Name	John Farrar
Background	solo_singer
Born	November 08, 1946Melbourne, Australia
Origin	Australia
Instrument	Vocals, Guitar, bass, Keyboards
Genre	Rock and roll/Pop
Occupation	Singer/Songwriter
Years active	1964–present
Label	CBS, See4Miles
Associated acts	The Strangers (band), Marvin Welch & Farrar, The Shadows
Notable instruments	}}

John Farrar (,‿; born on 8 November 1946 in Melbourne Australia) is a music producer, songwriter, music arranger, singer and guitarist who is best known for his work with Olivia Newton-John with whom he wrote and produced many hit songs.

Farrar is a former member of several groups including The Shadows, Marvin Welch & Farrar, The Strangers and The Mustangs. He is also the father of Phantom Planet bassist Sam Farrar as well as Azura Guitarist/Keyboardist Max Farrar.

Biography

Farrar began playing guitar when he was twelve, and by sixteen had begun playing with local rock bands such as The Mustangs.

Shortly after Farrar joined The Strangers, they became the house band for the popular TV music program ''The Go!! Show''. Both Farrar's future wife, Pat Carroll, and Olivia Newton-John appeared on The Go Show as singers.

After returning from a tour with Newton-John, Carroll was obliged to return to Australia because her visa had expired, while Olivia (who was born in the UK) was able to stay on. Carroll dated and married Farrar. Following her marriage, Carroll ceased to pursue her headliner status and settled into occasionally reprising her duo work with Newton-John and back-up singing, mainly in session work for Farrar/Newton-John productions.

The newlyweds returned to England after Farrar was invited to become a member of Marvin, Welch & Farrar, a vocal-harmony group featuring two former members of The Shadows, Hank Marvin and Bruce Welch. Marvin, Welch & Farrar put out two albums, an eponymous album released in 1971 and ''Second Opinion'' (released in both quadraphonic and stereo) which was released in 1972. A third album featured just Hank Marvin and Farrar. The Shadows reformed soon after this time in order to represent the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest, and John Farrar joined them as second lead guitarist and vocalist. Two years earlier Farrar had appeared on the same show as a backing guitarist and vocalist for Cliff Richard.

During 1971 to 1976 all the members of The Shadows (except Hank Marvin) such as John Farrar, Bruce Welch (until mid-way through the 2nd album), Brian Bennett, Alan Hawkshaw, Alan Tarney, Dave Richmond and Trevor Spencer plus Australian sessionists Kevin Peek and Terry Britten (both familiar to Cliff Richard fans) and a few other lesser known sessionists all under co-producer's John Farrar and Bruce Welch (until mid-way through 2nd album) were all utilized as session musicians to record all of Olivia Newton-John's early career albums at London's famous Abbey Road Studios which were initially released on the Pye label and then on EMI label in the UK/Ireland (but on the Festival label in Australia). All of Newton-John's first seven studio albums were each recorded in London. (In 1971) Olivia Newton John (Pye), (in 1972) ''Olivia'' (Pye), (in 1973) ''Music Makes My Day'' (Pye), (in 1974) ''Long Live Love'' (EMI), (in 1975) ''Have You Never Been Mellow'' (EMI), (in 1975) ''Clearly Love'' (EMI), (in 1976) ''Come On Over'' (EMI). In the USA the first 3 Pye albums and the first EMI album were reconstituted by MCA's marketing executives as two special compilation albums suitable for release in America as (in 1973) ''Let Me Be There'' and (in 1974) ''If You Love Me, Let Me Know'' with only 12/10 tracks per album to enable her US fans to buy an album each with the hit single retrospectively from the album.

In 1974 Farrar first used the vocoder SFX unit with a instrumental track "No, No, Nina" a full year ahead of Peter Frampton's now famous double Live A&M; album and the Show me the way single which was held back from release by EMI until 1997 on CD as "The Shadows at Abbey Road" album of mostly unissued tracks. But a vocal version of No No Nina appeared on the ''Specs Appeal'' album as a Eurovision contender track. It was voted 6th out of 6 initial entries.

Farrar appeared on a number of Shadows albums in this period; ''Rockin' with Curly Leads'', ''Specs Appeal'', ''Tasty'' and ''Live at the Paris Olympia'' in particular owe much to his distinctive talent as arranger. Also during this time, Bruce Welch and Farrar began working on singles for Newton-John and found considerable success with her cover of Bob Dylan's ''If Not For You''. With Newton-John's signing with MCA Records, Farrar began a prolific songwriting and production career with the successful vocalist. His participation in Newton-John's career produced a stream of gold and platinum hits. His discography reflects an artist with a wide range of styles, from ''You're the One That I Want'' to ''Physical''.

Farrar's biggest successes with Newton-John as writer-producer came with the film version of the musical ''Grease'' in 1977—after a chance meeting with producer Allan Carr at a Hollywood party hosted by her old friend Helen Reddy, Olivia was selected for the lead role of Sandy. During filming, the producers realised that the original score of the musical was too short to bring the film to regular feature length, and that several extra songs were needed, so Farrar wrote and submitted two original songs, "Hopelessly Devoted To You" and "You're The One That I Want". Both were accepted and incorporated into the movie and they proved to be two of the most successful songs on the soundtrack, with both tracks becoming major international hits when released as singles during 1978.

In the early 1980s Pamela Stephenson of the BBC satirical comedy series Not The Nine O'clock News parodied his music production style with a tongue in cheek song called "Typical bloody typical" written, recorded and produced by Howard Goodall sending up Olivia Newton-John's "Physical" hit single.

In the mid-1990s, Farrar collaborated with Newton-John and lyricist Tim Rice for the musical score of Cliff Richard's musical ''Heathcliff'' based on the Emily Brontë novel ''Wuthering Heights''. His most recent musical is Gidget which has been indefinitely postponed.

Farrar currently uses the Moonee Ponds recording studios at Sweetwater Road in Malibu USA for any recording that he is involved with.

Farrar is the first and only musician in British pop music to have been involved in three consecutive Eurovision Song contests. In 1973 he was a guitarist for Cliff Richard with "Power to All Our Friends" (2nd). In 1974 he was producer and musician for Olivia Newton-John with "Long Live Love" (4th). And in 1975 he was a band member of The Shadows with "Let Me Be The One" (2nd).

Early career groups (pre-Shadows/Marvin Welch & Farrar/Olivia Newton-John)

;1963 - The Mustangs

Johnny Cooper(v)+John Farrar(g) + ?(g) + Peter Ramis(b) + Billy ?(d).

;1963-67 - The Strangers(#2 of 4)

John Farrar(g/v)+Fred Weiland(g/v)+Peter Robinson(b/v)+Graeme Garth Thompson(d)

;1968-70 - The Strangers(#3 of 4)

John Farrar(g/v)+Terry Walker(g/v)+Peter Robinson(b/v)+Graeme Garth Thompson(d)

Career Instruments

;Guitars

''Fender Stratocaster (white)'' - w/The Strangers (early 60's)

''Maton El Toro'' (Electro Longhorn lookalike) - w/The Strangers (mid/late 60's)

''Rickenbacker'' (both 6- and 12-string) - w/The Strangers (mid/late 60's)

''Epiphone Casino'' - w/The Strangers (mid/late 60's)

''Martin D-28'' - w/Marvin Welch & Farrar(1970–72) & w/Marvin & Farrar (1973)

''Les Paul'' - w/Marvin Welch & Farrar(1970–72) & w/Marvin & Farrar (1973)

''Fender Telecaster thin-line with 3 Bigsby pedals'' - w/The Shadows (1973–75)

''Klein'' - solo

;SFX

Schaller Rotor-Sound (The Strangers, The Shadows)

Vocoder (The Shadows)

;Amplifiers

Arbiter (head)+post-Jennings Vox Amps(cabinet) (The Shadows)

Discography

As a performer

Solo

''John Farrar'' - LP/CD - CBS/See4Miles

''With Rainine on My Mind'' - 7" - Fable

''John and Mary'' - 7" - Fable

''Reckless'' - duet with Olivia Newton-John (2009).

Marvin, Welch & Farrar

''Live at the BBC'' - Unissued - BBCcopywrite - various sessions 1970-73

''Marvin, Welch & Farrar'' - LP/CD - RegalZonophone/see4Miles/BGO

''Second Opinion'' - LP/CD - RegalZonophone/see4Miles/BGO

''Hank Marvin and John Farrar'' - LP/CD - RegalZonophone/see4Miles/BGO

''Best of Marvin, Welch and Farrar'' - LP/CD - RegalZonophone/EMI

''Marmaduke - 7" - RegalZonophone

''Strike a light - 7" - RegalZonophone

''Lady of the morning - 7" - RegalZonophone

''Tiny robin - 7" - RegalZonophone

''Faithful - 7" - RegalZonophone

The Shadows

''Radio2, John Peel session'' - Unissued - BBC copyright - 8 tracks.

