CHATTER l WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT...
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By Mark Beutler
L
ong before she was Sandy in “Grease,” or the spandex-wearing hottie with the headband in the
“Physical” video, Olivia Newton-John was first and foremost a singer. She has won four Grammy Awards, sold 100 million albums and starred in one of Hollywood’s most successful musicals. Today she remains a pop-culture icon, still entertaining the masses with her timeless hits and inexhaustible energy. She recently hit the casino circuit, where she is performing to sell-out crowds – including dates in Oklahoma at Riverwind Casino October 3 and Winstar Casino November 2.
We sat down with Olivia as she re-
flects on her music, her battle with cancer and the fans who adore her. An entire generation was raised on Olivia Newton-John. Growing up, who were some of your favorites? Do you still have the old records you collected as a youngster? Oh, you are very sweet; I can’t believe I have been singing for over 40 years and people still turn up! I always loved so many types of music and artists, that one is a tough question. I have to say Julie London, Minnie Ripperton, Doris Day and Joan Baez were pretty influential. As for my old records… oh, gosh, I probably do have them somewhere in a box. You were always a very sweet, wholesome singer. When your character Sandy changed into the leather-clad mama at the end of “Grease,” it seems you also changed. Your album following “Grease” was “Totally Hot,” which had an entirely new sound. Was that a deliberate move on your part to change with the times? When we made “Grease,” we had no idea it was going to be as big a hit as it was, and still is. It seems at every concert there is always a new generation of young girls who are discovering Sandy and the film.
16 slice | october 2012