Olivia Newton-John, AC, OBE (born 26 September 1948) is an English-Australian singer, songwriter, actress, entrepreneur, and activist. She is a four-time Grammy award winner who has amassed five number-one and ten other top ten Billboard Hot 100 singles, and two number-one Billboard 200 solo albums. Eleven of her singles (including two platinum) and 14 of her albums (including two platinum and four double platinum) have been certified gold by the RIAA. She has sold an estimated 100 million records worldwide, making her one of the world’s best-selling artists of all time. She starred in the musical film Grease, and its soundtrack is one of the most successful in history, with the single “You’re the One That I Want”, with John Travolta, one of the best selling singles.
Newton-John has been a long-time activist for environmental and animal rights issues. She has been an advocate for health awareness, becoming involved with various charities, health products, and fundraising efforts. Her business interests have included launching several product lines for Koala Blue and co-owning the Gaia Retreat & Spa in Australia.
Newton-John has been married twice. She is the mother of one daughter, Chloe Rose Lattanzi, with her first husband, actor Matt Lattanzi. She married John Easterling in 2008.
At two discs and 40 songs in length, Gold easily bests 2001’s Magic or 2002’s Definitive Collection. The compilation covers all phases of Olivia Newton-John’s career, from her early years of country-tinged AM pop to her time in the pop spotlight with Grease and Xanadu and all the way to her more recent adult contemporary works with Diane Warren, Babyface, and Elton John. Though die-hard fans might find a favorite omitted, this is only a slight misstep and chances are they already own it on one of the other greatest-hits collections. There have been countless Olivia Newton-John greatest-hits compilations and anthologies, but nothing ever this sprawling and thorough in scope. This is the only release casual fans will ever need, and a fantastic starting point to discover a career rich in pop music treasures.
Video: Olivia Newton-John, Deeper Than The Night 1978
