh, the song's arranger, and became a top-20 pop hit as "Talk It Over".
Motherhood, cancer, and advocacy
In September 1989, Newton-John released her self-described "self-indulgent" album, ''
Warm and Tender'', which reunited her with producer John Farrar, absent from her previous LP, and also marked a return to a more wholesome image of herself. Inspired by her daughter, who appeared on the cover, the album featured
lullabies
A lullaby (), or cradle song, is a soothing song or piece of music that is usually played for (or sung to) children (for adults see music and sleep). The purposes of lullabies vary. In some societies they are used to pass down cultural knowledg ...
and love songs for parents and their children.
This album, the last one produced by Farrar, also failed to revive her recording career, as the disc reached only No. 124 Pop.
Newton-John was primed for another comeback in 1992 when she compiled her third hits collection, ''
Back to Basics: The Essential Collection 1971–1992'', and planned her first tour since her ''Physical'' trek ten years earlier. Shortly after the album's release, Newton-John was diagnosed with breast cancer, forcing her to cancel all publicity for the album, including the tour. She received her diagnosis the same weekend her father died. Newton-John recovered and later became an advocate for breast cancer research and other health issues. She was a product spokesperson for the Liv-Kit, a breast self-examination product. She was also partial owner of the
Gaia
In Greek mythology, Gaia (; from Ancient Greek , a poetical form of , 'land' or 'earth'),, , . also spelled Gaea , is the personification of the Earth and one of the Greek primordial deities. Gaia is the ancestral mother—sometimes parthenog ...
Retreat and Spa in
Byron Bay, New South Wales
Byron Bay (Minjungbal: ''Cavvanbah)'' is a beachside town located in the far-northeastern corner of the state of New South Wales, Australia on Bundjalung Country. It is located north of Sydney and south of Brisbane. Cape Byron, a hea ...
.
Newton-John's advocacy for health issues was presaged by her prior involvement with many humanitarian causes. Newton-John cancelled a 1978 concert tour of Japan to protest the slaughter of dolphins caught in
tuna
A tuna is a saltwater fish that belongs to the tribe Thunnini, a subgrouping of the Scombridae (mackerel) family. The Thunnini comprise 15 species across five genera, the sizes of which vary greatly, ranging from the bullet tuna (max length: ...
fishing nets
A fishing net is a net used for fishing. Nets are devices made from fibers woven in a grid-like structure. Some fishing nets are also called fish traps, for example fyke nets. Fishing nets are usually meshes formed by knotting a relatively thi ...
. She subsequently rescheduled the tour when the
Japanese government assured her that the practice was being curbed.
Her concern for these "beautifully evolved creatures" (as she called them in the ''Warm and Tender'' liner notes) is also expressed in the 1981 self-penned piece, "The Promise (the Dolphin Song)", described as "one of the most tender, heartfelt vocals of the singer's career."
Newton-John said that "The Promise" (from ''Physical'') was inspired by (and even channelled by) dolphins she met at
Sea Life Park
Sea Life Park Hawaii is a marine mammal park, bird sanctuary and aquarium in Waimānalo near Makapuʻu Point, north of Hanauma Bay on the island of Oahu in Hawaii, United States. The park first opened in 1964, and includes exhibits that let visi ...
in Hawaii and attested: "It was strange. The morning after I was in the pools, I woke up and the words and melody were in my head. I think it was a gift from them."
She was a performer on the 1979 ''
Music for UNICEF Concert
The Music for UNICEF Concert: A Gift of Song was a benefit concert of popular music held in the United Nations General Assembly in New York City on January 9, 1979. It was intended to raise money for UNICEF world hunger programs and to mark the b ...
'' for the UN's
televised worldwide. During the concert, artists performed songs for which they donated their royalties, some in perpetuity, to benefit the cause. She was appointed a
Goodwill ambassador
Goodwill ambassador is a post-nominal honorific title, a professional occupation and/or authoritative designation that is assigned to a person who advocates for a specific cause or global issue on the basis of their notability such as a public ...
to the
United Nations Environment Programme
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is responsible for coordinating responses to environmental issues within the United Nations system. It was established by Maurice Strong, its first director, after the United Nations Conference on th ...
.
In 1991, she became the National Spokesperson for the Colette Chuda Environmental Fund/CHEC (Children's Health Environmental Coalition) following the death from
Wilms' tumour
Wilms' tumor or Wilms tumor, also known as nephroblastoma, is a cancer of the kidneys that typically occurs in children, rarely in adults.; and occurs most commonly as a renal tumor in child patients. It is named after Max Wilms, the German surge ...
of five-year-old Colette Chuda, daughter of Newton-John's friend Nancy Chuda.
Newton-John's cancer diagnosis also affected the type of music she recorded. In 1994, she released ''
Gaia: One Woman's Journey'', which chronicled her ordeal. Co-produced by Newton-John for ONJ Productions, ''Gaia'' was originally issued by
Festival
A festival is an event ordinarily celebrated by a community and centering on some characteristic aspect or aspects of that community and its religion or cultures. It is often marked as a local or national holiday, mela, or eid. A festival c ...
in Australia but also distributed by various independent labels in Japan and Europe. In 2002, there was an American distribution by
Hip-O Records, and a subsequent re-release in 2012 by Green Hill featured an alternative cover photo. ''Gaia'' was the first album on which Newton-John wrote all the music and lyrics herself, and this endeavour encouraged her to become more active as a songwriter thereafter. The single "No Matter What You Do" entered the Australian top 40, and the second single, the environmentally themed "Don't Cut Me Down", was also used in the film ''
It's My Party''. The Latin-fuelled "Not Gonna Give into It" eventually became heavily showcased in concert performance; "The Way of Love" was featured in the telefilm ''
A Christmas Romance
''A Christmas Romance'' is a 1994 American made-for-television Christmas romantic drama film directed by Sheldon Larry and starring Olivia Newton-John, Gregory Harrison and Chloe Lattanzi, Newton-John's real-life daughter. It was written by Darrah ...
'', and "Trust Yourself" was incorporated into both the TV-movie ''The Wilde Girls'' and the theatrical flick ''
Sordid Lives
Sordid may refer to:
* Paul Sordid (20th century), English drummer
* Sordid (character), a fictional character in the ''Simon the Sorcerer'' series of video games
{{Disambig ...
''.
Newton-John was listed as president of the
Isle of Man
)
, anthem = "O Land of Our Birth"
, image = Isle of Man by Sentinel-2.jpg
, image_map = Europe-Isle_of_Man.svg
, mapsize =
, map_alt = Location of the Isle of Man in Europe
, map_caption = Location of the Isle of Man (green)
in Europe ...
Basking shark
The basking shark (''Cetorhinus maximus'') is the second-largest living shark and fish, after the whale shark, and one of three plankton-eating shark species, along with the whale shark and megamouth shark. Adults typically reach in leng ...
Society between 1998 and 2005.
In 2005, she released ''
Stronger Than Before'', sold exclusively in the United States by Hallmark. This was her second exclusive album for
Hallmark Cards
Hallmark Cards, Inc. is a private, family-owned American company based in Kansas City, Missouri. Founded in 1910 by Joyce Hall, Hallmark is the oldest and largest manufacturer of greeting cards in the United States. In 1985, the company was award ...
after her successful first Christmas album ''Tis the Season'' with
Vince Gill
Vincent Grant Gill (born April 12, 1957) is an American country music singer, songwriter and musician. He has achieved commercial success and fame both as frontman of the country rock band Pure Prairie League in the 1970s and as a solo artist ...
five years earlier. Proceeds from the album's sales benefited breast cancer research. The album featured the song "Phenomenal Woman" based on the poem by
Maya Angelou that featured guest vocals from
Diahann Carroll,
Beth Nielsen Chapman,
Delta Goodrem,
Amy Holland
Amy Celeste Boersma, known professionally as Amy Holland, is an American pop rock singer, songwriter, and composer.
