An Insight into Olivia Newton-John - Radio and Records

By Candy Tusken, August 22 1975

I heard that some people were upset that I had won the Grammy, but the award had nothing to do with me. I didn't choose to have a hit record and I didn't chose for them to like it. But really it's beyond my control and the fans like the music, that's what really matters to me. If a couple of people in Nashville object then it's really out of my hands.

Olivia Newton-John's candid comment on winning the Grammy (and the storm of controversy that followed) is indicative of the young lady as she really is - thoughtful, sensitive and totally professional - not the fragile, childlike innocent that her image might convey, and her story is a fascinating one...

Unknown to many, Olivia is a veteran of the record industry, and not the overnight sensation we would all love to believe. She's been performing since the age of fourteen, giving her a solid twelve year background in practising her art. An Australian immigrant from a strong academic family, her father served as a College Dean who also possessed a Welsh voice of almost operatic quality. Thus, Olivia's singing ability was encouraged as long as it didn't interfere with school. She and three school friends started singing traditional jazz at different gatherings, however we were pretty bad, admits Olivia. but it was just for fun. Two of the girls sang completely off-key and we got booed off the stage most of the time! The school quartet broke up and Olivia ended up singing in her brother in law's coffee shop under the careful eye of her parents. Her fresh appeal and soft voice attracted patrons and one of them encouraged her to enter a national talent contest. She easily won the competition, landing her a trip to London which marked the beginning of her professional career. Although she could not immediately take advantage of the prize (she was in her last year of school), the notoriety led to a hostess spot as Lovely Livvy on The Happy Show, a weekly children's TV show. The experience of working in front of an audience and delivering dialogue did much to break down her inherent shyness.

I was always terrified of having to speak in public so the show was wonderful, as it gave me discipline and gave me valuable stage experience. Her TV exposure brought yet another TV series offer, a Mom and Pop daytime program, which unexpectedly catapulted her into national prominence. The newspapers capitalized on her youth by running captions of School of Stardom featuring Livvy wearing her school uniform opposite pictures of her dressed up. Olivia opted for the entertainment world and after the TV stint ended, she took advantage of her contest prize to London.

Although she was big news in Australia, she was a total unknown in England and her youth and inexperience told heavily - All I wanted to do was go back to Australia explained Olivia. I worked at some really dreadful clubs and made a dreadful record which was so bad it was never released. Nobody knew how I was and I wasn't good actually because I needed more experience. She was still a very young sixteen year old and somewhat rootless in her ambitions. I thought at one time I wanted to attend The Royal Academy Of Dramatic Art to expand myself, but I wasn't too ambitious and soon dropped the idea. Then a surprise visit from an old schoolmate Pat Carroll, who had also won a talent contest, produced a change in Olivia's fortunes. She was a terrific singer and dancer and we decided to join up as a double act because we were lonely by ourselves and very young. Having another person share the stage evidently was the necessary ingredient for the shy singer, serving to diffuse the terrifying spotlight before she was really ready for solo exposure. Pat taught me how to move and gave me confidence on stage. She had been used to working on her own and I was used to standing still on stage. Our first night she danced all around me criss-crossing the mike wires and by the end of the show we were completely tangled up and couldn't move! The girls, billed simply as Pat and Olivia, enjoyed local success and ended up doing several TV guestings leading to needed experience and confidence building for Olivia.

The successful duo was broken up two years later by the British government, who refused to extend Pat's visa any further. Olivia was safe as she had an English passport, but decided to accompany her friend home for a visit. The two were greeted with a hero's welcome, offered plenty of work and even had their own TV show. Pat eventually married, dropped out of the entertainment field and Olivia once again returned to London. However, this time she was an experienced performer who knew the ropes and England began to notice the soft-spoken Australian. Olivia had the same manager as British TV star, Cliff Richard, and when a girl was needed for a duet on the show, she got the chance. As it turned out, our voices blended very nicely so we made a record which did quite well and i was invited to do his Christmas show. Olivia debuted to the English TV audience with Cliff as the boy and girl next door, which gained immediate viewer acceptance, turning her into a regular on the show. She also released her first record at that point If Not for You which was spotlighted on Cliff's show, helping break the song and Olivia onto the English charts. A quick succession of five hits earned her a solid reputation with the English and the continent, but there was little interest from America.