''Rockin' with Curly Leads'' - LP/CD

''Specs Appeal'' - LP/CD

''Live at Paris Olympia'' - LP/CD

''Tasty'' - LP/CD

''Dakota'' - CD

''Shadows in the 70's'' - CD

''Love Deluxe'' - 7"

''Run, Billy, Run'' - 7"

''It'll Be Me, Babe'' - 7"

''Let me be the one'' - 7"

''Turn Around and Touch Me'' - 7"

The Strangers (Australian band)

''Best of The Strangers'' - CD

''Bobby & Laurie'' - CD

''Colin Cook & The Strangers'' - CD

''Let's Go With The Strangers'' - LP

''Colin Cook and The Strangers'' - CD

As a songwriter and producer

With Olivia Newton-John

''If Not for You''

''Olivia''

''Let Me Be There''

''Long Live Love''

''If You Love Me, Let Me Know''

''Have You Never Been Mellow''

''Clearly Love''

''Come on Over''

''Don't Stop Believin'''

''Making a Good Thing Better''

''Greatest Hits''

''Grease''

''Totally Hot''

''The A-side of Xanadu'' (ELO member Jeff Lynne produced the B-side)

''Physical''

''Olivia's Greatest Hits Vol. 2''

''Soul Kiss''

''Warm and Tender''

Production credits

''Neil Sedaka''

''The Moirs''

''Irene Cara''

''Gidget''

''Cher''

''Jack Wagner''

''Tony Cole''

''ASH 1970 Avignon featuring Criston Barker ex Air SUPPLY''

Hit records

1972 ''If Not for You''

1973 ''Let Me Be There'' (album) #6 American pop chart; #1 country music chart

1974 ''If You Love Me, Let Me Know'' #5 Pop; #1 Country

1975 ''Have You Never Been Mellow'' #1 Pop

1975 ''Have You Never Been Mellow'' (LP) #1 American pop album chart

1975 ''Please Mr. Please'' #3 Pop

''Something Better to Do'' #13 Pop

1976 ''Come on Over" #1 Country; #23 Pop

1976 ''Don't Stop Believin' '' #33 Pop

1978 ''Grease'' (soundtrack) multi-platinum

1978 "You're the One that I Want" #1 Pop US; #1 Pop UK

1978 "Hopelessly Devoted to You" #3 Pop US; #2 Pop UK

1978 "A Little More Love"; #3 Pop

1978 "Deeper than the Night" #11 Pop

1980 ''Xanadu (soundtrack)'' (A-side) #1 Pop on the LP chart; platinum

1980 ''Magic'' #1 American pop chart

1981 ''Physical'' #1 Pop, 10 weeks

1982 ''Make a Move on Me'' #5 Pop

1982 ''Heart Attack'' #3 Pop

1983 ''Twist of Fate"'' #5 Pop

Eurovision Song Contest appearances

1973 Power to all our friends (backing Cliff Richard).

1974 Long live love (producer to Olivia Newton-John)

1975 Let me be the one (key member of The Shadows).

Bibliography

1. ''The Story of The Shadows'' by Mike Read. 1983. Elm Tree books. ISBN 0-241-10861-6.

2. John Farrar - Music makes my day, (A Shadsfax-Tribute-40pp-booklet), by T.Hoffman, A.Hardwick, S.Duffy, G.Jermy, A.Lewis, J.Auman. No ISBN.

References

External links

Interview with John Farrar on Youtube

Category:1946 births Category:Living people Category:Australian musicians Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Musicians from Melbourne

da:John Farrar es:John Farrar fr:John Farrar lt:John Farrar hu:John Farrar

name	Hank B. Marvin
background	non_vocal_instrumentalist
birth date	October 28, 1941
alias	Brian Robson Rankin
genre	Rock, instrumental rock, rock & roll
instrument	Guitar, banjo, piano
occupation	Musician
associated acts	The Shadows, Cliff Richard
years active	1956–present
notable instruments	Hank Marvin Signature StratocasterBurns "The Marvin" and the "Shadows Custom Elite Guitar" }}

Hank Brian Marvin (born 28 October 1941) is an English guitarist, best known as the lead guitarist for The Shadows. The group, which primarily performed instrumentals, was formed as a backing band for vocalist Cliff Richard. Marvin has a distinctive guitar sound and appearance, primarily using a clean sound with very distinctive echo and vibrato giving a dreamy effect.

Personal life

He was born Brian Robson Rankin on 28 October 1941 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. As a child, he played the banjo and piano. After he heard one of Buddy Holly's songs, he decided to also learn the guitar.

He chose the name Hank Marvin while launching his music career. The name is an amalgamation of his childhood nickname of Hank, which he used to differentiate himself from a number of friends also named Brian, and Marvin Rainwater, a country and western singer.

When Marvin was 16, he travelled with his Rutherford Grammar School friend Bruce Welch to London, where he met Johnny Foster, Cliff Richard's manager, at The 2i's Coffee Bar in Soho. Foster was looking for a guitarist for Richard's upcoming tour of the U.K., and Marvin agreed to join as long as there was also a place for Welch. Foster had actually been looking for guitarist Tony Sheridan at the Two 2i's, but by chance he encountered Marvin. Marvin and Welch joined The Drifters, as Cliff Richard's group was then known, beginning their careers as professional guitar players.

Marvin met Cliff Richard for the first time at a nearby Soho tailor's shop, where Richard was having a fitting for a pink stage jacket. They had their first rehearsal with him at his parents' home in Cheshunt.

Marvin lived in the hills above Perth, Western Australia from 1986 but has since relocated to a luxury apartment in East Perth. He is a committed Jehovah's Witness. When not relaxing at his home in Perth, Marvin runs a successful recording studio: Nivram studios (part of Sh-Boom studios in Tiverton street owned by Trevor Spencer and Gary Taylor) where he is happy(?) to receive correspondence from die-hard Shadows fans.

Professional background

Equipment

Marvin played and owned the first Fender Stratocaster in the UK, serial number 34346, finished in Fiesta Red, with gold hardware. This guitar, with its tremolo arm, contributed to the Shadows' sound. The guitar was imported from America by Cliff Richard.

Marvin almost immediately customised this guitar's red paintwork with three simple cheap aluminium sticky back transfers or decals of his initials viz: "H", "B", "M", bought from a local hardware shop in London and simply stuck them on top.

Marvin's original sound was achieved with this Stratocaster, a Vox amplifier (initially an AC15 and later on an AC30 models) and a tape echo machine Meazzi Echomatic that was shown to him by Joe Brown.

He later used a Vox-badged Meazzi, then a Binson Echorec (Drum) Echo Machine and finally another tape-loop machine, the Roland 301 Space Echo, before moving on to electronic units like the Behringer Delay Machine.

In 1959, Marvin and Richard searched through a Fender catalogue to find the model of guitar played by James Burton, Ricky Nelson's lead guitarist. They assumed that Burton's guitar was a Stratocaster, because the most expensive guitar in the brochure was a gold-plated example with a red body and a one-piece Maple neck. Burton, however, played the Telecaster, and the Stratocaster was a relatively new model, available only to special order.

Richard made the arrangements and the chosen guitar was imported specially for Marvin, who used it between 1959 and 1961. It remained Richard's property and was returned to him when Jennings Musical Instruments outfitted the whole group with matching Fiesta Red Fender guitars, which featured necks with rosewood fingerboards. Marvin continued borrowing the original Stratocaster for recording.

Second (and third) Fender Stratocaster Guitar(s)

In 1970 to facilitate a new Shadows' type guitar sound, Marvin and bandmate John Farrar bought electric and two Martin acoustic guitars. Farrar purchased a Fender thinline Telecaster with a Bigsby tremolo arm whereas Marvin purchased a new Fender Stratocaster guitar with a sunburst finish with non-Fender custom pickups and a large headstock.

This Fender Stratocaster guitar was subsequently resprayed in a Black-gloss finish and was used by Marvin during the 1970s and early 1980s Shadows' studio albums and concerts. By the mid-80s Marvin reverted to a third Red Fiesta Fender Stratocaster guitar for studio and concerts. Marvin subsequently gave the Black Fender Stratocaster to his son Ben Marvin who had it resprayed back to its original sunburst finish.

Stratocaster reproduction

In 2009, to mark the The Shadows 50th anniversary and "34346", the original Stratocaster is being reproduced in detail by Fender's Custom Shop in California. Built by Fender Master Luthier Greg Fessler, the run is limited to 50 pieces and has been produced within Fender's Dealer Select program. Commissioned by Oasis Musical Instruments (a UK guitar dealer run by "Shads" fan Howard Gillespie) The guitar is a faithful reproduction of the original, down to the mythical colour which Marvin called "Flamingo Pink". This colour is also referred to by Dire Straits Guitarist Mark Knopfler in Alan Yentob's BBC TV series.

Fender has always denied the existence of that colour, while remaining true to form calling it "Custom Red". Each one of the limited edition includes a certificate of authenticity from Fender, stating that the instrument is a reproduction of "The first Stratocaster to be imported into the UK" signed by the Master Builder, there is also a signed certificate of endorsement from Hank Marvin and Bruce Welch.

Branding

In the early 1960s, Jennings named a range of guitar accessories after Marvin. The accessories included plectrum, a guitar strap, and a Bigsby-styled tremolo unit. They used the Hank Marvin signature tremolo unit on several of their own Vox guitars. Marvin also worked with Jim Burns, head of the Burns London guitar company, to develop his own signature model, known as the "Burns Marvin".