Holland's music career spans more than 30 years. She received a Grammy Award nomination for Best New Artist in 1981, following h ...
,
Patti LaBelle and
Mindy Smith
Melinda Leigh Smith (born June 1, 1972, Long Island, New York) is an American singer-songwriter. Her first record deal came after she sang a cover version of the song " Jolene" by Dolly Parton.
Music career
Smith was adopted at birth by a non- ...
– all survivors of or affected by cancer.
The following year, Newton-John released a healing CD, ''
Grace and Gratitude
''Grace and Gratitude'' is the twenty-first studio album by Australian singer Olivia Newton-John. The album was released 25 August 2006 through EMI exclusively by Walgreens to benefit various charities of cancer and re-released on 14 September ...
''. The album was sold exclusively by
Walgreens
Walgreen Company, d/b/a Walgreens, is an American company that operates the second-largest pharmacy store chain in the United States behind CVS Health. It specializes in filling prescriptions, health and wellness products, health information, a ...
, also to benefit various charities including
Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization. The CD was the "heart" of their ''Body — Heart — Spirit'' Wellness Collection, which also featured a re-branded Liv-Kit and breast-health dietary supplements. She re-recorded some tracks from ''Grace and Gratitude'' in 2010 and re-released the album as ''
Grace and Gratitude Renewed'' on the Green Hill music label. The ''Renewed'' CD includes a new track, "Help Me to Heal", not featured on the original album.
In 2008, she raised funds to help build the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre in
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
, Australia. She led a three-week, 228 km walk along the
Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China (, literally "ten thousand ''li'' wall") is a series of fortifications that were built across the historical northern borders of ancient Chinese states and Imperial China as protection against various nomadic grou ...
during April, joined by various celebrities and
cancer survivor
A cancer survivor is a person with cancer of any type who is still living. Whether a person becomes a survivor at the time of diagnosis or after completing treatment, whether people who are actively dying are considered survivors, and whether ...
s throughout her trek. The walk symbolised the steps cancer patients must take on their road to recovery.
She released a companion CD, ''A Celebration in Song'', the following month in Australia and later worldwide, featuring new and previously recorded duets by "Olivia Newton-John & Friends", including
Jann Arden
Jann Arden (born Jann Arden Anne Richards; March 27, 1962) is a Canadian singer-songwriter and actress. She is famous for her signature ballads, "Could I Be Your Girl" and " Insensitive", which is her biggest hit to date.
Early life and educat ...
,
Jimmy Barnes
James Dixon "Jimmy" Barnes (née Swan; born 28 April 1956) is a Scottish-born Australian rock singer. His career, both as a solo performer and as the lead vocalist with the rock band Cold Chisel, has made him one of the most popular and best- ...
,
John Farrar
John Clifford Farrar ( ; born 8 November 1946) is an Australian music producer, songwriter, arranger, singer, and guitarist. As a musician, Farrar is a former member of several rock and roll groups including The Mustangs (1963–64), The Stra ...
,
Barry Gibb
Sir Barry Alan Crompton Gibb (born 1 September 1946) is a British musician, singer-songwriter and record producer. He rose to worldwide fame as a member of the Bee Gees, one of the most commercially successful groups in the history of popul ...
,
Delta Goodrem,
Sun Ho
Reverend Ho Yeow Sun (), better known as Sun Ho, is a Singaporean Christian pastor and co-founder of City Harvest Church, and former Mandopop singer.
Early life
Ho studied at Anglican High School and Victoria Junior College. Born in Singap ...
,
Richard Marx,
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard (born Harry Rodger Webb; 14 October 1940) is an Indian-born British musican, singer, producer, entrepreneur and philanthropist who holds both British and Barbadian citizenship. He has total sales of over 21.5 million s ...
,
Melinda Schneider
Melinda Schneider (born Melinda-Jane Bean; 7 October 1971) is an Australian country music singer and songwriter and radio host. Schneider has been performing since she was three and sang with her mother, the renowned yodelling country artist Mar ...
,
Amy Sky
Amy Sky (born 24 September 1960) is a Canadian singer-songwriter, record producer, theatre actress, and television host. Sky started classical music lessons at the age of five, and plays piano, guitar, cello and recorder. She has a degree from t ...
, and
Keith Urban
Keith Lionel Urban (born 26 October 1967) is an Australian-American musician, singer, guitarist and songwriter known for his work in country music. Recognized with four Grammy Awards, Urban also received fifteen Academy of Country Music Award ...
. In 2016, Newton-John re-teamed with Amy Sky and Beth Nielsen Chapman to form a trio for the album ''
Liv On''.
Newton-John was featured in UniGlobe Entertainment's breast cancer docu-drama, ''
1 a Minute'', released in October 2010. The documentary was made by actress
Namrata Singh Gujral
Namrata Singh Gujral (born February 26, 1976) is an American filmmaker, motivational speaker and actor.
Life and career
Gujral was born in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, but left India at a young age. A devout Sikh by faith, she graduated in 1 ...
and featured other celebrities who had survived breast cancer or who were affected by the disease. During the same month,
Bluewater Productions released a comic book featuring Newton-John to coincide with
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM), also referred to in the United States as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM), is an annual international health campaign organized by major breast cancer charities every October to increase awaren ...
.
Later career
Newton-John continued to record and perform pop-oriented music as well. In 1998, she returned to
Nashville
Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and the ...
to record ''
Back with a Heart
''Back with a Heart'' is the sixteenth studio album by British-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John. It was released by MCA Nashville on 12 May 1998 in the United States. Her first album in four years, it marked her return to country music after ...
'' (No. 59 Pop).
The album returned her to the top 10 (No. 9) on the Country Albums chart. Its first single was a re-recording of "
I Honestly Love You
"I Honestly Love You" is a song recorded by Olivia Newton-John released in 1974 on the album '' Long Live Love'' in United Kingdom and ''If You Love Me, Let Me Know'' in the United States. The song became a worldwide pop hit, her first number- ...
" produced by
David Foster
David Walter Foster (born November 1, 1949) is a Canadian musician, composer, arranger, record producer and music executive who chaired Verve Records from 2012 to 2016. He has won 16 Grammy Awards from 47 nominations. His music career spans mor ...
and featuring
Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds
Kenneth Brian Edmonds (born April 10, 1959), better known by his stage name Babyface, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He has written and produced over 26 number-one R&B hits throughout his career and has won 12 Grammy A ...
on background vocals
that charted on the Pop (No. 67) and AC (No. 18) charts. Country radio dismissed the song, though it did peak at No. 16 on the Country Sales chart. The album track, "Love Is a Gift", won Newton-John a 1999
Daytime Emmy Award
The Daytime Emmy Awards, or Daytime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the New York–based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences ...
for Outstanding Original Song after being featured on the daytime serial, ''
As the World Turns
''As the World Turns'' (often abbreviated as ''ATWT'') is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS for 54 years from April 2, 1956, to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created ''As the World Turns'' as a sister show to her other soa ...
''.
During October–December 1998, Newton-John,
John Farnham and
Anthony Warlow performed in The Main Event Tour.
The album ''
Highlights from The Main Event
''Highlights from The Main Event'' is an Australian live album released in 1998, which consists of performances from the collaborative The Main Event Tour by John Farnham, Olivia Newton-John, and Anthony Warlow. The album peaked at No. 1 o ...
'' peaked at No. 1 in December, was certified 4× platinum, won an
ARIA Award
The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (commonly known informally as ARIA Music Awards, ARIA Awards, or simply the ARIAs) is an annual series of awards nights celebrating the Australian music industry, put on by the Austr ...
for Highest Selling Australian CD at the 1999 Awards and was also nominated for Best Adult Contemporary Album.
For the
2000 Summer Olympics
The 2000 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXVII Olympiad and also known as Sydney 2000 (Dharug: ''Gadigal 2000''), the Millennium Olympic Games or the Games of the New Millennium, was an international multi-sport event held from 1 ...
, Newton-John and Farnham re-teamed to perform "Dare to Dream" during the
Parade of Nations
The Olympic Games ceremonies of the Ancient Olympic Games were an integral part of these Games; the modern Olympic games have opening, closing, and medal ceremonies. Some of the elements of the modern ceremonies date back to the Ancient Games from ...
at the Opening Ceremony.
Broadcast of the ceremony was viewed by an estimated 3.5 billion people around the world.
In December 1998, following a hiatus of about 16 years, Newton-John also resumed touring by herself and in 2000 released a solo CD, ''
One Woman's Live Journey'', her first live album since 1981's ''
Love Performance
''Love Performance'' is the first live album by Australian singer-songwriter Olivia Newton-John. It was recorded in 1976, during the Love Performance Tour, in Japan. The tour promoted her 1976 album, ''Don't Stop Believin. The album was rel ...
''.
Newton-John's subsequent albums were released primarily in Australia. In 2002, she released ''
(2)'', a duets album featuring mostly Australian artists (
Tina Arena
Filippina Lydia "Tina" Arena (born 1 November 1967) is an Australian singer-songwriter, musician, musical theatre actress and record producer. She is one of Australia's highest-selling artists and has sold over 10 million records worldwid ...
,
Darren Hayes
Darren Stanley Hayes (born 8 May 1972) is an Australian singer and songwriter. He was the frontman and singer of the pop duo Savage Garden until their disbandment. Their 1997 album ''Savage Garden'' peaked at number 1 in Australia, number 2 in ...
, Jimmy Little, Johnny O'Keefe, Billy Thorpe and
Keith Urban
Keith Lionel Urban (born 26 October 1967) is an Australian-American musician, singer, guitarist and songwriter known for his work in country music. Recognized with four Grammy Awards, Urban also received fifteen Academy of Country Music Award ...
), as well as a "duet" with the deceased
Peter Allen. In addition, ''(2)'' offered a hidden 12th track, a samba version of "
Physical
Physical may refer to:
*Physical examination
In a physical examination, medical examination, or clinical examination, a medical practitioner examines a patient for any possible medical signs or symptoms of a medical condition. It generally co ...
" which Newton-John later performed occasionally in concert instead of the more rock-style original. The album's 2004 Japanese release includes the bonus track "Let It Be Me", a duet with Cliff Richard with whom she had previously been coupled on "Suddenly" and ''
Songs from Heathcliff
''Songs from Heathcliff'' is a studio album by English singer Cliff Richard, released in October 1995. It features ten songs from Richard's self-conceived musical '' Heathcliff'', in which Richard played the title character. The musical is bas ...
''.
In 2002, Newton-John was also inducted into Australia's
ARIA Hall of Fame
In music, an aria (Italian: ; plural: ''arie'' , or ''arias'' in common usage, diminutive form arietta , plural ariette, or in English simply air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrumental or orchestral accompanime ...
.
Produced by
Phil Ramone
Philip Ramone (né Rabinowitz, January 5, 1934March 30, 2013) was a South African-born American recording engineer, record producer, violinist and composer, who in 1958 co-founded A & R Recording, Inc., a recording studio with business pa ...
and recorded at the Indigo Recording Studios in Malibu for ONJ Productions, ''
Indigo: Women of Song'' was released in October 2004 in Australia. The tribute album featured Newton-John covering songs by artists such as
Joan Baez
Joan Chandos Baez (; born January 9, 1941) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and activist. Her contemporary folk music often includes songs of protest and social justice. Baez has performed publicly for over 60 years, releasing more ...
,
the Carpenters
The Carpenters (officially known as Carpenters) were an American vocal and instrumental duo consisting of siblings Karen Carpenter, Karen (1950–1983) and Richard Carpenter (musician), Richard Carpenter (born 1946). They produced a distinct ...
,
Doris Day,
Nina Simone
Eunice Kathleen Waymon (February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003), known professionally as Nina Simone (), was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, and civil rights activist. Her music spanned styles including classical, folk, gospel, blues, ...
,
Minnie Riperton
Minnie Julia Riperton Rudolph (November 8, 1947 – July 12, 1979)
was an American singer-songwriter best known for her 1975 single " Lovin' You" and her four octave D3 to F7 coloratura soprano range. She is also widely known for her use ...
. She dedicated the album to her mother, who had died the previous year of breast cancer. ''Indigo'' was subsequently released in the UK in April 2005 and in Japan in March 2006. A rebranded and resequenced version called ''Portraits: A Tribute to Great Women of Song'' was eventually issued in the United States in 2011.
Newton-John also released several Christmas albums. In 2000, she teamed with
Vince Gill
Vincent Grant Gill (born April 12, 1957) is an American country music singer, songwriter and musician. He has achieved commercial success and fame both as frontman of the country rock band Pure Prairie League in the 1970s and as a solo artist ...
and the
London Symphony Orchestra
The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London. Founded in 1904, the LSO is the oldest of London's orchestras, symphony orchestras. The LSO was created by a group of players who left Henry Wood's Queen's ...
for ''Tis the Season'' sold exclusively through Hallmark. The following year, she released ''The Christmas Collection'', which compiled seasonal music previously recorded for her Hallmark Christmas album, her appearance on
Kenny Loggins
Kenneth Clark Loggins (born January 7, 1948) is an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. His early songs were recorded with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in 1970, which led to seven albums recorded as Loggins and Messina from 1972 to 1977. His ...
' 1999 TNN Christmas special and her contributions to the ''Mother and Child'' and ''Spirit of Christmas'' multi-artist collections. (Green Hill Records re-released this album with different artwork in 2010.) In 2007, she re-teamed with her ''Grace and Gratitude'' producer,
Amy Sky
Amy Sky (born 24 September 1960) is a Canadian singer-songwriter, record producer, theatre actress, and television host. Sky started classical music lessons at the age of five, and plays piano, guitar, cello and recorder. She has a degree from t ...
, for ''Christmas Wish'' (No. 187 Pop) which was sold exclusively by
Target
Target may refer to:
Physical items
* Shooting target, used in marksmanship training and various shooting sports
** Bullseye (target), the goal one for which one aims in many of these sports
** Aiming point, in field artillery, f ...
in its first year of release.
Newton-John acted occasionally since ''
Two of a Kind''. She appeared in a supporting role in the 1996 AIDS drama, ''It's My Party''. In 2000, she appeared in a dramatically different role as Bitsy Mae Harling, a bisexual former-convict country singer, in
Del Shores
Delferd Lynn Shores (born December 3, 1957) is an American film director and producer, television writer and producer, playwright and actor.
Biography
The first play Shores wrote was ''Cheatin which premiered in 1984 in Los Angeles at The MainS ...
' ''
Sordid Lives
Sordid may refer to:
* Paul Sordid (20th century), English drummer
* Sordid (character), a fictional character in the ''Simon the Sorcerer'' series of video games
{{Disambig ...
''.
