Olivia Newton-John, who sang some of the biggest hits of the 1970s and 80s while recasting her virgin girl-next-door image into a spandex-clad vixen – a transformation mirrored in miniature by her starring role in ‘Grease’ , one of the most popular musicals of its time – died Monday at her 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 has amassed No. 1 hits, chart-topping albums and four records that have sold over two million copies each. More than anything else, she was likeable.
In the early phase of her career, this British-Australian singer won over listeners with a high-pitched, supple, vibrato voice that suited nicely to the kind of faded middle-of-the-road pop that, in the mid-1970s, often past for country music.
Her performance on the charts made that blur clear. She scored seven Top 10 hits on Billboard’s Country charts, two of which became back-to-back overall chart hits in 1974 and 1975. First came “I Honestly Love You,” an unapologetically heartfelt statement co-written by Peter Allen and Jeff Barry, followed by “Have You Never Been Mellow”, a pen of a song written by the producer of many of his greatest albums, John Farrer.
“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 shortly.