Olivia Newton-John, who sang some of the biggest hits of the ’70s and ’80s while transforming her virginal girl-next-door image into a spandex-clad vixen, a transformation mirrored in miniature by her starring role in “Grease.” of the most popular movie musicals of his era, died Monday at his ranch in Southern California. She was 73 years old.
The death was announced by her husband, John Easterling.
Although never a critical favorite, Ms. Newton-John amassed number 1 hits, number one albums and four records that sold over two million copies each. More than anything, she was cute.
Early in her career, this English-Australian singer beguiled listeners with a high, lithe, vibrato-heated voice that blended amiably with the kind of swoony middle-of-the-road pop that, in the mid-1970s, often passed by country music.
His performance in the charts made this blur clear. It scored seven Top 10 hits on Billboard’s Country chart, two of which became No. 1 hits overall in 1974 and ’75. First came “I Honestly Love You,” an unashamedly earnest statement co-written by Peter Allen and Jeff Barry, followed by “Have You Never Been Mellow,” a song penned by the producer of many of his biggest albums , John. Farrar
“I Honestly Love You” also won two of the singer’s four Grammys, for record of the year and best female pop vocal performance.
A full obituary will be published soon.