I was not a huge success in England, said Olivia, I wasn't a superstar. My records sold fairly well but not phenomenally. Then she cut a song titled Let Me Be There which did not do well in either England or the American pop charts. However, the single served as Olivia's introduction into the complex world of American crossover strategies and multi-repertoire charts. I wasn't really aware of the great differences between the Pop charts and the Country charts. When the song first come out in the States they said It's not doing too well on the Pop charts, but we're thinking of re-releasing it in the Country Market. I couldn't figure out how they were going to do that! It was all very strange to me. Needless to say, the song was a huge Country smash and proceeded to cross over into the Pop field, thereby earning Olivia her first gold record. She became the overnight sensation of the Country consumer. However, she ran into the snobbery and outrage of several Nashville citizens. After walking away with the Grammy for Most Promising Female Vocalist, a committee was formed called "Ace" (Ed - Association of Country Entertainers) to protest a foreigner winning over Nashville Country artists.

Unfortunately, friends and business associates sheltered Olivia from the storm in Nashville and her silence failed to curb the many inaccuracies that were attributed to her. Explained Olivia: I had no knowledge of what was going on. The things that I had heard later that I was reportedly supposed to have said I never would have said in a million years. I never would have put Country music or Country people down. I never made any statement about Country music, nor was I asked to make a statement while I was in Nashville. I think it was a very small percentage who were upset over the award, but I think the same people would be thrilled if they had a Pop hit, they're all trying to have a hit on the Pop charts just as much, and it's happening now and I don't know why they're objecting, because I think in a way I've opened up doors for them, because people who may have never listened to Country before, listen to my albums. Since I've had crossover records, a lot of people have had them. Even the Pointer Sisters had a Country hit. I think it had to happen. Music can't be classified. You can't be putting it into little niches like that. It has to grow and evolve.

Many critics dismiss Olivia's success by alluding to her face and figure being her fortune with predications that her nova will soon burn out without a strong voice to cement her stardom and no writing ability to firm up her talents. While these criticisms have not served to diminish the public's buying preference they have possibly hurt Olivia personally and she treads very carefully on this subject, showing her vulnerability and lack of confidence. Regarding her writing ability, she said I've got ten boxes filled with lyrics and I've written down hundreds of ideas while travelling, now all I have to do is find tunes for them. I've taped some of the sings but it frustrates me when I listen back as I always think it's rubbish and discard it. I very much want to write but I won't release anything just because I wrote it, it would have to be up to par with everything else. I wouldn't want to embarrass myself.

As for the critics Olivia feels They have a right to their opinion. not everyone can like me. I don't expect them to. I don't want to be another Linda Ronstadt. I want to be me. Her realistic views of her own talents and overriding concern of being herself are apparent when questioned about the quality of her singing. I can actually sing louder than I do but then I sound like everyone else. I never set out to copy any style or singer as I always felt that was fatal. As soon as you start to sound like someone else you've lost your own identity. When I sing different songs my voice does change to a certain degree. I don't have a powerful voice. That's where it ends really as I have to suit my voice in the range ...where it sounds best so I'm not going to belt and sound stupid because I haven't the strength there.

Acceptance of her voice and limitations has led to an individual style that it is uniquely Olivia. The almost breathless little girl style is a perfect vehicle for the seemingly tailor made material that she has recorded. Selecting material to complement and enhance Olivia's style and voice up until recently was her producer's and manager's domain. According to Olivia in the beginning I think the guidance was incredibly important because when you're starting out you really don't hear yourself and other people can hear what you could develop into better than you can. I think they guided me a lot into what I sang so that I could find my own niche. Now I know better what is best for me and what I can sing as I have learned. Now she sits down with producer John Farrar and her manager and all three listen and discard until they scale down the potential material to about fifteen songs.

Olivia plans on making her permanent home in the States due to tremendous acceptance in this country and is in the process of looking for a house in Malibu, California. Her current romantic interest is her manager Lee Kramer who decided to accompany Olivia to the States to see if he liked the US and if they could make a go of it. I'm not the type of person who likes to just date and go out to pubs and parties. I'm a very basic person who likes to stay at home and entertain friends. I enjoy pottering around the house, walking my two dogs on the beach and trying my hand at writing. Going into town for an evening is a huge event for us.

There is a possibility that you will be seeing Olivia either in the movies or television. Once again she and her business associates are being careful and highly selective of the offered vehicles. I've had some offers for movies and TV. One I'm testing for but I don't want to talk about it as it's bad luck. None of them have been the right films, but the one I'm interested in right now is a straight dramatic role but I would like to do a musical..... but nothing has been decided. If I do something it has to be right. I'd rather not make a fool of myself. Those fears of failing or appearing foolish are rather surprising considering her past and present accomplishments but it is probably the very reason why Olivia continues to enjoy success. She has just completed some very limited fair dates and is currently opening in Reno with a Tahoe date in the offering and a full blown US tour set for next year. Her new album Clearly Love has just been completed and she and producer Farrar are currently selecting new material for the next effort. Said Olivia I haven't heard the completed album as yet and I'm terrified. I hope everyone likes it.