The "Marvin" appeared in 1964 and a 12-string version called the "Double Six" appeared a little earlier. In 1967, the Burns London company was taken over by the American piano-maker, Baldwin Piano Company, and partly as a result of the takeover, the fewer-than-400 original Burns-made Marvins are now highly sought after. The revived Burns company made a limited reissue of 2004 signature Marvin guitars with a certificate of authenticity, signed by Marvin. Those instruments were promoted on the Shadows' 2004 Final Tour. Marvin's original Burns guitars had been stolen in 1972 and never appeared again.

Marvin influenced many guitarists, including Pete Townshend, Mark Knopfler and John Fogerty. Although neither Marvin nor the Shadows were ever well known in the United States, despite several appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show, Marvin is listed by Frank Zappa as an influence on the first Mothers of Invention album. Afrikaa Bambaataa cited the group's first UK number one single "Apache" as a big influence, though it is likely that Bambaattaa was referring to the cover of "Apache" by The Incredible Bongo Band, which was popular among early hip hop DJs, due to the extended bongo break.

In Canada, Cliff Richard and the Shadows met with success, especially 1961-1965 when they enjoyed several top 10 hits. Canadian guitarists Randy Bachman and Neil Young have credited Marvin's guitar work as influential. Carlos Santana's nickname in his formative years was ''Apache'' because it was one of the earliest pieces he learned to play.

Solo career

As well as playing with The Shadows, Hank Marvin has had a successful solo career. He has been willing to experiment with styles and material, doing some purely instrumental albums, some with only vocals (e.g. "All Alone With Friends"), one with only acoustic guitars and one with a guitar orchestra ("The Hank Marvin Guitar Syndicate"). In 1970, Marvin and Welch formed Marvin, Welch & Farrar, a vocal harmony trio which failed to appeal to many Shadows fans or to contemporary music fans. They reverted to being The Shadows in 1973, for the ''Rockin' with Curly Leads'' album.

As a writer, Marvin was solely responsible for "Driftin'", "Geronimo", "Spider Juice" (his daughter's name for orange juice), "I want you to Want Me" for The Shadows, and "The Day I Met Marie". As co-writer with Bruce Welch, Brian Bennett, and John Rostill, he wrote other hits, mainly for Cliff Richard, including "I Could Easily Fall in Love with You" and "In the Country".

In 1988, Marvin collaborated with French keyboardist and composer Jean Michel Jarre on the track "London Kid", which appeared on Jarre's "Revolutions" album and taking a guest role in the Frenchman's giant Destination Docklands concert at the Royal Victoria Dock. Jarre stated that the Shadows' success had a huge influence on him and his decision to devote the majority of his career to instrumental music.

In 1992, Duane Eddy guested on Marvin's album ''Into the Light'' on the track "Pipeline".

Marvin and the Shadows reformed for a 2004 Final Tour, which was so successful that a 2005 European tour was also organised.

While his Shadows colleagues Bruce Welch and Brian Bennett accepted the honour of an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2004 Queen's Birthday Honours List for services to music, Marvin declined, citing "personal reasons".

Early career groups (pre-Shadows/Drifters)

;1956 – Riverside Skiffle group → Crescent City Skiffle Group

Marvin (banjo), John Tate (guitar), Derek Johnson (guitar), Joe Rankin (bass), Mal Malarky (mandolin), and Howard Muir (wb)

;1956–1957 – The Railroaders (#1)

Marvin (guitar), Welch (guitar), George Williams (guitar), Jim ? (drums)

;1956–1957 – The Railroaders (#2)

Marvin (guitar), Welch (guitar), Eddie Silver (guitar), George Williams (bass), and Jim ? (drums)

;1958 – The Vipers (aka The Vipers Skiffle group)

live concert

Wally Whyton (vocals), Johnny Booker (guitar), Hank Marvin (guitar), J. Harris (bass), and Johnny Pilgrim (wb)

;1958 – The Five Chesternuts

7" single – ("Jean Dorothy" on Columbia)

Gerry Hurst (vocals), Marvin (guitar), Welch (guitar), Neil Johnson (bass), and Pete Chester (drums)

UK solo tours

1994 – w/Brian Bennett (drums), Ben Marvin (guitar), Warren Bennett (guitar/keyboards), Mark Griffiths (bass)

1995 – w/Ben Marvin (guitar), Warren Bennett (guitar/keyboards), Mark Griffiths (bass)

1997 – w/Ben Marvin (guitar), Warren Bennett (guitar/keyboards), Mark Griffiths (bass)

1998 – w/Ben Marvin (guitar), Warren Bennett (guitar/keyboards), Mark Griffiths (bass)

2002 – w/Ben Marvin (guitar), Warren Bennett (guitar/keyboards), Mark Griffiths (bass)

Production credits

Spaghetti Junction ''Work's Nice – If you can get it/Step right Up'' Columbia DB 8935

Des O'Connor – ''Another Side Des O'Connor'' – LP – NSPL 18559.

Flair – ''Stop look & listen'' – LP – MLP 15611.

Flair – ''Fair'' – LP – CC 227324

Flair – ''Fair play'' – LP – CC 327224

Guest appearances

1972: Spaghetti Junction ''Work's Nice – If you can get it/Step right Up'' Columbia DB 8935

1976: Evita: guitar on "Buenos Aires"

1977: Dennis Waterman ''Waterman'' album (also features Brian Bennett)

1977: Roger Daltrey ''One of The Boys'' album – guitar on "Parade" and "Leon"

1978: Des O'Connor ''Another Side of Des O'Connor'' album

1979: Wings ''Back to the Egg'' album – "Rockestra Theme" and "So Glad To See You Here"

1982: British Electric Foundation ''Music of Quality and Distinction volume 1'' guitar on "Anyone Who Had A Heart" with Sandie Shaw and "It's Over" with Billy MacKenzie

1983: Tracy Ullman ''You Broke My Heart In 17 Places'' album: guitar on "Move Over Darling" and "You Broke My Heart in 17 Places"

1983: Leo Sayer ''Have You Ever Been in Love'' album: guitar on "Don't Wait Until Tomorrow"

1984: Shakin' Stevens "Teardrops" single

1985: Dire Straits plays "Going Home" ("Local Hero's Theme"), with the band, as a special guest at ''Live at Wembley''

1986: Cliff Richard and The Young Ones "Living Doll"

1988: Jean Michel Jarre ''Revolutions'' guitar on "London Kid"

1989: Jean Michel Jarre ''Destination Docklands'': guitar on "London Kid" and "Rendez-Vous IV"

1995: Alan Jones ''A Shadow In Time'' album: guest on title track "A Shadow In Time"

1998: Jane McDonald "You're My World" single

2005: Richard Hawley "I'm Absolutely Hank Marvin", b-side of "Coles Corner" single

2007: Peter Frampton ''Fingerprints'' album: guitar on ''My Cup of Tea'' (also features Brian Bennett)

2007 Jean-Pierre Danel ''Nivram'' (French Chart #15) + Blues jam session on DVD

2008 Jason Donovan ''Let It Be Me'' on ''Dreamboats and Petticoats'' album

2008 Le QuecumBar Patrons ''Stars of Gypsy Swing'' ("Coquette", "Noto Swing")

2010 Jean-Pierre Danel ''M Appeal''

In addition to the above, Marvin also plays guitar on the following tracks of library music recorded for Bruton Music:

"Fighter Plane" (with Alan Hawkshaw) on ''Top Of The Range''

"Conquest of Space" (with Alan Hawkshaw) on ''Grandiose Impressive Panoramic''

"Human Desert" (with Alan Hawkshaw) on ''Human Desert''

Discography

Singles

(V) – Vocal {|class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! A-side ! B-side ! UK Singles Chart ! Notes |- | 1968 | London's Not Too Far (V) | Running Out Of World (V) (The Shadows) | – | Columbia DB 8326 |- | 1969 | Goodnight Dick | Wahine | – | Columbia DB 8552 |- | 1969 | Sunday For Seven Days | Sacha | – | Columbia DB 8601 |- | 1969 | Throw Down A Line (V) | Reflections | #7 | Columbia DB 8615 (Cliff and Hank) |- | 1969 | Slaughter on 10th Avenue (The Shadows) | Midnight Cowboy | – | Columbia DB 8628 |- | 1970 | The Joy Of Living (V) | Leave My Woman Alone (V) Boogatoo | #25 | Columbia DB 8657 (Cliff and Hank) |- | 1970 | Break Another Dawn | Would You Believe It (V) | – | (Unreleased, promo only) |- | 1970 | Break Another Dawn | Morning Star | – | Columbia DB 8693 |- | 1970 | Morning Star | Evening Comes | – | (Australia and New Zealand only) |- | 1977 | Flamingo | Syndicated | – | EMI 2744 (Hank Marvin Guitar Syndicate) |- | 1981 | Sacha / Sunday For Seven Days | Morning Star / Evening Comes | – | (New Zealand only) Hank Marvin EP |- | 1982 | Don't Talk (V) | Life Line (V) | #49 | Polydor POSP420 |- | 1982 | The Trouble With Me Is You (remix) (V) | Captain Zlogg | – | Polydor POSP479 |- | 1983 | The Hawk and the Dove (V) | Janine | – | Polydor POSP581 |- | 1983 | Invisible Man (V) | All Alone With Friends | – | Polydor POSP618 |- | 1986 | Living Doll | | #1 | (Cliff Richard and The Young Ones featuring Hank B. Marvin) |- | 1989 | London Kid | | #52 | (Jean-Michel Jarre featuring Hank Marvin) |- | 1992 | We Are The Champions (with Brian May) | Moontalk / Into The Light (CD) | #66 | Polydor PO 229 |- | 1993 | Wonderful Land (with Mark Knopfler) | Hot Rox (CD) / Nivram | – | Polydor PO297 |}

Studio / Live Albums

1969 ''Hank Marvin'' #14

1977 ''Hank Marvin Guitar Syndicate'' (no chart position)

1982 ''Words and Music'' #66

1983 ''All alone with friends'' (no chart position)

1992 ''Into the light'' #18

1993 ''Heartbeat'' #17

1995 ''Hank plays Cliff'' #33

1996 ''Hank plays Holly'' #34

1997 ''Hank plays Live'' #71

1997 ''Plays the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber'' #41

2000 ''Marvin at the Movies'' #17

2002 ''Guitar Player'' #10

2007 ''Guitar Man'' #6

Compilation Albums

1987 ''Would You Believe It...Plus'' (reissue of 1969 LP with bonus tracks)

1994 ''The Best of Hank Marvin & The Shadows'' #19

1995 ''Handpicked'' (no chart position)

1997 ''The Very Best of Hank Marvin & The Shadows The First 40 Years'' #56

1998 ''Another Side Of Hank Marvin'' (no chart position)

2001 ''The Singles Collection 'The 80's & 90's' Hank Marvin & The Shadows'' (no chart position)

2004 ''Shadowing The Hits'' (no chart position)

2004 ''Guitar Ballads'' (no chart position)

2007 ''Hank Marvin & The Shadows Play The 60's'' (no chart position)

2008 ''The Solid Gold Collection'' (no chart position)

References

Category:1941 births Category:Living people Category:English rock musicians Category:English pop musicians Category:English rock guitarists Category:English pop guitarists Category:Western Australian musicians Category:People from Perth, Western Australia Category:People from Newcastle upon Tyne Category:English Jehovah's Witnesses Category:Music from Newcastle upon Tyne Category:Skiffle Category:The Shadows members

ar:هانك مارفن cs:Hank Marvin da:Hank Marvin de:Hank B. Marvin es:Hank Marvin fr:Hank Marvin hr:Hank Marvin it:Hank Marvin nl:Hank B. Marvin ja:ハンク・マーヴィン no:Hank Marvin pl:Hank Marvin pt:Hank Marvin sh:Hank Marvin fi:Hank Marvin sv:Hank Marvin

background	solo_singer
born	September 26, 1948Cambridge, England
origin	Melbourne, Australia
instrument	Vocals, piano, guitar, recorder
genre	Pop, country, soft rock
occupation	Singer, actress, songwriter, entrepreneur
years active	1963–present
label	MCA, EMI, Pye, Festival
associated acts	Cliff Richard, John Travolta, Electric Light Orchestra, John Farrar, Helen Reddy, Bruce Welch
website	olivianewton-john.com
spouse	Amazon John Easterling (2008–present)Matt Lattanzi (1984–95) (divorced) 1 child }}

Olivia Newton-John AO, OBE (born 26 September 1948) is an English-born, Australian-raised singer and actress. She is a four-time Grammy award winner who has amassed five No. 1 and ten other Top Ten Billboard Hot 100 singles and two No. 1 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. Her music has been successful in multiple formats including pop, country and adult contemporary and has sold an estimated over 100 million albums worldwide. She co-starred with John Travolta in the film adaptation of the Broadway musical, ''Grease,'' which featured one of the most successful film soundtracks in Hollywood history.

Newton-John has been a long-time activist for environmental and animal rights issues. Since surviving breast cancer in 1992, 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 currently lives with her second husband, John Easterling, in Jupiter Inlet Colony, Florida. She is the mother of one daughter, Chloe Rose Lattanzi, with her first husband, actor Matt Lattanzi.

Life and career

Early life and beginnings

Olivia Newton-John was born in Cambridge, England, to a Welsh father, Brinley ("Bryn") Newton-John, and a German-born mother, Irene Born, the eldest child of the Nobel prize-winning atomic physicist Max Born. Her mother's family had left Germany before World War II to avoid the Nazi regime (Newton-John's maternal grandfather was Jewish, and her maternal grandmother was of paternal Jewish ancestry). Her maternal great-grandfather was jurist Victor Ehrenberg and her matrilineal great-grandmother's father was German jurist Rudolf von Jhering. Newton-John is the youngest of three children, following brother Hugh, a doctor, and sister Rona, an actress who was married to ''Grease'' co-star Jeff Conaway from 1980 until their divorce in 1985. Newton-John's father was an MI.5 officer on the Enigma project at Bletchley Park who took Rudolf Hess into custody during World War II. In 1954 Newton-John's family emigrated to Melbourne, Australia, where her father worked as a professor of German and as Master of Ormond College at the University of Melbourne.

At 14, Newton-John formed a short-lived all-girl band, Sol Four, with three classmates often performing in a coffee shop owned by her brother-in-law. She became a regular on local Australian radio and television shows including HSV-7's ''The Happy Show'' where she performed as "Lovely Livvy." She also appeared on the ''Go Show'' where she met future duet partner, Pat Carroll, and future music producer John Farrar. (Carroll and Farrar would later marry.) She entered and won a talent contest on the television program ''Sing, Sing, Sing,'' hosted by 1960s Australian icon Johnny O'Keefe, performing the songs "Anyone Who Had A Heart" and "Everything's Coming Up Roses." Newton-John was initially reluctant to use the prize she had won, a trip to England, but travelled there nearly a year later after her mother encouraged her to broaden her horizons.

Newton-John recorded her first single, ''Till You Say You'll Be Mine'' b/w ''Forever,'' in England for Decca Records in 1966. Newton-John was homesick in England for her then-boyfriend, Ian Turpie, with whom she had co-starred in the Australian telefilm, ''Funny Things Happen Down Under.'' Newton-John would repeatedly book trips back to Australia that her mother would subsequently cancel. Newton-John's outlook changed when Pat Carroll also moved to England. The two formed a duo called "Pat and Olivia" and toured nightclubs in Europe. (In one incident, they were booked at Paul Raymond's Revue in Soho, London. Dressed primly in frilly, high-collared dresses, they were unaware that this was a strip club until they began to perform onstage.) After Carroll's visa expired forcing her to return to Australia, Newton-John remained in England to pursue solo work until 1975. She became engaged to The Shadows' guitarist Bruce Welch, but they never married.

Newton-John was recruited for the group Toomorrow formed by American producer Don Kirshner who was also the music consultant for the earliest recordings of The Monkees. In 1970, the group starred in a "science fiction musical" film and recorded an accompanying soundtrack album both named after the group. The project bombed and the group disbanded.

Early success

Newton-John released her first solo album, ''If Not For You'' (No. 158 Pop), in 1971. The title track, written by Bob Dylan and previously recorded by Beatle George Harrison for his 1970 album, ''All Things Must Pass,'' was her first international hit (No. 25 Pop, No. 1 AC). Her follow-up single, "Banks of the Ohio," was a Top 10 hit in England and Australia. She was voted Best British Female Vocalist two years in a row by the magazine ''Record Mirror.'' She made frequent appearances on Cliff Richard's weekly show, ''It's Cliff Richard,'' and starred with him in the telefilm, ''The Case.''

In 1974, Newton-John represented the United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest with the song, "Long Live Love". The song was chosen for Newton-John by the British public out of six possible entries. (Newton-John later admitted that she disliked the song.) Newton-John placed fourth at the contest held in Brighton behind ABBA's winning ''Waterloo.'' All six Eurovision contest song candidates were recorded by Newton-John and included on her ''Long Live Love'' album, her first for the EMI Records label.

In the United States, Newton-John's career floundered after ''If Not For You.'' Subsequent singles including "Banks of the Ohio" (No. 94 Pop, No. 34 AC) and remakes of George Harrison's "What Is Life" (No. 34 AC) and John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads" (No. 119 Pop) made minimal chart impact until the release of "Let Me Be There" in 1973. The song reached the American Top 10 on the Pop (No. 6), Country (No. 7), and AC (No. 3) charts and earned her a Grammy for Best Country Female and an Academy of Country Music award for Most Promising Female Vocalist. The album, ''Let Me Be There,'' charted No. 1 on Country Albums for two weeks as well as No. 54 on the Billboard 200.

