Sunday 21 December 2008

Olivia Newton John






Olivia Newton John was Born in Cambridge, England in 1948, she was the youngest child of a Professor named Brin Newton-John and her German born mother Irene daughter of Nobel Prize winning physicist Max Born. Despite the academic background Olivia only had an interest for music and singing.

At the age of 5 years old Olivia moved to Melbourne, Australia with her family. When she was 15 she started an all-girl group called Sol Four. Later that year she entered a poplular talent quest tv show called "Sing, Sing, Sing" hosted by Johnny O'Keefe, winning this contest she earned herself a trip to London. By 1963, Olivia Newton John was appearing on the local daytime TV shows and weekly pop programs in Australia.

Olivia met her lifelong friends, Melbourne born Pat Carroll and John Farrar on the "Go Show". The following year she went to London, where she was joined by her friend Pat (who later married John Farrar). They toured Europe as a duo act, they appeared on BBC television and the cabaret circuit and played in nightclubs and American service bases until Pat's visa ran out so she had to return to Australia. Breaking the duo up and leaving Olivia to make her first single with Decca Records in 1966, a version of Jackie DeShannon's "Till You Say You'll Be Mine." In 1971, Bruce Welch of The Shadows co-produced her cover of Bob Dylan's "If Not For You," with her Australian friend, producer/songwriter, John Farrar, who she continues to collaborate with today.

"Let Me Be There" her debut U.S album in 1973 on MCA Records produced her first top ten single of the same name, Tthe Academy Of Country Music honored Oliva as the Most Promising Female Vocalist and a Grammy Award as Best Country Vocalist.

Just before she moved to the United States to build upon her burgeoning success there, Olivia represented the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974. The number she sang, which was selected by a poll of TV viewers, was a terrible song called "Long Live Love", and together with a long flowing baby-blue dress, turned out to be a disaster. Olivia was up against stiff competition, as ABBA stole the show with a barnstorming performance of their song "Waterloo", which launched their international career. Olivia came in a distant fourth.

Olivia left England for America in 1975 to promote her next album "Have You Never Been Mellow". The title song charted at #1 and her next single from the album, "Please Mr Please", reached #3. This was the start of a long list of hits which continued throughout the 70s. Olivia became a regular on the TV show "Midnight Special", and in 1976 she had her own TV special on ABC called "A Very Special Olivia Newton -John".

more - http://www.olivia-newtonjohn.com/olivia-newton-john/bio.php

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