Newton-John reprised her role for ''
Sordid Lives: The Series'' which aired one season on the
LOGO
A logo (abbreviation of logotype; ) is a graphic mark, emblem, or symbol used to aid and promote public identification and recognition. It may be of an abstract or figurative design or include the text of the name it represents as in a wordma ...
television network. The series featured five original songs written and composed by Newton-John specifically for the show. In 2010, Newton-John starred in the film ''
Score: A Hockey Musical'', released in Canada. She portrayed Hope Gordon, the mother of a home-schooled hockey prodigy. The film opened the
2010 Toronto International Film Festival.
Newton-John's television work included starring in two Christmas films, ''
A Mom for Christmas
''A Mom for Christmas'' is a 1990 American made-for-television Christmas fantasy-comedy film starring Olivia Newton-John, Juliet Sorci, Doug Sheehan and Doris Roberts, directed by George T. Miller and produced by Walt Disney Television. The f ...
'' (1990) and ''
A Christmas Romance
''A Christmas Romance'' is a 1994 American made-for-television Christmas romantic drama film directed by Sheldon Larry and starring Olivia Newton-John, Gregory Harrison and Chloe Lattanzi, Newton-John's real-life daughter. It was written by Darrah ...
'' (1994) – both top 10 Nielsen hits. Her daughter,
Chloe
Chloe (; ), also spelled Chloë, Chlöe, or Chloé, is a feminine name meaning "blooming" or "fertility" in Greek. The name ultimately derives, through Greek, from the Proto-Indo-European root ', which relates to the colors yellow and green. T ...
, starred as one of her children in both ''A Christmas Romance'' and in the 2001
Showtime
Showtime or Show Time may refer to:
Film
* ''Showtime'' (film), a 2002 American action/comedy film
* ''Showtime'' (video), a 1995 live concert video by Blur
Television Networks and channels
* Showtime Networks, a division of Paramount Global w ...
film ''The Wilde Girls''. Newton-John guest-starred as herself in the sitcoms ''
Ned and Stacey
''Ned & Stacey'' (or ''Ned and Stacey'') is an American sitcom created by Michael J. Weithorn, and starring Thomas Haden Church and Debra Messing as the titular couple. The series lasted two seasons, airing on Fox from September 11, 1995, to Jan ...
'', ''
Murphy Brown'' and ''
Bette'' and also made two appearances as herself on ''
Glee
Glee means delight, a form of happiness.
Glee may also refer to:
* Glee (music), a type of English choral music
* ''Glee'' (TV series), an American musical comedy-drama TV series, and related media created by Ryan Murphy
* ''Glee'' (Bran Van 30 ...
''.
In 2008, Newton-John took part in the
BBC Wales program ''
Coming Home'' about her
Welsh
Welsh may refer to:
Related to Wales
* Welsh, referring or related to Wales
* Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales
* Welsh people
People
* Welsh (surname)
* Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...
family history. Also, in 2008, Newton-John joined Anne Murray on Murray's last album, titled ''
Duets: Friends & Legends''. She sang
Gordon Lightfoot
Gordon Meredith Lightfoot Jr. (born November 17, 1938) is a Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist who achieved international success in folk, folk-rock, and country music. He is credited with helping to define the folk-pop sound of the 1960 ...
's hit "
Cotton Jenny" with Murray.
For her first ''
Glee
Glee means delight, a form of happiness.
Glee may also refer to:
* Glee (music), a type of English choral music
* ''Glee'' (TV series), an American musical comedy-drama TV series, and related media created by Ryan Murphy
* ''Glee'' (Bran Van 30 ...
'' appearance, Newton-John recreated her "Physical" video with series regular
Jane Lynch
Jane Marie Lynch (born July 14, 1960) is an American actress, comedian and author. She is known for starring as Sue Sylvester in the musical comedy series '' Glee'' (2009–2015), which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award. Lynch also gained recog ...
. The performance was released as a digital single which peaked at number 89 on the Billboard Hot 100 in May 2010. In Australia, Newton-John hosted the animal and nature series ''Wild Life'' and guest-starred as Joanna on two episodes of the Australian series ''
The Man From Snowy River The Man from Snowy River may refer to:
* "The Man from Snowy River" (poem), an 1890 Australian poem by Banjo Paterson.
* '' The Man from Snowy River and Other Verses'' an 1895 poetry collection by Banjo Paterson (including the above)
* ''The Man ...
''.
Newton-John released another concert DVD, ''Olivia Newton-John and the Sydney Symphony:
Live at the Sydney Opera House'' and a companion CD, her third live album titled ''Olivia's Live Hits''. An edited version of the DVD premiered on
PBS
The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...
station,
WLIW (
Garden City, New York), in October 2007.
In January 2011, Newton-John began filming the comedy ''
A Few Best Men
''A Few Best Men'' is a 2011 comedy film written by Dean Craig and directed by Stephan Elliott. The film stars Xavier Samuel as a young groom heading to the Australian Blue Mountains with his three best men for his wedding. A sequel, ''A Few L ...
'' in Australia with director
Stephan Elliott
Stephan Elliott (born 27 August 1964) is an Australian film director and screenwriter. His best-known film internationally is ''The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert'' (1994).
Career
Elliott began his career as an assistant direct ...
, in the role of mother of the bride. The groom is played by
Xavier Samuel
Xavier Samuel (born 10 December 1983) is an Australian film and theatre actor. He has appeared in leading roles in the feature films '' Adore'', ''September'', ''Further We Search'', ''Newcastle'', '' The Loved Ones'', ''Frankenstein'', ''A Fe ...
.
2012–2022
Newton-John was actively touring and doing concerts from 2012 to 2017 and also performed a handful of shows in 2018.
[Tour dates](_blank)
at her website Her dates for
A Summer Night with Olivia Newton-John even included stops in Asia and Canada and culminated in a rare concert appearance in London in 2013. Her March 2013 UK trek also encompassed Bournemouth, Brighton, Birmingham, Manchester and Cardiff, Wales.
In November 2012, Newton-John teamed with John Travolta to make the charity album ''
This Christmas'', in support of The Olivia Newton-John Cancer & Wellness Centre and the Jett Travolta Foundation. Artists featured on the album include:
Barbra Streisand
Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers List ...
,
James Taylor
James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, havi ...
,
Chick Corea
Armando Anthony "Chick" Corea (June 12, 1941 – February 9, 2021) was an American jazz composer, pianist, keyboardist, bandleader, and occasional percussionist. His compositions "Spain", " 500 Miles High", "La Fiesta", "Armando's Rhumba", and ...
,
Kenny G
Kenneth Bruce Gorelick (born June 5, 1956), known professionally as Kenny G, is an American smooth jazz saxophonist, composer, and producer. His 1986 album ''Duotones'' brought him commercial success. Kenny G is one of the best-selling artis ...
,
Tony Bennett
Anthony Dominick Benedetto (born August 3, 1926), known professionally as Tony Bennett, is an American retired singer of traditional pop standards, big band, show tunes, and jazz. Bennett is also a painter, having created works under his birth ...
,
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard (born Harry Rodger Webb; 14 October 1940) is an Indian-born British musican, singer, producer, entrepreneur and philanthropist who holds both British and Barbadian citizenship. He has total sales of over 21.5 million s ...
and the
Count Basie Orchestra
The Count Basie Orchestra is a 16 to 18 piece big band, one of the most prominent jazz performing groups of the swing era, founded by Count Basie in 1935 and recording regularly from 1936. Despite a brief disbandment at the beginning of the 195 ...
.
A 2013 residency at the
Flamingo Las Vegas
Flamingo Las Vegas (formerly The Fabulous Flamingo and Flamingo Hilton Las Vegas) is a casino hotel on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. It is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment.
The property includes a casino along with 3,4 ...
was postponed due to the May 2013 death of her elder sister, Rona (aged 72), from a brain tumour. Newton-John resumed performing, doing 45 shows beginning in April 2014. Along with the Vegas shows, Newton-John released a new EP in April 2014 entitled ''Hotel Sessions'', which consisted of seven tracks of unreleased demos that were recorded between 2002 and 2011 with her nephew
Brett Goldsmith. The CD contains a cover of "Broken Wings" as well as the popular-with-fans original "Best of My Love", which had leaked on the internet many years prior.
