Olivia Newton-John has been awarded the title Dame in the Queen’s New Years Honours list.
In a statement Olivia said, “I am extremely excited, honoured and grateful beyond words to be included with such an esteemed group of women who have received this distinguished award before me.
“As a girl born in Cambridge, I am very proud of my British ancestry and so appreciative to be recognised in this way by the United Kingdom.”
Dame Olivia was born in Cambridge, England in 1948. In 1954, when Olivia was six years old, the family migrated to Melbourne, Australia. Her father Brinley Newton-John was a professor at the University of Melbourne.
Olivia Newton-John’s first single ‘Till You Say You’ll Be Mine’ was released in 1966. It stiffed.
Her first hit was in 1971 with the Bob Dylan song ‘If Not For You’. It reached no 25 in the USA and no 7 in Australia’.
Australia gave Olivia her first number one hit anywhere with ‘Banks of the Ohio’.
Olivia first reached number one in the USA ‘I Honestly Love You’ and then again with the follow-up ‘Have You Ever Been Mellow’.
Then in 1978 Olivia’s starring role as Sandi in ‘Grease’ and her duet with John Travolta ‘You’re The One That I Want’ made her one of the biggest stars in the world.
The 80s hits began via the movie ‘Xanadu’. ‘Magic’, ‘Xanadu’ (with Electric Light Orchestra) and ‘Suddenly’ where all Top 40 hits.
‘Physical’, ‘Make A Move On Me’, ‘Heart Attack’, ‘Twist of Fate’, ‘Soul Kiss’ and ‘The Rumour’ keep Olivia in the chart through until 1988.
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