The ''Long Live Love'' album was released in the United States as ''If You Love Me, Let Me Know'' with the six Eurovision songs dropped for four different, more country-oriented tracks intended to capitalize on the success of "Let Me Be There." The title track was the first single reaching No. 5 Pop, No. 2 Country (her best country placement to date) and No. 2 AC. The next single, "I Honestly Love You," became Newton-John's signature song. Written and composed by Jeff Barry and Peter Allen, the ballad became her first No. 1 Pop (two weeks), second No. 1 AC (three weeks) and third Top 10 Country (No. 6) hit and earned Newton-John two more Grammys for Record of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance-Female. The success of both singles helped the album reach No. 1 on both the Pop (one week) and Country (eight weeks) Albums charts.

Newton-John's country success sparked a debate among purists who believed a foreigner singing country-flavored pop music did not belong in country music. In addition to her Grammy for "Let Me Be There," Newton-John was also named the Country Music Association Female Vocalist of the Year in 1974, defeating more established nominees Loretta Lynn, Canadian Anne Murray, Dolly Parton, and Tanya Tucker. This outrage led to the formation of the short-lived Association of Country Entertainers (ACE). Newton-John was eventually supported by the country music community. Stella Parton, Dolly's sister, recorded "Ode To Olivia" and Newton-John recorded her 1976 album, ''Don't Stop Believin','' in Nashville.

Encouraged by expatriate Australian singer Helen Reddy, Newton-John left England and moved to the United States. Newton-John topped the Pop (one week) and Country (six weeks) Albums charts with her next album, ''Have You Never Been Mellow.'' The album generated two singles – the John Farrar penned title track (No. 1 Pop, No. 3 Country, No. 1 AC) and "Please Mr. Please" (No. 3 Pop, No. 5 Country, No. 1 AC). Newton-John's pop career cooled with the release of her next album, ''Clearly Love.'' Her streak of five consecutive gold Top 10 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 ended when the album's first single, "Something Better To Do," stopped at No. 13 (also No. 19 Country and No. 1 AC). Although her albums still achieved gold status, she did not return to the Top 10 on the Hot 100 or Billboard 200 charts again until 1978.

Newton-John's singles continued to easily top the AC chart, where she ultimately amassed ten No. 1 singles including a record seven consecutively:

"I Honestly Love You" (1974) – 3 weeks

"Have You Never Been Mellow" (1975) – 1 week

"Please Mr. Please" (1975) – 3 weeks

"Something Better to Do" (1975) – 3 weeks

"Let It Shine"/"He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" (1976) – 2 weeks

"Come on Over" (1976) – 1 week

"Don't Stop Believin'" (1976) – 1 week

She also provided a prominent, but uncredited, vocal on John Denver's "Fly Away" single which was succeeded by her own single, "Let It Shine"/"He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother," at No. 1 on the AC chart. ("Fly Away" returned to No. 1 after the two week reign of "Let It Shine".) Newton-John also continued to reach the Country Top 10 where she tallied seven Top 10 singles through 1976's "Come on Over" (No. 23 Pop, No. 5 Country, No. 1 AC) and six consecutive (of a career nine total) Top 10 albums through 1976's ''Don't Stop Believin''' (No. 30 Pop, No. 7 Country). She headlined her first U.S. television special, ''A Special Olivia Newton-John,'' in November 1976.

By mid-1977, Newton-John's AC and country success also began to wane. Her ''Making a Good Thing Better'' album (No. 34 Pop, No. 13 Country) failed to be certified gold, and its only single, the title track (No. 87 Pop, No. 20 AC), did not reach even the AC Top 10 or the Country chart. Later that year, ''Olivia Newton-John's Greatest Hits'' (No. 13 Pop, No. 7 Country) became her first platinum album as she prepared to launch a new phase in her career.

''Grease''

Newton-John's career soared after starring in the film adaptation of the Broadway musical, ''Grease,'' in 1978. She was offered the lead role of Sandy after meeting producer Allan Carr at a dinner party at Helen Reddy's home. Burned by her ''Toomorrow'' experience and concerned that she was too old to play a high school senior (she turned 29 during the latter 1977 filming), Newton-John insisted on a screen test with the film's co-star, John Travolta. The film accommodated Newton-John's Australian accent by recasting her character from the play's original American Sandy Dumbrowski to Sandy Olsson, an Australian who vacations and then moves with her family to the United States. Newton-John previewed some of the film's soundtrack during her second American network television special, ''Olivia,'' featuring guests ABBA and Andy Gibb.

''Grease'' became the biggest box-office hit of 1978. The soundtrack album spent 12 non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 and yielded three Top 5 singles for Newton-John: the platinum "You're The One That I Want" (No. 1 Pop, No. 23 AC) with John Travolta, the gold "Hopelessly Devoted To You" (No. 3 Pop, No. 20 Country, No. 7 AC) and the gold "Summer Nights" (No. 5 Pop, No. 21 AC) with John Travolta and the film's cast. The former two songs were written and composed by Newton-John's long-time music producer, John Farrar, specifically for the film. ("Summer Nights" was from the original play written by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey.) Newton-John became the second female (after Linda Ronstadt in 1977) to have two singles – "Hopelessly Devoted to You" and "Summer Nights" – in the Billboard Top 5 simultaneously. Newton-John's performance earned her a People's Choice award for Favorite Motion Picture Actress. She was also nominated for a Golden Globe as Best Actress in a Musical and performed the Oscar-nominated "Hopelessly Devoted To You" at the 1979 Academy Awards.

The film's popularity has endured through the years. It was re-released for its 20th anniversary in 1998 and ranked as the second highest grossing film behind ''Titanic'' in its opening weekend. It was most recently re-released in July 2010 as a sing-along version in select American theatres. The soundtrack still sells strongly enough to often appear on ''Billboard's'' Top Soundtracks chart.

New image

Newton-John's transformation in ''Grease'' from goody-goody "Sandy 1" to spandex-clad "Sandy 2" emboldened Newton-John to do the same with her music career. In November 1978, she released her next studio album, ''Totally Hot,'' which became her first solo Top 10 (No. 7) album since ''Have You Never Been Mellow.'' Dressed on the cover all in leather, the album's singles "A Little More Love" (No. 3 Pop, No. 94 Country, No. 4 AC), "Deeper Than The Night" (No. 11 Pop, No. 87 Country, No. 4 AC), and the title track (No. 52 Pop) all demonstrated a more aggressive and uptempo sound for Newton-John. Although the album de-emphasized country, it still reached No. 4 on the Country Albums chart. Newton-John released the B-side, "Dancin' 'Round And 'Round," of the "Totally Hot" single to Country radio peaking at No. 29 (as well as No. 82 Pop and No. 25 AC), becoming her last charted solo Country airplay single to date.

Newton-John began 1980 by releasing ''I Can't Help It'' (No. 12 Pop, No. 8 AC), a duet with Andy Gibb from his ''After Dark'' album, and by starring in her third television special, ''Hollywood Nights.'' Later that year, she appeared in her first film since ''Grease'' starring in the musical ''Xanadu'' with Gene Kelly and Michael Beck. Although the movie was a critical failure, its soundtrack (No. 4 Pop) was certified double platinum boasting five Top 20 singles on the Billboard Hot 100. Newton-John charted with ''Magic'' (No. 1 Pop, No. 1 AC), ''Suddenly'' with Cliff Richard (No. 20 Pop, No. 4 AC) and the title song with the Electric Light Orchestra (No. 8 Pop, No. 2 AC). (The Electric Light Orchestra also charted with "I'm Alive" (No. 16 Pop, No. 48 AC) and "All Over The World" (No. 13 Pop, No. 46 AC).) ''Magic'' was Newton-John's biggest Pop hit to that point (four weeks at No. 1) and still ranks as the biggest AC hit of her career (five weeks at No. 1). The film has since become a cult classic and the basis for a well-reviewed Broadway show that ran for more than 500 performances beginning in 2007 and was nominated for four Tony Awards including Best Musical. (A successful international tour of the show followed.)

In 1981, Newton-John released her most successful studio album, the double platinum ''Physical.'' The title track, written by Steve Kipner and Terry Shaddick, spent ten weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100, matching the then record of most weeks spent at No. 1 in the rock era held by Debby Boone's ''You Light Up My Life.'' The single was certified platinum and it ultimately ranked as the biggest song of the decade. (In 2008, Billboard ranked the song No. 6 among all songs that charted in the 50-year history of the Hot 100.) "Physical" even earned Newton-John her only placement ever on the R&B; Singles (No. 28) and Albums (No. 32) chart. The ''Physical'' album spawned two more singles, ''Make a Move on Me'' (No. 5 Pop, No. 6 AC) and ''Landslide'' (No. 52 Pop).

The provocative lyrics of the title track prompted two Utah radio stations to ban the single from their playlists. (In 2010, Billboard magazine ranked this as the most popular single ever about sex.) To counter its overtly suggestive tone, Newton-John filmed an exercise-themed video that turned the song into an aerobics anthem and made headbands a fashion accessory outside the gym. Newton-John became a pioneer in the nascent music video industry by recording a video album for ''Physical'' featuring videos of all the album's tracks and three of her older hits. The video album earned her a fourth Grammy and was aired as an ABC prime time special, ''Let's Get Physical,'' becoming a Top 10 Nielsen hit. The success of ''Physical'' led to an international tour and the release of her second hits collection, the double platinum ''Olivia's Greatest Hits Vol. 2'' (No. 16 Pop), which yielded two more Top 40 singles: ''Heart Attack'' (No. 3 Pop) and ''Tied Up'' (No. 38 Pop). The tour was filmed for her ''Olivia In Concert'' television special which premiered on HBO in January 1983. The special was subsequently released to video earning Newton-John another Grammy nomination.

