Singer and actress Olivia Newton-John dies at 73

CNN
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Olivia Newton-John, the Australian singer whose gentle voice and wholesome beauty made her one of the biggest pop stars of the 1970s and charming generations of viewers in the blockbuster movie “Grease,” died Monday, according to a statement from her husband. . She was 73 years old.

“Mrs. Olivia Newton-John passed away peacefully on her Southern California ranch this morning, surrounded by family and friends. “We ask everyone to respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time,” her husband, John Easterling, wrote in a statement on the singer’s Instagram account. A symbol of triumph and hope for over 30 years as she shares her journey with breast cancer.”

Singer revealed in September 2018 She was treating cancer at the base of her spine. This was her third cancer diagnosis, after bouts with breast cancer in the early 1990s and in 2017.

Thanks to a string of country and rock songs, Newton-John was already a popular singer in the late 1970s. But her co-starring role opposite John Travolta in 1978’s “Grease,” the most popular musical of all time, lifted her to a new level of stardom.

Although she had little acting experience (and turned 29 while filming), Newton-John has made an indelible performance as Sandy, a sweet and lovable Australian student Danny at Travolta’s Alpha Grease High School in Southern California in the 1950s.

Their on-screen chemistry as mismatched lovebirds underwent a revamp in the final act to win each other’s hearts — ditching her embellished heels, leather, spandex, and cigarette dresses — solidified the film and inspired repeat views by legions of fans.

“I don’t think anyone could have imagined that a movie would run for about 40 years and still be popular and people would still talk to me about it all the time and love it,” Newton-John told CNN in 2017.. “It’s just one of those movies. I’m so lucky to have been a part of it. It gave so many people fun.”

Newton-John sang to three of the movie’s biggest songs: the duo “You’re The One I Want” and “Summer Nights” with Travolta, and her lead single “Hopelessly Devoted To You.”

Born in Cambridge, England, in 1948, Newton-John moved with her family to Melbourne, Australia when she was five years old. After winning the TV show talent competition, “Rich, Rich, Rich”, as one of the Teen formed a group of girls She began appearing on weekly pop music shows in Australia.

Newton-John recorded her debut single in England in 1966 and recorded some international successes, but remained largely unknown to US audiences until 1973, when “Let Me Be There” became a Top 10 hit on both the adult contemporary and country charts.

A series of more easy-to-listen songs followed, including “I Honestly Love You,” “Have You Never Been Mellow,” and “Please Mr. Please.”

Then came Grease, which was the highest-grossing film of 1978 and became a perennial cultural phenomenon.

The film gave Newton-John a chance to transform her stark image. The cover of her next album, “Totally Hot,” featured the singer in black leather, while her songs had a more modern and contemporary pop sound.

In 1981, her sexiest new character took a step forward with a “physical” dance number, with suggestive lyrics like, “There’s nothing left to talk about unless it’s horizontal.” Banned by many radio stations, it was her biggest hit, spending 10 weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100.

She has also appeared in several big-budget films, including the fantasy musical “Xanadu” with Hollywood legend Gene Kelly in his last on-screen role. The movie bombed, but its soundtrack sold well and spawned the hit single “Magic”.

In 1983 she teamed with Travolta again on Two of a Kind, a fantasy romantic comedy, but failed to regain the “Grease” spark.

During a long career, Newton-John won four Grammy Awards and sold over 100 million albums.

“I’ve lived a lot of life in music. I had country when I started, and then crossed over to pop music,” she told CNN. “I had ‘Xanadu’ and ‘Grease’, among so many songs. I am so grateful. I have a great repertoire to choose from.”

But Newton-John has also had her share of troubles and tragedies. A diagnosis of breast cancer forced her to postpone and cancel several tours.

In 2005 he was a friend of Newton John at the time, Patrick McDermottHe disappeared at sea while on a fishing trip off the coast of California. It was never found – an unsolved mystery that has haunted the singer for years.

“It’s very hard to live with,” CNN’s Larry King said in 2006. “It’s probably the hardest thing I’ve ever been through, and I’ve been through a lot of things.” Although her career profile subsided in her later years, Newton-John did not stop recording and performing. Among her highlights were her guest appearance on “Glee”, a long-running residency program from “Summer Nights” in Flamingo Las Vegas and the dance song “You Have to Believe” recorded with her daughter Chloe.

She told CNN in 2017, “I love to sing, all I know is sing. That’s all I’ve done since I was 15, so this is my life. I’m so grateful I can still do it and people still come to see me.”