Olivia Australia's new top export
Hollywood (UPI) - Australia’s principal human export was once male tennis players. now it appears to be willowy girl singers.
The number 1 female vocalist on the maze of record charts today is Olivia Newton-John, am attractive young thing with enormous eyes and a distinctive voice.
Others of her tribe now leading the way in pop and country-western music are Helen Reddy, Lana Cantress, Diana Trask and Kerry Bidell.
The invasion, according to Olivia, is only just beginning.
“Australia has finally developed a major recording industry,” she said in an accent mindful of Rod Laver’s. “And most of the singers are doing western stuff. Country music is easy to listen to, easy to sing and easy to understand. No other country than America has anything like it. Country-western is straight forward music.”
For whatever reason Olivia’s strong accent disappears when she ties into a song. She sounds as if she might be straight from Nashville.
“I visited there for the first time in my life a few weeks ago,” she said. “I’ve been so busy touring I haven’t had the time. But I did go by the homes of Johnny Cash and Roy Obison.”
Of her seven single records cut so fat, four have been major hits on the charts. She has a long term contract with MCA Records and a bright future.
So far she hasn’t chosen to share it with one particular man, although she was making calf’s eyes at a young Englishman who accompanies her on tour.
Earlier this year she appeared in Las Vegas with Charlie Rich and outshone the silver fox. She also starred with the Smothers Bros at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles.
“It’s not country music,” Olivia said. “it’s a sophisticated ballad. But I’m not trying to break away from country-western because I never really tried to break in.”