Olivia Newton-John Passed Away At 73

The chart-topping singer and Grease star Olivia Newton-John has died at age 73.

Her husband, John Easterling, shared the news through a post published on her official Facebook page. Easterling said:

“Dame Olivia Newton-John (73) passed away peacefully at her Ranch in Southern California this morning, surrounded by family and friends.

“We ask that everyone please respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time.”

Newton-John was born on Sept. 26, 1948, in Cambridge, United Kingdom. She began her career through singing in girl groups and acting on local television shows as a teenager. She recorded her first single, “Till You Say You’ll Be Mine,” for England’s Decca Records in 1966.

The singer scored her first Top 10 hit in the U.S. with 1973’s “Let Me Be There,” which also earned her a Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance. Her career exploded the following year with the release of “If You Love Me, Let Me Know,” which topped the Billboard 200 and spawned her first of five No. 1 hits, “I Honestly Love You.”

With her music career firmly established, she eventually jumped to the silver screen in the 1978 film adaptation of the Broadway musical Grease. The Grease soundtrack has sold approximately 28 million copies worldwide and produced the chart-topping duet “You’re the One That I Want,” as well as the No. 2-peaking “Hopelessly Devoted to You” and the No. 6-peaking “Summer Nights.”

Following the smashing success of Grease, the singer-actress revamped her image on her platinum-selling 1978 solo album “Totally Hot.” The following year, she was appointed as the Officer of the Order of the British Empire.

Newton-John prepared to stage a comeback with the release of 1992’s Back to Basics: The Essential Collection 1971–1992 and an accompanying tour, but she canceled all publicity after being diagnosed with breast cancer the same year.

She underwent successful treatment and became an advocate for breast cancer research. It was not her first foray into advocacy, as the singer’s animal rights activism and environmentalism dated back to the 1970s. Her husband mentioned:

“Olivia has been a symbol of triumphs and hope for over 30 years sharing her journey with breast cancer.”

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that any donations be made in her memory to the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund.