Best known for her role as Sandy in the smash-hit musical Grease, prolific singer/songwriter and performer Olivia Newton-John died at the age of 73. On top of a music career spanning decades, Olivia battled cancer and became an unfailing advocate for — and supporter of — cancer research. Starting her own charity, the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre, she raised millions of dollars to support those living with the disease. Share your love for Liv: click the icons in the memorial header to leave a virtual tribute... more
Memories Editor Olivia was the youngest of three children born to Brinley "Bryn" Newton-John and Irene Helene (née Born).
Memories Editor Olivia and her family move to Melbourne, Australia, for her father's work as a Professor of German at the University of Melbourne.
Memories Editor Olivia started the all-girl group Sol Four, and began appearing on Australian television programs. By 1965 she had won a televised talent contest and in 1966 she used the prize — a trip to the UK — to expand her horizons.
Memories Editor Olivia recorded her first single, Till You Say You'll Be Mine, with Decca in England.
Memories Editor After performing across Europe, Olivia was recruited for the group Toomorrow, with which she made a film and recorded an album and some singles.
Memories Editor If Not For You, Olivia's first solo album, was released. The title track was an international hit. She was voted Best British Female Vocalist two years in a row by Record Mirror magazine.
Memories Editor The release of Olivia's second album, Olivia, was followed by several singles, including covers of songs by George Harrison and Jon Denver.
Memories Editor Let Me Be There, the single, proved immensely popular, reaching the Top 10 in American pop and country charts, and earning Olivia a Grammy for Best Country Female. She also received an award from the Academy of Country Music for Most Promising Female Vocalist. An album by the same name followed soon after.
Memories Editor Olivia poses with Dionne Warwick, Don Kirshner and Helen Reddy at a party celebrating the second anniversary of the Don Kirshner's Rock Concert tv show.
Memories Editor Long Live Love was released in a different format in the US, under the name If You Love Me, Let Me Know. It included what came to be Olivia's signature song, I Honestly Love You. The album would earn the artist two Grammys: one for Record of the Year, and another for Best Pop Vocal Performance – Female. It also topped the US pop and country music charts.
Memories Editor Olivia was named the Country Music Association's Female Vocalist of the Year, beating the likes of Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn, and sparking debate among purists in the country music scene.
Memories Editor In the Eurovision Song Contest, Olivia represented Britain and came 4th to ABBA's Waterloo. She went on to record all of the contest's six songs for the album Long Live Love.
Memories Editor Olivia released the pop- and country-chart-topping album Have You Never Been Mellow just 154 days after her previous number-1 album If You Love Me Let Me Know. She held the Guinness World Record for the shortest gap by a female artist between new Number-1 albums for 45 years.
Memories Editor Clearly Love, released in 1975, wasn't as popular as her previous albums and ended her streak of five gold top-10 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Memories Editor Don't Stop Believin' was Olivia's eighth studio album.
Memories Editor Olivia headlined her first television special program, A Special Olivia Newton-John.
Memories Editor At just 28 years of age, Olivia released Olivia Newton-John's Greatest Hits, which became her first platinum album.
Memories Editor Making a Good Thing Better was released following the success of the single Sam from Don't Stop Believin', but didn't achieve the same kind of success.
Memories Editor Olivia starred as the sweet and naive Sandy in the musical film Grease, opposite John Travolta. The film was the year's greatest box-office hit, and the soundtrack spent 12 weeks on top of the charts. It remains among the best-selling soundtracks of all time.
Memories Editor Olivia released Totally Hot, marking a departure from her previously wholesome image. It became her first solo top-10 album since Have You Never Been Mellow.
Memories Editor Olivia performed Hopelessly Devoted to You at the 1979 Academy Awards, where she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award as Best Actress in a Musical. By this time she'd also earned a People's Choice Award for Favorite Film Actress.
Memories Editor Olivia was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her service to the performing arts in Australia and overseas.
Memories Editor Olivia starred in her third tv special, Hollywood Nights.
Memories Editor Olivia starred in the film Xanadu which, while not achieving critical acclaim, had a soundtrack that certified double platinum and scored five top-20 singles on the Billboard Hot 100. Olivia's charting singles included Magic, Suddenly, and Xanadu.
Memories Editor Olivia meets the Queen at a concert in Sydney, alongside actor Paul Hogan. Image reused courtesy of the Commonwealth of Australia (National Archives of Australia).
Memories Editor Physical, another rock-style album, was released. It became her most popular album, reaching double-platinum. The provocative lyrics on the title track prompted some US radio stations to ban the single. Olivia also pioneered the idea of the video album with this release, and it was made into the prime-time special Let's Get Physical.
Memories Editor Olivia and John Travolta pose with the United States Navy's Blue Angels flight demonstration team.
Memories Editor After the success of Physical, Olivia went on tour internationally, and released Olivia's Greatest Hits Vol. 2, from which Heart Attack and Tied Up reached the top 40.
Memories Editor Olivia in Concert, another tv special, was later released to video and earned Olivia another Grammy nomination.
Memories Editor With friend and collabrator, singer Pat Farrar, Olivia launched boutique and fashion label Koala Blue, selling Australian imports in the United States.
Memories Editor Soul Kiss was released as an album and video album while Olivia was pregnant with daughter Chloe.
Memories Editor Olivia released The Rumour, whose title track was written and produced by Elton John. The album was promoted with an HBO special entitled Olivia Down Under.
Memories Editor Ready to go on tour to promote her Back to Basics: The Essential Collection 1971–1992 album, Olivia received the news that she had breast cancer on the same weekend her father died. She cancelled her plans for treatment, and survived the cancer.
Memories Editor Highlights from the Main Event, an album taken from The Main Event tour, was released. The album and tour saw Olivia perform with John Farnham and Anthony Warlow. It went platinum four times, won an ARIA Award for Highest Selling Australian CD at the 1999 Awards and received a nomination for Best Adult Contemporary Album.
Memories Editor Olivia recorded Back with a Heart in Nashville. The album reached number 9 on the Country Albums music chart.
Memories Editor Olivia was inducted into the Australian ARIA Hall of Fame. Image by Canley.
Memories Editor Olivia released Stronger Than Before, whose songs featured guest vocals by other female artists who had survived breast cancer.
Memories Editor Olivia performed with special guests at the Olivia Newton-John & Friends concert which accompanied the release of an album of the same name that included duets with Jimmy Barnes, Cliff Richard, Richard Marx, Guy Sebastian (pictured) and Delta Goodrem, among others. Image by Leahshia Gaston.
Memories Editor Olivia trekked 228km in three weeks to raise funds for the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre she'd founded in partnership with the Austin Hospital in Melbourne, Australia.
Memories Editor Olivia teamed up with John Travolta to release This Christmas, a charity album in support of The Olivia Newton-John Cancer & Wellness Centre and the Jett Travolta Foundation.
Memories Editor Olivia was inducted into the Music Victoria Hall of Fame in Australia.
Memories Editor Olivia's fundraising saw the establishment of the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute in Melbourne, Australia.
Memories Editor Olivia was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) for "eminent service to community health, particularly for people living with cancer, through support for medical research, and as a songwriter and performer." Image by FESTIVALDEVINACHILE.
Memories Editor Olivia was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) for her services to charity, cancer research and entertainment.
Memories Editor Olivia passed away at home on her ranch, surrounded by loved ones.