Her Vegas stay was eventually extended beyond August 2014, and her
Summer Nights residency finished in December 2016 after 175 shows. Her successful three-year run even prompted a fourth live album, ''Summer Nights: Live in Las Vegas'' (2015). In 2015, Newton-John also reunited with John Farnham for a joint venture called ''
Two Strong Hearts Live
''Two Strong Hearts Live'' is a live album by John Farnham and Olivia Newton-John recorded in Melbourne with Philharmonia Australia in April 2015. The live album was released on 16 June 2015 with the live DVD being released on 21 August 2015.
...
''.
In 2015, Newton-John was a guest judge on an episode of ''
RuPaul's Drag Race
''RuPaul's Drag Race'' is an American reality competition television series, the first in the ''Drag Race'' franchise, produced by World of Wonder for Logo TV (season 1–8), WOW Presents Plus, VH1 (season 9–14) and, beginning with the f ...
''. That same year, she scored her first number-one single on ''Billboard''
Dance Club Songs
Dance Club Songs is a chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine in the United States. It is a national look over of club disc jockeys to determine the most popular songs being played in nightclubs across the country. It was launched as t ...
chart with "
You Have to Believe
"You Have to Believe" is a 2015 electronic dance song produced by American DJ/remixer/producer Dave Audé, featuring vocals from Australian singer/songwriter/actress Olivia Newton-John and her daughter, singer/actress Chloe Lattanzi, who co-wrote ...
" with daughter Chloe and producer
Dave Audé
Dave Audé (born Oct 12, 1969) is an American Disc jockey, DJ, Record producer, producer and remixer. He operates his own label Audacious Records, and is known for having more number ones than any other producer on the ''Billboard'' Dance Club S ...
. The song was a re-imagining of her 1980 single "Magic", which she noted was to celebrate both the 35th anniversary of ''Xanadu'' and as a dedication to her daughter. About the latter, Newton-John stated "I met Chloe's dad on the set of ''Xanadu'', so, without that film, Chloe wouldn't be here. She was the real 'magic' that came out of that film!" The song became the first mother-daughter single to reach No. 1 on the ''Billboard'' Dance Club Play chart.
In
2015
File:2015 Events Collage new.png, From top left, clockwise: Civil service in remembrance of November 2015 Paris attacks; Germanwings Flight 9525 was purposely crashed into the French Alps; the rubble of residences in Kathmandu following the Apri ...
, Newton-John was inducted into the
Music Victoria Hall of Fame.
In 2017, she collaborated with two North American singer-songwriters,
Beth Nielsen Chapman and
Amy Sky
Amy Sky (born 24 September 1960) is a Canadian singer-songwriter, record producer, theatre actress, and television host. Sky started classical music lessons at the age of five, and plays piano, guitar, cello and recorder. She has a degree from t ...
, on a joint concert tour entitled ''Liv On'' and produced a
CD by the same name.
On 7 May 2019, Newton-John's elder brother Hugh, a doctor, died at age 80; his death left Newton-John as the sole surviving sibling.
In recognition for "her work as an entertainer and philanthropist", she was bestowed Australia's highest honour, the
Companion of the Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an honour that recognises Australian citizens and other persons for outstanding achievement and service. It was established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, on the advice of the Australian Gove ...
, in June 2019.
In December 2019, Newton-John and Travolta also re-teamed for three live "Meet 'n' ''Grease''"
sing-along events in the Florida cities of
Tampa
Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and the seat of Hillsborough County ...
,
West Palm Beach
West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sunset, Sun sets on the Earth.
Etymology
The word "west" is a Germanic languages, German ...
and
Jacksonville
Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the List of United States cities by area, largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the co ...
. Subsequently, a sing-along re-broadcast of ''Grease'' aired on CBS television.
In February 2020, Newton-John appeared at the
Fire Fight Australia
Fire Fight Australia was a fundraising benefit concert held on Sunday, 16 February 2020, as a means for raising funds for the national bushfire relief following the 2019–20 Australian bushfire season, known as the 'Black Summer'. It was hel ...
charity event. This was her final public performance.
In January 2021, Newton-John released her final single, "Window in the Wall", a duet about unity which she recorded with her daughter Chloe Lattanzi. The music video for the song peaked at No. 1 on the
iTunes
iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...
pop music video chart the week of its release.
In the media
In 2019, it was announced that Newton-John was among hundreds of artists whose material was destroyed in the
2008 Universal fire.
On 2 November 2019,
Julien's Auctions Type Private
Industry Art, Auctions
Founded 2003; 20 years ago
Headquarters 13007 S. Western Avenue, Gardena, CA 90249
Key people • Darren Julien (Founder, CEO, President)
• Martin J. Nolan (Executive Director, CFO)
Website www.juliensauctio ...
auctioned hundreds of memorabilia items from Newton-John's career. The sale raised $2.4 million. Newton-John's ''Grease'' outfit garnered $405,700; her pants and jacket were purchased separately by two different billionaires.
Sara Blakely
Sara Treleaven Blakely (born February 27, 1971) is an American businesswoman and philanthropist. She is the founder of Spanx, an American intimate apparel company with pants and leggings, founded in Atlanta, Georgia. In 2012, Blakely was named in ...
, founder of
Spanx
Spanx, Inc. is an American underwear maker focusing on shaping briefs and leggings, founded in Atlanta, Georgia. The company manufactures mainly pantyhose and other underwear for women and, since 2010, produces male underwear as well. Spanx spe ...
, bought Newton-John's black skintight pants from ''Grease'' for $162,000. The anonymous buyer who acquired her famous ''Grease'' leather jacket for $243,200 (£185,000) returned the item to her and said: "It should not sit in a billionaire's closet for country-club bragging rights
..The odds of beating a recurring cancer using the newest emerging therapies is a thousandfold greater than someone appearing out of the blue, buying your most famous and cherished icon, and returning it to you." All proceeds were donated to her cancer and wellness research centre in Australia.
Musical legacy
Newton-John's first boyfriend,
Ian Turpie
Ian or Iain is a name of Scottish Gaelic origin, derived from the Hebrew given name (Yohanan, ') and corresponding to the English name John. The spelling Ian is an Anglicization of the Scottish Gaelic forename ''Iain''. It is a popular name in Sc ...
, once said of her early appearances: "In those days she had a small voice, but it was very pure. She could sing prettily in tune....The improvement in her singing since she went to England has been remarkable. She told me
Shirley Bassey
Dame Shirley Veronica Bassey (; born 8 January 1937) is a Welsh singer. Best known for her career longevity, powerful voice and recording the theme songs to three James Bond films, Bassey is widely regarded as one of the most popular vocalists ...
has been a big influence on her. After hearing Bassey, she worked at developing her head voice to sound like a chest voice, the way Bassey uses hers. The power she's developed is amazing."
Michael Dwyer of ''
The Sydney Morning Herald
''The Sydney Morning Herald'' (''SMH'') is a daily compact newspaper published in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and owned by Nine. Founded in 1831 as the ''Sydney Herald'', the ''Herald'' is the oldest continuously published newspaper ...
'' maintains that following Newton-John's career was like watching "our slightly older and braver sister growing up in public" and her passing "feels today like a lost member of the family". Rachel Syme of ''
The New Yorker
''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issues ...
'' also suggests that her familial, down-to-earth demeanor and humanity may have even superseded her singing accomplishments: "Her most lasting legacy might be as the rare celebrity who was almost universally well liked, and thought of as an essentially kind and warmhearted person".
Her musical abilities on their own merits were also impressive. In her 1982 ''Olivia in Concert'' performance of
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, known primarily for her work in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album d ...