Newton-John re-teamed with Travolta in 1983 for the critically and commercially unsuccessful ''Two of a Kind,'' redeemed by its platinum soundtrack (No. 26 Pop) featuring ''Twist Of Fate'' (No. 5 Pop), ''Livin' In Desperate Times'' (No. 31 Pop), and a new duet with Travolta, ''Take A Chance'' (No. 3 AC). Newton-John released another video package, the Grammy-nominated ''Twist Of Fate,'' featuring videos of her four songs on the ''Two of a Kind'' soundtrack and the two new singles from ''Olivia's Greatest Hits Vol. 2.''

The same year, Newton-John and Pat Carroll founded ''Koala Blue.'' The store, originally for Australian imports, evolved into a chain of women's clothing boutiques. The chain was initially successful, but it eventually declared bankruptcy and closed in 1992. Newton-John and Farrar would later license the brand name for a line of Australian produced wines, confections, and bed/bath products. Newton-John married her long-time boyfriend, actor Matt Lattanzi, in December 1984. The couple had met four years earlier while filming ''Xanadu.'' Their daughter, Chloe Rose Lattanzi, was born in January 1986. (They divorced in 1995.)

Newton-John's music career cooled again with the release of her next studio album, the gold ''Soul Kiss'' (No. 29 Pop), in 1985. The album's only charted single was the title track (No. 20 Pop, No. 20 AC). Due to her pregnancy, Newton-John limited her publicity for the album. The video album for ''Soul Kiss'' featured only five of the album's ten tracks (concept videos for the album's singles ''Soul Kiss'' and ''Toughen Up'' as well as performance videos of the tracks ''Culture Shock'', ''Emotional Tangle'' and ''The Right Moment'').

Motherhood and advocacy

After a nearly three-year hiatus following the birth of Chloe, Newton-John resumed her recording career with the 1988 album, ''The Rumour.'' The album was promoted by an HBO special, ''Olivia Down Under,'' and its first single, the title track, was written and produced by Elton John. Both the single (No. 62 Pop, No. 33 AC) and the album (No. 67 Pop) fizzled as the nearly 40 year-old Newton-John seemed "old" when compared with the teen queens Debbie Gibson and Tiffany ruling the Pop charts at that time. (Ironically, this album was praised by critics as more mature with Newton-John addressing topics such as AIDS, the environment and single parent households.) The second single, ''Can't We Talk It Over In Bed,'' did not chart, but was released in 1989 by Grayson Hugh, the song's arranger, as ''Talk It Over'' becoming a Top 20 Pop hit. A year later, Newton-John recorded her self-described "self-indulgent" album, ''Warm and Tender.'' Inspired by her daughter, who appeared on the album cover, the album featured lullabies and love songs for parents and their children. This album, the last one produced by John Farrar, also failed to revive her recording career struggling to No. 124 Pop.

Newton-John was primed for another comeback in 1992 when she compiled her third hits collection, ''Back To Basics – The Essential Collection 1971–1992'', and planned her first tour since her ''Physical'' trek ten years earlier. Shortly after the album's release, Newton-John was diagnosed with breast cancer forcing her to cancel all publicity for the album including the tour. (Newton-John received her diagnosis the same weekend her father died.) Newton-John recovered and since became a tireless advocate for breast cancer research and other health issues. She is a product spokesperson for the Liv-Kit, a breast self-examination product. She is also partial owner of the Gaia Retreat and Spa in Byron Bay, Australia advertised as "the ideal place to renew, refresh, and restore your mind, body and soul."

Newton-John's advocacy for health issues was presaged by her prior involvement with many humanitarian causes. Newton-John cancelled a 1978 concert tour of Japan to protest the slaughter of dolphins caught in tuna fishing nets. (She subsequently rescheduled the tour when the Japanese government assured her the matter was being addressed.) She was a performer on the 1979 Music for UNICEF Concert for the UN' International Year of the Child televised worldwide. During the concert, artists performed songs for which they donated their royalties, some in perpetuity, to benefit the cause. She was appointed a Goodwill Ambassador to the United Nations Environment Programme. In 1991, she became the National Spokesperson for the Colette Chuda Environmental Fund/CHEC (Children’s Health Environmental Coalition) following the death of four year old Colette Chuda, a family friend, from cancer. (Chuda was featured along with Newton-John and daughter Chloe on the cover of Newton-John's ''Warm and Tender'' album.)

Newton-John's cancer diagnosis also affected the type of music she recorded. In 1994, she released ''Gaia: One Woman's Journey'' which chronicled her ordeal. This was the first album on which Newton-John wrote all of the songs encouraging her to become more active as a songwriter thereafter. In 2005, she released ''Stronger Than Before,'' sold exclusively in the United States by Hallmark. Proceeds from the album's sales benefited breast cancer research. The album featured the song ''Phenomenal Woman'' based on the poem by Maya Angelou that featured guest vocals from Diahann Carroll, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Delta Goodrem, Amy Holland, Patti LaBelle, and Mindy Smith – all survivors of or affected by cancer.

The following year, Newton-John released a healing CD, ''Grace And Gratitude.'' The album was sold exclusively by Walgreens also benefitting various charities including Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization. The CD was the "heart" of their "Body – Heart – Spirit" Wellness Collection which also featured a re-branded Liv-Kit and breast-health dietary supplements. Newton-John re-recorded some tracks from ''Grace And Gratitude'' in 2010 and re-released the album as ''Grace And Gratitude Renewed'' on the Green Hill music label. The ''Renewed'' CD includes a new track, "Help Me To Heal," not featured on the original album. The ''Renewed'' CD yielded Newton-John's first appearances on the Billboard Christian Albums (No. 36), Christian & Gospel Albums (No. 54) and New Age Albums (No. 2) charts.

In 2008, Newton-John raised funds to help build the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre in Melbourne, Australia. She led a three-week, 228 km. walk along the Great Wall of China during April joined by various celebrities and cancer survivors throughout her trek. The walk symbolized the steps cancer patients must take on their road to recovery. Newton-John released a companion CD, ''A Celebration In Song,'' the following month in Australia and later worldwide featuring new and previously recorded duets by "Olivia Newton-John & Friends." Her "Friends" included Jann Arden, Jimmy Barnes, John Farrar, Barry Gibb, Delta Goodrem, Sun Ho, Richard Marx, Cliff Richard, Melinda Schneider, Amy Sky and Keith Urban. (The album was re-released by Green Hill Records with different artwork in 2011.) In October, Newton-John helped launch the www.liv.com website and teamed with fitness franchise Curves to distribute one million Liv-Aid breast self-examination aids for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Newton-John collaborated with producer David Foster to record ''Hope Is Always Here'' for the November 2009 television special, ''Kaleidoscope.'' The song was written and composed for the show's performance by another breast cancer survivor, figure skater Dorothy Hamill. The song was released as a digital single after the show aired.

Newton-John was featured in UniGlobe Entertainment's breast cancer docu-drama, ''1 a Minute,'' released in October 2010. The documentary was made by actress Namrata Singh Gujral and featured other celebrities who survived breast cancer or were affected by the disease. During the same month, Bluewater Productions released a comic book featuring Newton-John to coincide with Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Later career

Newton-John continued to record and perform pop-oriented music as well. In 1998, she returned to Nashville to record ''Back With A Heart'' (No. 59 Pop). The album returned her to the Top 10 (No. 9) on the Country Albums chart. Its first single was a re-recording of ''I Honestly Love You'' produced by David Foster and featuring Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds on background vocals that charted Pop (No. 67) and AC (No. 18). Country radio dismissed the song, though it did peak at No. 16 on the Country Sales chart. The album track, ''Love Is A Gift,'' won Newton-John a 1999 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Song after being featured on the daytime serial, ''As The World Turns.''

Newton-John's subsequent secular albums were released primarily in Australia. Newton-John, John Farnham and Anthony Warlow toured Australia as ''The Main Event.'' The live album won an ARIA Award for Highest Selling Australian CD and was also nominated for Best Adult Contemporary Album. She and Farnham performed ''Dare To Dream'' at the Opening Ceremony of the 2000 Sydney Olympics. In 2002, Newton-John released ''(2),'' a duets album featuring mostly Australian artists (Tina Arena, Darren Hayes, Jimmy Little, Johnny O'Keefe, Billy Thorpe, Keith Urban) as well as a heartfelt "duet" with the deceased Peter Allen. The same year, Newton-John was inducted into Australia's ARIA Hall of Fame. ''Indigo: Women of Song,'' a tribute album covering songs by female artists such as Joan Baez, The Carpenters, Doris Day, Nina Simone, Minnie Riperton and others, was released in 2004. Newton-John dedicated the album to her mother, who had died the previous year.

