“Dame Olivia Newton-John passed away peacefully at her Farm in Southern Ca this morning, surrounded simply by family and friends. We inquire that everyone make sure you respect the family’s privacy during this very hard time, ” the girl husband, John Easterling, wrote in a statement on the singer’s confirmed Instagram account. “Olivia has been a symbol of triumphs and wish for over 30 years posting her journey along with breast cancer. ”
The vocalist revealed in September 2018 that she was treating cancer at the base of her spine. It was her 3rd cancer diagnosis, following bouts with breast cancer in the early ’90s and in 2017.
Her increase to fame
Thanks to a string of country plus soft-rock hits, Newton-John was already a popular singer by the late 1970s. But her co-starring role opposite Ruben Travolta in 1978’s “Grease, ” perhaps the most popular movie music of all time, lifted the girl to a new level of stardom.
Although she had little acting encounter (and turned twenty nine during filming), Newton-John gave an marked performance as Sandy, a sweet-natured Aussie transfer student who else romances Travolta’s leader greaser Danny at a Southern California senior high school in the 1950s.
Their onscreen chemistry as mismatched lovebirds who go through final-act makeovers in order to win each others’ hearts — the girl ditches her frilly dresses for high heel sandals, leather, spandex and also a cigarette — anchored the movie and motivated repeat viewings simply by legions of followers.
“I don’t think anybody could have imagined a show would go on nearly 40 years and might still be popular and individuals would still be talking to me about it at all times and loving this, ” Newton-John told CNN in 2017 . “It’s just one of those movies. I’m extremely lucky to have been a part of it. It’s actual given so many people enjoyment. ”
Newton-John did on three of the movie’s biggest hits: the duets “You’re The One That I Want” and “Summer Nights” with Travolta, plus her swoony solo ballad, “Hopelessly Dedicated to You. ”
Delivered in Cambridge, Britain in 1948, Newton-John moved with the girl family to Melbourne, Australia, when the lady was five. After winning a talent contest on a TV show, “Sing, Sing, Perform, ” as a teen the lady formed an all-girl grou p and began showing up on weekly place music programs nationwide.
Newton-John recorded her first single in britain in 1966 and scored a few worldwide hits, but she remained largely unfamiliar to US viewers until 1973, whenever “Let Be There” became a top-10 hit on both the adult contemporary as well as the country charts.
A series of No . 1 easy-listening hits followed, including “I Honestly Love You, ” “Have You Never Been Mellow” and “Please Mr. Please. ”
Then came “Grease, ” which was 1978’s top-grossing movie and became an enduring cultural phenomenon.
The movie gave Newton-John an opportunity to change the girl squeaky-clean image. The cover of her next album, “Totally Hot, ” showcased the singer within black leather, whilst its songs recently had an edgier, more contemporary put sound.
Her singing success
In 1981, she took the girl new, sexier personality a step further with “Physical, ” the dance number with such suggestive words as, “There’s absolutely nothing left to talk about unless of course it’s horizontally. inch Banned by a number of radio stations, it grew to become her biggest hit, spending 10 weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100.
She also appeared in several more big-budget movies, including the musical fantasy “Xanadu” along with Hollywood legend Gene Kelly in his last screen role. The particular film bombed, nevertheless soundtrack sold nicely and spawned “Magic, ” a No . 1 hit.
In 1983 she teamed with Travolta once again for “Two of a Kind, ” a romantic comedy-fantasy, but it did not recapture their “Grease” spark.
Over an extended career Newton-John earned four Grammy Honours and sold greater than 100 million cds.
“I’ve had several lives in music. We have had country when I started, then I crossed over into pop, ” the lady told CNN. “I had ‘Xanadu’ and ‘Grease, ‘ a lot of songs in between. Personally i think very grateful. I possess such a large repertoire to choose from. ”
Overcoming disaster
But Newton-John also faced her share of difficulties and tragedy. The girl breast cancer diagnoses pressured her to delay and cancel several tours.
And in 2005 Newton-John’s then-boyfriend, Patrick McDermott , disappeared at ocean while on an angling trip off the coast of California. He was never found — an unsolved mystery that haunted the singer for years.
“It’s very hard to experience that, ” the girl told CNN’s Lewis King in 2006. “It’s probably the toughest thing I’ve ever experienced, and I’ve been through a lot of points. ” Although the girl career profile dimmed in her later years, Newton-John never ceased recording and executing. Among her illustrates were guest appearances on “Glee, inch a long-running “Summer Nights” residency at the Flamingo Las Vegas and a dance-club hit, “You Have to Believe, ” recorded with child Chloe.
“I like to sing, it’s all I know how to perform, ” she informed CNN in 2017. “That’s all We have ever done since i have was 15, so it’s my life. I feel very grateful that I can still do it and people nevertheless come to see myself. ”