Many movie and television stars, music artists and fans took to social media earlier this week after news broke that Olivia Newton-John had died. She was 73.
The 1974 CMA Female Vocalist Of The Year revealed in 2018 that she was treating cancer at the base of her spine. It was her third cancer diagnosis, following bouts with breast cancer in the early ’90s and in 2017.
Fellow Aussies Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman posted a loving tribute to the iconic singer/actress/activist.
“Livvie brought the most divine light into the world… so much love, joy, inspiration and kindness…and we will always be hopelessly devoted to you.” — Keith and Nic
Keith first met Olivia at a songwriters’ retreat at Miles Copeland’s castle in France and said he was a bit starstruck when they first met. “I met her at a songwriting retreat that was about 23 songwriters were at this songwriting retreat, and I was a bit of a fanboy (laughs). I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m meeting Olivia Newton-John,’ you know, and it was surreal to meet her. And she was, she couldn’t have been more down-to-earth, kind, friendly, warm, funny, everything I thought she would be, she was exactly that. And then we got to write a little more over the years.”
The three have a long history together. In fact, Olivia was there the night Keith met his future wife. “There was an event in Los Angeles called G’Day LA in 2005 where they were honoring me and Nic, who I hadn’t met, and Mel Gibson, the three of us as Australians who’d done well in America,” he recalls. “And they asked if I wanted anybody, in particular, some famous Aussie, to introduce me, and I had just written with Olivia so I asked Olivia if she would do it for me, so she was the person who introduced me that night, that fateful night when I met my wife. So, she also plays that very special role in our past, as well.”
Shania Twain was heartbroken like the rest of us, and wrote, “This one hit hard. Olivia inspired me with her voice, her strength and her spirit. I followed her career from the pop stuff to movies and country music – Please Mr. Please was on my childhood set list! Thank you for sharing your talent with us all.”
Eric Church met the “Grease” star backstage at the 50th Annual CMA Awards in 2016, where he was in awe of the opening of the show, which featured current artists with heritage artists performing some of the biggest country songs of all time. “We revere Country Music and the history of it, and I’m a student of it. I’m a student of Country Music, and the opening alone was mind-blowing,” he said. “And I was backstage and I’m sitting there with Olivia Newton-John, and it was all I could do not to go into ‘Summer Lovin’.”
Keith Urban (Olivia Newton-John) OC: …past, as well. 1:27
“Olivia’s one of those people that for so many Australians, particularly, has just always been part of the fabric of life, you know? She was there in the 70s and kinda has just been there, for all of my life it feels like she’s been there. I met her at a songwriting retreat that was about 23 songwriters were at this songwriting retreat, and I was a bit of a fanboy (laughs). I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m meeting Olivia Newton-John,’ you know, and it was surreal to meet her. And she was, she couldn’t have been more down-to-earth, kind, friendly, warm, funny, everything I thought she would be, she was exactly that. And then we got to write a little more over the years. And there was an event in Los Angeles called G’Day LA in 2005 where they were honoring me and Nic, who I hadn’t met, and Mel Gibson, the three of us as Australians who’d done well in America. And they asked if I wanted anybody, in particular, some famous Aussie, to introduce me, and I had just written with Olivia so I asked Olivia if she would do it for me, so she was the person who introduced me that night, that fateful night when I met my wife. So, she also plays that very special role in our past, as well.”
Eric Church (ONJ) OC: …’Summer Lovin’. :17
“We revere Country Music and the history of it, and I’m a student of it. I’m a student of Country Music, and the opening alone was mind-blowing. And I was backstage and I’m sitting there with Olivia Newton-John, and it was all I could do not to go into ‘Summer Lovin’.”