Newton-John also released several Christmas albums. In 2000, she teamed with Vince Gill and the London Symphony Orchestra for '''Tis The Season'' sold exclusively through Hallmark. The following year, she released ''The Christmas Collection'' which compiled seasonal music previously recorded for her Hallmark Christmas album, her appearance on Kenny Loggins' 1999 TNN Christmas special and her contributions to the ''Mother And Child'' and ''Spirit Of Christmas'' multi-artist collections. (Green Hill Records re-released this album with different artwork in 2010.) In 2007, she re-teamed with her ''Grace And Gratitude'' producer, Amy Sky, for ''Christmas Wish'' (No. 187 Pop) which was sold exclusively by Target in its first year of release.

Newton-John acted occasionally since ''Two of a Kind''. She appeared in a supporting role in the 1996 AIDS drama, ''It's My Party''. In 2000, she appeared in a dramatically different role as Bitsy Mae Harling, a lesbian ex-con country singer, in Del Shores' ''Sordid Lives.'' Newton-John reprised her role for ''Sordid Lives: The Series'' which aired one season on the LOGO television network. The series featured five original songs written and composed by Newton-John specifically for the show. In 2010, Newton-John starred in the film ''Score: A Hockey Musical,'' released in Canada. Newton-John portrayed Hope Gordon, the mother of a home-schooled hockey prodigy. The film opened the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival.

Newton-John's television work included starring in two Christmas movies, ''A Mom For Christmas'' (1990) and ''A Christmas Romance'' (1994) – both Top 10 Nielsen hits. Her daughter, Chloe, starred as one of her children in both ''A Christmas Romance'' and in the 2001 Showtime film ''The Wilde Girls.'' Newton-John guest-starred as herself in the sitcoms ''Ned and Stacey,'' ''Murphy Brown,'' and ''Bette,'' and made two appearances as herself on ''Glee.'' For her first ''Glee'' appearance, Newton-John re-created her "Physical" video with series regular Jane Lynch. The performance was released as a digital single, returning Newton-John to the Billboard Hot 100 (No. 89) for the first time since her 1998 re-release of ''I Honestly Love You.'' In Australia, Newton-John hosted the animal and nature series ''Wild Life'' and guest starred as Joanna on two episodes of the Australian series ''The Man From Snowy River.''

Newton-John met gaffer/cameraman Patrick McDermott a year after her 1995 divorce from Matt Lattanzi. The couple dated on and off for nine years. McDermott disappeared following a 2005 fishing trip off the California coast. Various theories abounded regarding his disappearance ranging from his death by accident or foul play to McDermott staging his disappearance to avoid child support payments to his ex-wife, actress Yvette Nipar. Newton-John, who was in Australia at her Gaia Retreat & Spa at the time of his disappearance, was never a suspect in McDermott's disappearance and has refused to comment on any speculation. A US Coast Guard investigation released in 2008 "suggest[ed] McDermott was lost at sea," although some have claimed contact with McDermott since his disappearance.

Newton-John returned to the tabloid headlines again in 2007 when it was revealed that her daughter Chloe was recovering from anorexia.

Newton-John released another concert DVD, ''Olivia Newton-John and the Sydney Symphony: Live at the Sydney Opera House,'' and a companion CD, ''Olivia's Live Hits,'' in January 2008. An edited version of the DVD premiered on PBS station, WLIW (Garden City, New York), in October 2007 and subsequently aired nationally during the network's fund-raising pledge drives. This was Newton-John's third live album after the 1981 Japanese release, ''Love Performance,'' and her 2000 Australian release, ''One Woman's Live Journey.''

In June 2008, Newton-John secretly wed John ("Amazon John") Easterling, founder and president of natural remedy firm, Amazon Herb Company. The couple had first met 15 years earlier, but they only became romantically involved in 2007. (Like Newton-John, this was Easterling's second marriage.) The couple married alone in a private Incan spiritual ceremony in Cuzco, Peru on June 21 followed nine days later by a legal ceremony on the Jupiter Island beachfront in Florida. There were no guests at either service since the couple preferred to marry simply and privately. Only Newton-John's daughter, Chloe, was aware of the nuptials. The couple did not announce their marriage until a 4 July barbecue at Newton-John's Malibu, California home, where guests were surprised with the news. The wedding was confirmed thereafter by ''HELLO!'' Magazine which published exclusive pictures of both weddings. In June 2009, the Easterlings purchased a new $4.1 million home in Jupiter Inlet, and Newton-John sold her home in Malibu, California.

Current activities

Newton-John still occasionally tours. Most of her recent public performances have been at charitable functions or to promote products such as Zamu, produced by Amazon Herb, a company founded by John Easterling. Her tour schedule can be found at http://olivianewton-john.com/tour.html.

Newton-John joined Judy Brooks and Roy Walkenhorst as co-host of the health and well-being series ''Healing Quest'', currently airing on PBS.

In January 2011, Newton-John began filming "A Few Best Men" in Australia with director Stephan Elliott in the role of mother of the groom played by (Xavier Samuel).

Ten of Newton-John's albums were re-released separately and combined as a box set in October 2010 by Universal Music Japan. The albums include ''Long Live Love,'' ''Clearly Love,'' ''Come On Over,'' ''Don't Stop Believin','' ''Making A Good Thing Better,'' ''Totally Hot,'' ''Physical,'' ''Soul Kiss'', and ''The Rumour''. Each studio album featured two additional bonus tracks not included on the original releases of each album. On the same day, Universal Music Japan also released a "40/40" compilation that included 40 of Newton-John's hits as voted for by her Japanese fans as well as a previously unreleased bonus track, "Come on Home". Newton-John promoted these re-releases with a five-date tour of Japan.

On 12 February 2011, the BBC website reported that Newton-John was keen to join the 'Hetton Thunderer' project, a collaboration between musicians and the Hetton-le-Hole Historical Musical Society to re-invent forgotten musical instruments. Newton-John wished to keep the project under-wraps until demonstrations of the remodelled musical instruments were made public.

Discography and videography

;Studio albums

''Olivia Newton John'' (1971)

''If Not For You'' (1971)

''Olivia'' (1972)

''Music Makes My Day'' (1973)

''Let Me Be There'' (1973) [US compilation]

''Long Live Love'' (1974)

''If You Love Me, Let Me Know'' (1974) [US compilation]

''Have You Never Been Mellow'' (1975)

''Clearly Love'' (1975)

''Come On Over'' (1976)

''Don't Stop Believin''' (1976)

''Making a Good Thing Better'' (1977)

''Totally Hot'' (1978)

''Physical'' (1981)

''Soul Kiss'' (1985)

''The Rumour'' (1988)

''Warm and Tender'' (1989)

''Gaia'' (1994)

''Back With a Heart'' (1998)

'''Tis the Season'' (2000)

''The Christmas Collection (Olivia Newton-John album)'' (2001)

''(2)'' (2002)

''Indigo: Women of Song'' (2004)

''Stronger Than Before'' (2005)

''Grace and Gratitude'' (2006)

''Christmas Wish'' (2007)

''A Celebration in Song'' (2008)

''Grace And Gratitude Renewed'' (2010)

;Main compilation albums

''First Impressions'' (1975) (EMI/Festival compilation)

''Greatest Hits'' (1977)

''Olivia's Greatest Hits Vol. 2'' (1982)

''Back to Basics: The Essential Collection 1971–1992'' (1992)

;Live albums

''Love Performance'' (1981)

''Highlights from The Main Event'' (1998)

''One Woman's Live Journey'' (2000)

''Olivia's Live Hits'' (2008)

;Soundtracks

''Toomorrow'' (1970)

''Grease'' (1978)

''Xanadu'' (1980)

''Two of a Kind'' (1983)

''Sordid Lives'' (2000)

''Sordid Lives: The Series'' (2008)

;DVDs/Laserdisc(12")/VHS/Betamax

''Olivia Physical'' (1982)

''Olivia in Concert'' (1983)

''Twist of Fate'' (1983)

''Soul Kiss'' (1985)

''Olivia Down Under'' (1988)

''Live at the Sydney Opera House'' (2008)

''Video Gold 1'' (2005)

''Video Gold 2'' (2005)

Filmography

''Toomorrow (film) ''The Case'' ''A Special Olivia Newton-John'' ''Only Olivia'' ''Olivia'' ''Xanadu (film) ''Two of a Kind (1983 film) ''She's Having a Baby'' ''Mothers & Others'' ''A Mom for Christmas'' ''A Christmas Romance'' ''It's My Party (film) ''Sordid Lives'' ''The Wilde Girls'' ''A Night with Olivia'' ''Live in Japan '03'' ''Sordid Lives: The Series'' ''Kathy Griffin: My Life On The D-List'' ''1 a Minute'' ''A Few Best Men''

