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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZNEWTON-JOHN, Olivia(b 26 September 1948, Cambridge, England; d 8 August 2022) MOR singer. Her grandfather was a Nobel Prize-winning scientist; she grew up in Australia, where she formed a schoolgirl vocal quartet. Going solo, she won a talent contest sponsored by Johnny O'Keefe (the 'Australian Elvis') with return to UK as a prize. Worked there with Australian Pat O'Carroll (who later married Olivia's producer, John Farrar) as Pat and Olivia before Carroll's work permit ran out, then joined Tomorrow, two boy/two girl vocal group manufactured by Don Kirshner, went solo when planned TV series fell through. Sugary version of Bob Dylan's 'If Not For You' reached no. 7 UK/25 USA. Her country-flavoured pop hits in the UK were helped by connection with producer/fiancé Shadows guitarist Bruce Welch, leading to showcase on Cliff Richard TV spots: 'Banks Of The Ohio', George Harrison's 'What Is Life', John Denver's 'Take Me Home Country Roads' all hits '71-3. She had a surprise breakthrough in the USA with 'Let Me Be There' '73 and an MCA LP of that title (which includrd six tracks from a two-year-old LP on Universal), coming after Eurovision flop with strident 'Long Live Love', led to swift relocation westward; when the hit won a Grammy for Best Country Vocalist success seemed assured (though '76 CMA award as Best Female Vocalist led to resignations). Her split with Welch led to his former associate (in Marvin, Welch and Farrar) taking over as producer. Of four top five hits in USA '74-5 included two at no. 1, only one charting in the UK. Hit US albums included If You Love Me, Let Me Know, Have You Never Been Mellow, Clearly Love, Come On Over, Don't Stop Believin', Making A Good Thing Better and a Greatest Hits set, all '75-7 on MCA. She raunched-up her image playing leather clad role in Grease '78 and scored big hits both solo and with John Travolta, singles plus soundtrack LP; Totally Hot '78 was another hit album; soundtrack Xanadu '80 with the then-fashionable Electric Light Orchestra was a hit LP with three hit singles (including duet 'Suddenly' with Richard), although the film flopped; then she slid further into raunch, pushing aerobic sex in Physical '81 (no. 1 title single; no. 5 with 'Make A Move On Me'). 'Heart Attack' was a no. 3 single '82; soundtrack Two Of A Kind included four tracks by her ('Twist Of Fate' a top five hit). By '85 she had posed half-topless with riding crop in Helmut Newton photo for the sleeve of Soul Kiss: the title track reached top 20, album top 30 USA, but The Rumour '88 reached only no. 67: another change of image to Warm And Tender '89 on Geffen, a collection of lullabies, slipped to 124. Back To Basics 1971-92 was a compilation. She opened a chain of boutiques called Koala Blue '84; was fighting breast cancer '92. The British music press made fun of her because of all her changes in style, but she sold a lot of records in the USA. |