's "Jolene," Newton-John showcases a down-falling note range covering three octaves; however, author Lauren O'Neill writes: "She sang with clarity and precision, her high notes bright and open like a window on a summer morning, but her voice was never clinical – a sultry purr, euphoric cry or breathy gasp seemed always available to her....Her vocal
''Grease''.html" ;"title="Grease_(film).html" ;"title="n "Hopelessly Devoted to You" from Grease (film)">''Grease''">Grease_(film).html" ;"title="n "Hopelessly Devoted to You" from Grease (film)">''Grease''is clean and soaring, but to hear it is to be right down in the dirt with Sandy too; to feel, and perhaps even identify with, her total frustration with herself. As she slides between notes while singing 'I’m out of my head,' she shows us her emotional freefall as well as telling us about it."
Long before and after the career summit of ''Grease'', Newton-John proved herself to be a fairly versatile performer. Maura Johnston of ''Vulture'' assesses: "Newton-John was a regular chart-topper...throughout the ’70s, her lithe soprano adapting well to the soft pop sound" of the era with "''AM Gold'' staples and tracks from the folk and country world...As it turned out, Newton-John’s voice was pretty well suited to the spiky dance pop that would become popular in the early 1980s" too.
However, Stephen Thomas Erlewine of the ''Los Angeles Times'' offers a counterpoint on her career decline in the mid-1980s: "Hardness never was Newton-John's comfort zone, though, and the 1980s were a much harder decade than the 1970s. The inherent warmth of 1970s studio sessions gave way to the cold, synthesized gleam of the 1980s, a sterile sound that suited her well only once: the candied faux-new wave of 'Twist of Fate'", produced by
David Foster
David Walter Foster (born November 1, 1949) is a Canadian musician, composer, arranger, record producer and music executive who chaired Verve Records from 2012 to 2016. He has won 16 Grammy Awards from 47 nominations. His music career spans mor ...
. Johnston further maintains: "Her pop heyday transcended any attempts to musically pigeonhole her"; and by the time she stopped having many new hits, "her musical legacy ... had been pretty well solidified."
Newton-John's work has inspired many other female vocalists, including
Juliana Hatfield
Juliana Hatfield (born July 27, 1967) is an American musician and singer-songwriter from the Boston area, formerly of the indie rock bands Blake Babies, Some Girls, and The Lemonheads. She also fronted her own band, The Juliana Hatfield Three, ...
,
Lisa Loeb
Lisa Loeb (; born March 11, 1968) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author and actress. She started her career with the number 1 hit song "Stay (I Missed You)" from the film '' Reality Bites,'' the first number 1 single for an artist ...
,
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Ann Minogue (; born 28 May 1968) is an Australian singer, songwriter and actress. She is the highest-selling female Australian artist of all time, having sold over 80 million records worldwide. She has been recognised for reinve ...
,
Delta Goodrem,
Natalie Maines
Natalie Louise Maines (born October 14, 1974) is an American singer. She is the lead vocalist for the all-female country band The Chicks.
In 1995, after leaving Berklee College of Music, Maines was recruited by the Dixie Chicks to replace their ...
and
Alanis Morissette.
Pink
Pink is the color of a namesake flower that is a pale tint of red. It was first used as a color name in the late 17th century. According to surveys in Europe and the United States, pink is the color most often associated with charm, politeness, ...
staged a commemorative Newton-John cover during the 2022
American Music Awards
The American Music Awards (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show, generally held in the fall, created by Dick Clark in 1973 for ABC when the network's contract to air the Grammy Awards expired, and currently produced by Dick Clark Pro ...
. At the
2022 ARIA Music Awards, a special tribute in her honour featured performances by
Natalie Imbruglia
Natalie Jane Imbruglia ( , ; born 4 February 1975) is an Australian singer and actress. In the early 1990s, she played Beth Brennan in the Australian soap opera '' Neighbours''. Three years after leaving the programme, she began a singing car ...
,
Peking Duk
Peking Duk are an electronic music group made up of disc jockeys and music producers Adam Hyde and Reuben Styles. The pair first garnered attention in 2012 with the release of a Passion Pit bootleg remix. Their biggest hit "High" reached 5 on ...
and
Tones and I
Toni Watson, known professionally as Tones and I, is an Australian singer, songwriter, and record producer. Her breakout single, " Dance Monkey" (May 2019), reached number one in over 30 countries, including Australia. In November 2019, i ...
.
Personal life
Relationships
In the mid-1960s, she dated Australian actor and singer
Ian Turpie
Ian or Iain is a name of Scottish Gaelic origin, derived from the Hebrew given name (Yohanan, ') and corresponding to the English name John. The spelling Ian is an Anglicization of the Scottish Gaelic forename ''Iain''. It is a popular name in Sc ...
, her co-star in the 1965 musical film ''
Funny Things Happen Down Under
''Funny Things Happen Down Under'' is a 1965 Australian-New Zealand musical film directed by Joe McCormick. It stars Olivia Newton-John, Ian Turpie and Howard Morrison, and is best remembered today for being Newton-John's first film.
Plot
The ...
''.
They met in late 1962 when Turpie attended the coffee shop where Newton-John's group Sol Four performed.
["Ian Turpie My Love for Olivia!":
*
* ] The relationship continued until Newton-John returned to England in 1966.
In 1968, Newton-John was engaged to but never married
Bruce Welch
Bruce Welch (born 2 November 1941 as Bruce Cripps) is an English guitarist, songwriter, producer, singer and businessman best known as a founding member of the Shadows.
Biography
Welch's parents (Stan Cripps and Grace Welch) moved him to 15 B ...
, one of her early producers and co-writer of her hit "
Please Mr. Please
"Please Mr. Please" is a song written by Bruce Welch and John Rostill, both members of British pop singer Cliff Richard's backing band, The Shadows.Hyatt, Wesley (1999). ''The Billboard Book of #1 Adult Contemporary Hits'' (Billboard Publication ...
".
In 1972, Newton-John ended her relationship with Welch, who subsequently attempted suicide.
In 1973, while vacationing on the
French Riviera
The French Riviera (known in French as the ; oc, Còsta d'Azur ; literal translation " Azure Coast") is the Mediterranean coastline of the southeast corner of France. There is no official boundary, but it is usually considered to extend fro ...
, Newton-John met British businessman Lee Kramer, who became both her new boyfriend and manager. Newton-John lived with Kramer on and off and they stayed a couple until 1979; she called their turbulent pairing "one long breakup".
Kramer subsequently returned to England and married. He also managed vocalist
Krishna Das. Kramer died in 2017.
Newton-John married her long-time partner, actor
Matt Lattanzi
Matthew Vincent Lattanzi (born February 1, 1959) is an American former actor and dancer. He is most commonly recognized as the first husband of singer and actress Dame Olivia Newton-John, and for his acting in films such as ''My Tutor'' and the s ...
, in December 1984. The couple had met in 1980 while filming ''
Xanadu''. They divorced in 1995. According to
People magazine
''People'' is an American weekly magazine that specializes in celebrity news and human-interest stories. It is published by Dotdash Meredith, a subsidiary of IAC (company), IAC. With a readership of 46.6 million adults in 2009, ''People ...
, people close to the couple cited the disparity between her spiritual interests and his more earthly ones as a key factor in the dissolution. The couple remained friends. Their daughter,
Chloe Rose
Chloe Rose (born October 25, 1994) is a Canadian actress. She rose to prominence when she portrayed Katie Matlin in the long-running teen drama television series '' Degrassi: The Next Generation'', from 2011 to 2013. Following her time on ''Deg ...
, was born in January 1986.
Newton-John met
gaffer/
cameraman
A camera operator, or depending on the context cameraman or camerawoman, is a professional operator of a film camera or video camera as part of a film crew. The term "cameraman" does not imply that a male is performing the task.
In filmmakin ...
Patrick McDermott a year after her 1995 divorce from Matt Lattanzi. The couple dated on and off for nine years. McDermott allegedly disappeared following a 2005 fishing trip off the Californian coast.
Newton-John was in Australia at her Gaia Retreat & Spa at the time of McDermott's disappearance. A
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mult ...
investigation, based on then-available evidence and released in 2008, "suggest
dMcDermott was lost at sea", with a friend telling investigators McDermott had appeared sad though not despondent after their breakup. In April 2010, a private investigator, hired by an American television program, claimed that McDermott is alive and had faked his death for a life insurance payout – but did not provide proof beyond their own statement that they were confident. Unsubstantiated claims have been made, particularly in Australian tabloids, that McDermott is living in Mexico.
Newton-John married John Easterling, founder and president of the Amazon Herb Company, in an
Inca
The Inca Empire (also known as the Incan Empire and the Inka Empire), called ''Tawantinsuyu'' by its subjects, (Quechua for the "Realm of the Four Parts", "four parts together" ) was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The admin ...
n spiritual ceremony in Peru on 21 June 2008, followed by a legal ceremony nine days later (30 June 2008) on
Jupiter Island, Florida
The town of Jupiter Island is located on the barrier island called Jupiter Island, in Martin County, Florida, United States; the town is part of Florida's Treasure Coast. The town is located next to the unincorporated community of Hobe Sound. ...
.
Residences and citizenship
Although principally raised in Australia, she remained a British subject through her childhood and did not formally become an Australian citizen until 1981 with an application that was expedited by the then prime minister,
Malcolm Fraser
John Malcolm Fraser (; 21 May 1930 – 20 March 2015) was an Australian politician who served as the 22nd prime minister of Australia from 1975 to 1983, holding office as the leader of the Liberal Party of Australia.
Fraser was raised on hi ...
.
After relocating from Britain to America in 1974, Newton-John set up residence in
Malibu, California
Malibu ( ; es, Malibú; Chumash: ) is a beach city in the Santa Monica Mountains region of Los Angeles County, California, situated about west of Downtown Los Angeles. It is known for its Mediterranean climate and its strip of the Malibu ...
, where for 40 years she owned several properties, including a horse ranch and beach houses.
In June 2009, Newton-John and her second husband, John Easterling, purchased a new $4.1 million home in
Jupiter Inlet, Florida
Jupiter Inlet Colony is a town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The population was 405 at the 2020 census.
Geography
Jupiter Inlet Colony is located at (26.947393, –80.074616), in the southernmost tip of Jupiter Island.
Accord ...
. In 2013, a contractor named Christopher Pariseleti committed suicide on the estate, which at the time was up for sale. Following the death on the premises, the property lingered on and off the market for two years but was eventually sold in 2015 to a Swedish advertising executive for $5.1 million.
In 2015, the couple purchased a $5.3 million, 12-acre horse ranch in the
Santa Ynez Valley
The Santa Ynez Valley is located in Santa Barbara County, California, between the Santa Ynez Mountains to the south and the San Rafael Mountains to the north. The Santa Ynez River flows through the valley from east to west. The Santa Ynez Val ...
outside
Santa Barbara. It was offered for sale in 2019 but not sold, and she was living there at the time of her death.
In 2019, Newton-John sold her 187-acre Australian farm, which she had owned for nearly 40 years and is located near
Byron Bay
Byron Bay ( Minjungbal: ''Cavvanbah)'' is a beachside town located in the far-northeastern corner of the state of New South Wales, Australia on Bundjalung Country. It is located north of Sydney and south of Brisbane. Cape Byron, a hea ...
in New South Wales. The Dalwood estate sold for $4.6 million; in 1980, Newton-John had paid $622,000 for the property, which had additional land adjoined in both 1983 and in 2002.
When asked in 2017 whether she considered herself to be a British, Australian or American citizen, she said, "I am still Australian." In December 2019, she expressed: "As a girl born in Cambridge
ngland I am very proud of my British ancestry and so appreciative to be recognized in this way by the United Kingdom."
Illness and death
In May 2017, it was announced that Newton-John's breast cancer had returned and
metastasis
Metastasis is a pathogenic agent's spread from an initial or primary site to a different or secondary site within the host's body; the term is typically used when referring to metastasis by a cancerous tumor. The newly pathological sites, then, ...
ed to her lower back. Her back pains had initially been diagnosed as
sciatica
Sciatica is pain going down the leg from the lower back. This pain may go down the back, outside, or front of the leg. Onset is often sudden following activities like heavy lifting, though gradual onset may also occur. The pain is often described ...
. She subsequently revealed this was actually her third bout with breast cancer, as she had a recurrence of the disease in 2013 in addition to her initial 1992 diagnosis.
With the 2017 recurrence, the cancer had spread to her bones and progressed to
stage IV. Newton-John experienced significant pain from the metastatic bone lesions and had spoken of using
cannabis oil
Hash oil or cannabis oil, is an oleoresin obtained by the extraction of cannabis or hashish. It is a cannabis concentrate containing many of its resins and terpenes – in particular, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), and other can ...
to ease her pain. She was an advocate for the use of
medical cannabis
Medical cannabis, or medical marijuana (MMJ), is cannabis and cannabinoids that are prescribed by physicians for their patients. The use of cannabis as medicine has not been rigorously tested due to production and governmental restrictions ...
;
her daughter Chloe owns a cannabis farm in Oregon.
Newton-John died from cancer on 8 August 2022, at age 73 at her home in the Santa Ynez Valley of California. Tributes were paid by
John Travolta,
Barbra Streisand
Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers List ...
,
Anthony Albanese
Anthony Norman Albanese ( or ; born 2 March 1963) is an Australian politician serving as the 31st and current prime minister of Australia since 2022. He has been leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) since 2019 and the member of parlia ...
and many other celebrities. As a mark of respect, Melbourne and Sydney lit up many of their landmarks.
In September 2022, Newton-John's family held a "small and very private" memorial service in California for the singer, who asked to be cremated and have her ashes scattered in Byron Bay, on her Santa Ynez ranch and "in other places that I love". A larger memorial is slated to take place in Melbourne, Australia, after the
State of Victoria
Victoria is a state in southeastern Australia. It is the second-smallest state with a land area of , the second most populated state (after New South Wales) with a population of over 6.5 million, and the most densely populated state i ...
offered Newton-John's family a state funeral, which her niece
Tottie Goldsmith
Caroline "Tottie" Goldsmith (born 27 August 1962) is an Australian actress and singer.
Career
Television
In the early 1980s, Goldsmith acted in the Australian television series ''The Young Doctors'', '' Starting Out'', ''Prisoner'', '' Saturd ...
has accepted.
Awards and honours
Discography
* ''
If Not for You
"If Not for You" is a song by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan from his October 1970 album '' New Morning''. It was also issued as the A-side of a single in Europe in early 1971. The song is a love song to Dylan's first wife, Sara Dylan. H ...
'' (1971)
* ''
Olivia Olivia may refer to:
People
* Olivia (name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the name
* Olivia (singer) (Olivia Longott, born 1981), American singer
* Olívia (basketball) (Carlos Henrique Rodrigues do Nascimento, born 19 ...
'' (1972)
* ''
Let Me Be There
"Let Me Be There" is a popular song written by John Rostill. It was first recorded by Olivia Newton-John and released in September 1973 as the second single from her studio album of the same name. The country-influenced song was Newton-John's fi ...
'' (1973)
* ''
Long Live Love'' (1974)
* ''
Have You Never Been Mellow
''Have You Never Been Mellow'' is the fifth studio album by British-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John, released on 12 February 1975 by MCA Records.
Reception
Both the title single and the album rose to the top of their respective US charts ...
'' (1975)
* ''
Clearly Love
''Clearly Love'' is the sixth studio album by Olivia Newton-John, released in September 1975.
Commercial performance
The album was certified gold in the US. and both of the album's singles were country chart hits, with " Something Better to Do" ...
'' (1975)
* ''
Come on Over
''Come On Over'' is the third studio album by Canadian country music singer Shania Twain. It was released on November 4, 1997, by Mercury Records. Produced by Robert John "Mutt" Lange, the album became the best-selling country album, the best ...
'' (1976)
* ''
Don't Stop Believin'
"Don't Stop Believin' is a song by American rock band Journey. It was released in October 1981 as the second single from the group's seventh studio album, ''Escape'' (1981), released through Columbia Records. "Don't Stop Believin'" shares writ ...
'' (1976)
* ''
Making a Good Thing Better
''Making a Good Thing Better'' is the ninth studio album by British-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John, released on June 1977.
The album peaked at No. 34 on the US Pop chart and No. 13 on the Country chart. It was Newton-John's first album no ...
'' (1977)
* ''
Totally Hot
''Totally Hot'' is the tenth studio album by British-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John, released on 21 November 1978. Commercially, it became her first top-ten album on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart since ''Have You Never Been Mellow'' (1975). ...
'' (1978)
* ''
Physical
Physical may refer to:
*Physical examination
In a physical examination, medical examination, or clinical examination, a medical practitioner examines a patient for any possible medical signs or symptoms of a medical condition. It generally co ...
'' (1981)
* ''
Soul Kiss
''Soul Kiss'' is the twelfth studio album by English-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John, released on 25 October 1985 by Mercury Records in Europe, by Festival Records in Australia, and by MCA Records in the United States. It reached 11 ...
'' (1985)
* ''
The Rumour
The Rumour was an English rock band in the late 1970s and early 1980s. They are best known as the backup band for Graham Parker, whose early records (from 1976 to 1980) were credited to Graham Parker & The Rumour. However, The Rumour also ...
'' (1988)
* ''
Warm and Tender'' (1989)
* ''
Gaia: One Woman's Journey'' (1994)
* ''
Back with a Heart
''Back with a Heart'' is the sixteenth studio album by British-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John. It was released by MCA Nashville on 12 May 1998 in the United States. Her first album in four years, it marked her return to country music after ...
'' (1998)
* ''Tis the Season'' (2000)
(with Vince Gill
Vincent Grant Gill (born April 12, 1957) is an American country music singer, songwriter and musician. He has achieved commercial success and fame both as frontman of the country rock band Pure Prairie League in the 1970s and as a solo artist ...
)
* ''
(2)'' (2002)
* ''
Indigo: Women of Song'' (2004)
* ''
Stronger Than Before'' (2005)
* ''
Grace and Gratitude
''Grace and Gratitude'' is the twenty-first studio album by Australian singer Olivia Newton-John. The album was released 25 August 2006 through EMI exclusively by Walgreens to benefit various charities of cancer and re-released on 14 September ...
'' (2006)
* ''
Christmas Wish'' (2007)
* ''
A Celebration in Song
''A Celebration in Song'' is the twenty-third and final solo studio album by British-Australian pop singer Olivia Newton-John, released on 3 June 2008 by Warner Bros. in Australia. The worldwide release of the album was by EMI, on 2 September 2 ...
'' (2008)
* ''
This Christmas'' (2012)
(with John Travolta)
* ''
Liv On'' (2016)
* ''
Friends for Christmas'' (2016)
(with John Farnham)
Filmography
Film
Television
Tours
Headlining
* If Not for You Tour (1972)
* Clearly Love Tour (1975)
* Love Performance Tour (1976)
* Totally Hot World Tour (1978)
*
Physical Tour
The Physical Tour (also known as the Physical Tour of North America and North American Tour '82) was the fifth concert tour by Australian recording artist Olivia Newton-John, in support of her 12th studio album, '' Physical'' (1981). The tour p ...
(1982–1983)
* Greatest Hits Tour (1999)
* One Woman's Live Journey Tour (1999)
* Millennium Tour (2000)
* 30 Musical Years Tour (2001)
*
Heartstrings World Tour (2002–2005)
* 2006 World Tour (2006)
* Grace and Gratitude Tour (2006)
* Body Heart & Spirit Tour (2007)
* An Evening with Olivia Newton-John (2007–2009)
* 2010 World Tour (2010)
* 2011 United States Tour (2011)
*
A Summer Night with Olivia Newton-John (2012–2013)
Co-headlining
* The Main Event Tour
(with John Farnham and Anthony Warlow) (1998)
*
Two Strong Hearts Tour (with John Farnham) (2015)
*
Liv On In Concert
(with Beth Nielsen Chapman and Amy Sky
Amy Sky (born 24 September 1960) is a Canadian singer-songwriter, record producer, theatre actress, and television host. Sky started classical music lessons at the age of five, and plays piano, guitar, cello and recorder. She has a degree from t ...
) (2017)
Residency show
*
Summer Nights (2014–2016)
See also
*
List of artists who reached number one on the US dance chart
This is a list of recording artists who have reached number one on ''Billboard magazine's'' Dance Club Songs chart. ''Billboard'' began ranking dance music on the week ending October 26, 1974, and this is the standard music popularity chart in t ...
*
List of best-selling music artists
*
List of British Grammy winners and nominees
The following is a list of Grammy Awards winners and nominees from the United Kingdom.
Amongst the winners, Paul McCartney and Adele are the most honoured male and female British artists respectively. Adele also is the most awarded female foreign ...
*
List of Billboard Hot 100 number-ones by Australian artists
*
List of celebrities who own wineries and vineyards
The trend of celebrities owning wineries and vineyards is not a recent phenomenon, though it has certainly garnered more attention in today's Information Age. In ancient Greek (wine), ancient Greek and Roman (wine), Roman times, the leading phil ...
* ''
Olivia Newton-John: Hopelessly Devoted to You'', miniseries
References
Further reading
*
*
*
*
*
External links
*
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Newton-John, Olivia
1948 births
2022 deaths
Actresses awarded British damehoods
Actresses from Cambridgeshire
Actresses from Melbourne
ARIA Award winners
ARIA Hall of Fame inductees
Australian country singers
Australian Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Australian dance musicians
Australian expatriate actresses in the United States
Australian film actresses
Australian humanitarians
Australian people of Welsh descent
Australian people of German-Jewish descent
Australian television actresses
Australian women environmentalists
Australian women memoirists
Australian women philanthropists
Australian women pop singers
British country singers
British emigrants to Australia
British emigrants to the United States
British expatriates in Australia
British expatriates in the United States
British film actresses
British humanitarians
British soft rock musicians
British people of German-Jewish descent
British people of Welsh descent
British philanthropists
British Protestants
British television actresses
British women pop singers
British women environmentalists
Companions of the Order of Australia
Country pop musicians
Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Daytime Emmy Award winners
Deaths from cancer in California
EMI Records artists
Eurovision Song Contest entrants for the United Kingdom
Eurovision Song Contest entrants of 1974
Expatriate musicians in the United States
Family of Max Born
Geffen Records artists
Grammy Award winners
MCA Records artists
Naturalised citizens of Australia
Officers of the Order of the British Empire
People educated at University High School, Melbourne
People from Cambridge
Pye Records artists
Singers awarded knighthoods
Singers from Cambridgeshire
Singers from Melbourne
Uni Records artists
Women humanitarians
20th-century British actresses
21st-century British actresses
20th-century British women singers
Deaths from breast cancer
20th-century Australian women singers
20th-century Australian actresses
21st-century Australian actresses
21st-century Australian singers