Year !! Title !! Role !! Notes
1965	''Funny Things Happen Down Under''	Olivia
1970	Toomorrow'' ||	Olivia	Lead role
1972	|	Herself	BBC2 TV special w/Cliff Richard & Tim Brooke-Taylor
1976	|	Herself	TV special
1977	|	Herself	TV special
rowspan="2"	1978	|	Herself	TV special
''Grease (film)	Grease''	Sandy Olsson
rowspan="2"	1980	Xanadu'' ||	Terpsichore>Kira	Lead role
''Hollywood Nights''	Herself
1983	Two of a Kind'' ||	Debbie	Lead role
1988	|	Herself	Cameo
1989	|	Herself	TV special
1990	|	Amy Miller	Lead role in television film
rowspan="2"	1991	|	Julia Stonecypher	Lead role in television film
''Madonna: Truth or Dare''	Herself
1996	It's My Party'' ||	Lina Bingham	Supporting role
2000	|	Bitsy Mae Harling	Supporting role
2001	|	Jasmine Wilde	Lead role in television film
2002	|	Herself	TV special
2003	|	Herself	TV special
2008	|	Bitsy Mae Harling	Supporting role in TV Series
2009	|	Herself	Guest appearance
rowspan="3"	2010	|	Herself	Documentary
''Glee (TV series)	Glee''	Herself
''Score: A Hockey Musical''	Hope Gordon
2011	|	Mother-in-Law	Supporting role

Tours

''If Not For You Tour'' (1972)

''Cliff Richard Japan tour w/Pat Carroll'' (1972)

''Clearly Love Tour'' (1975)

''Love Performance Tour'' (1976)

''Totally Hot World Tour'' (1978)

''Physical World Tour'' (1982)

''The Main Event Tour'' (1998)

''Greatest Hits Tour'' (1999)

''One Woman's Live Journey Tour'' (1999)

''Millennium Tour'' (2000)

''30 Musical Years Tour'' (2001)

''Heartstrings World Tour'' (2002)

''Japan 2006 Tour'' (2006)

''Live at the Sydney Opera House Tour'' (2006)

''Grace and Gratitude Tour'' (2006)

''Body Heart & Spirit Tour'' (2007)

''Verona-Canadian 2007 Tour'' (2007)

''United States 2009 Tour'' (2009)

Awards and honours

{| class=wikitable |- style="background:#ccc;" !Year !Category !Genre !Recording !Result |- style="background:#ddd;" | colspan="5" style="text-align:center;"| Grammy Awards |- align=left | style="text-align:left;"|1973 |Best Female Country Vocal Performance |Country |"Let Me Be There" | |- align=left | style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2"|1974 |Record of the Year |General |"I Honestly Love You" | |- align=left |Best Female Pop Vocal Performance |Pop |"I Honestly Love You" | |- align=left | style="text-align:left;"|1975 |Best Female Pop Vocal Performance |Pop |"Have You Never Been Mellow" | |- align=left | style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2"|1978 |Album of the Year |General |"Grease" (Soundtrack) | |- align=left |Best Female Pop Vocal Performance |Pop |"Hopelessly Devoted to You" | |- align=left | style="text-align:left;"|1980 |Best Female Pop Vocal Performance |Pop |"Magic" | |- align=left | style="text-align:left;"|1981 |Best Female Pop Vocal Performance |Pop |"Physical" | |- align=left | style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2"|1982 |Best Female Pop Vocal Performance |Pop |"Heart Attack" | |- align=left |Video of the Year |General |''Olivia Physical'' | |- align=left | style="text-align:left;"|1983 |Best Long Form Music Video |General |''Olivia in Concert'' | |- align=left | style="text-align:left;"|1984 |Best Short Form Music Video |General |''Twist of Fate'' | |}

See also

List of best-selling music artists

List of celebrities who own wineries and vineyards

List of songs by Australian artists which reached number-one on the Hot 100 (USA)

List of songs by British artists which reached number-one on the Hot 100 (USA)

List of artists who reached number one in the United States

List of artists who reached number one on the UK Singles Chart

References

Bibliography

Olivia (The Biography of Olivia Newton-John), Tim Ewbank. (2008). Piatkus books. ISBN 978-0-7499-0983-3.

Wood, Gerry. (1998). "Olivia Newton-John." In ''The Encyclopedia of Country Music.'' Paul Kingsbury, Editor. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 380–1.

The Story of the Shadows by Mike Read. 1983. Elm Tree books. ISBN 0-241-10861-6.

Rock 'n' Roll, I Gave You The Best Years Of My Life – A Life In The Shadows by Bruce Welch ISBN 0-670-82705-3 (Penguin Books).

External links

Olivia Newton-John

Gaia Retreat

Great Walk To Beijing

ON-J Cancer Centre Appeal

Breast Health

Newton-John, Olivia (1948–) National Library of Australia, ''Trove, People and Organisation'' record for Olivia Newton-John

Category:1948 births Category:20th-century actors Category:21st-century actors Category:Living people Category:Actors from Melbourne Category:ARIA Award winners Category:ARIA Hall of Fame inductees Category:Australian country singers Category:Australian dance musicians Category:Australian expatriate actors in the United States Category:Australian female singers Category:Australian film actors Category:Australian people of English descent Category:Australian people of German descent Category:Australian people of Welsh descent Category:Australian pop singers Category:Australian television actors Category:Breast cancer survivors Category:British Eurovision Song Contest entrants Category:English country singers Category:English dance musicians Category:English expatriates in the United States Category:English female singers Category:English film actors Category:English emigrants to Australia Category:English pop singers Category:English people of German descent Category:English people of Welsh descent Category:English television actors Category:Daytime Emmy Award winners Category:Eurovision Song Contest entrants of 1974 Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Naturalised citizens of Australia Category:Officers of the Order of Australia Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire Category:People from Cambridge Category:Singers from Melbourne

bg:Оливия Нютън-Джон ca:Olivia Newton-John cs:Olivia Newton-John cy:Olivia Newton-John da:Olivia Newton-John de:Olivia Newton-John et:Olivia Newton-John es:Olivia Newton-John eo:Olivia Newton-John fa:الیویا نیوتن جان fr:Olivia Newton-John ga:Olivia Newton-John ko:올리비아 뉴튼 존 id:Olivia Newton-John is:Olivia Newton-John it:Olivia Newton-John he:אוליביה ניוטון-ג'ון la:Olivia Newton-John lv:Olīvija Ņūtona-Džona lt:Olivia Newton-John hu:Olivia Newton-John nl:Olivia Newton-John ja:オリビア・ニュートン＝ジョン no:Olivia Newton-John pl:Olivia Newton-John pt:Olivia Newton-John ro:Olivia Newton-John qu:Olivia Newton-John ru:Ньютон-Джон, Оливия simple:Olivia Newton-John fi:Olivia Newton-John sv:Olivia Newton-John tl:Olivia Newton-John th:โอลิเวีย นิวตัน-จอห์น tr:Olivia Newton-John uk:Олівія Ньютон-Джон wuu:欧里维娅 zh:奧莉維亞·紐頓-約翰

birth name	John Joseph Travolta
birth date	February 18, 1954
birth place	Englewood, New Jersey, U.S.
occupation	Actor, singer, dancer, producer, writer
years active	1969–present
religion	Roman Catholic (until 1975)Scientologist (1975-present)
spouse
children
website	http://www.travolta.com }}

John Joseph Travolta (born February 18, 1954) is an American actor, dancer and singer. Travolta first became known in the 1970s, after appearing on the television series ''Welcome Back, Kotter'' and starring in the box office successes ''Saturday Night Fever'' and ''Grease''. Travolta's acting career declined in the early 1980s and continued to deteriorate throughout the remainder of the decade. His career faced a resurgence in the 1990s with his role in ''Pulp Fiction'', and he has since continued starring in Hollywood films including ''Face/Off'', ''Ladder 49'', and ''Wild Hogs''. Travolta was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for ''Saturday Night Fever'' and ''Pulp Fiction''. He won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for his performance in ''Get Shorty''.

Early life

Travolta, the youngest of six children, was born and raised in Englewood, New Jersey, an inner-ring suburb of New York City. His father, Salvatore Travolta (November 1912 – May 1995), was a semi-professional American football player turned tire salesman and partner in a tire company. His mother, Helen Cecilia (née Burke, January 1912 – December 1978), was an actress and singer who had appeared in ''The Sunshine Sisters'', a radio vocal group, and acted and directed before becoming a high school drama and English teacher. His siblings are Joey, Ellen, Ann, Margaret, and Sam Travolta. Travolta's father was a second-generation Italian American and his mother was Irish American; he grew up in an Irish-American neighborhood and has said that his household was predominantly Irish in culture. He was raised Roman Catholic, but converted to Scientology in 1975.

Career

Early career

After attending Dwight Morrow High School, Travolta moved across the Hudson River to New York City and landed a role in the touring company of the musical ''Grease'' and on Broadway in ''Over Here!'' singing the Sherman Brothers' song "Dream Drummin'". He then moved to Los Angeles to further his career in show business.

Travolta's first California-filmed television role was as a fall victim in, ''Emergency!'' (S2E2), in September 1972, but his first significant movie role was as Billy Nolan, a bully who was goaded into playing a prank on Sissy Spacek's character in the horror film, ''Carrie'' (1976). Around the same time, he landed his star-making role as Vinnie Barbarino in the TV sitcom ''Welcome Back, Kotter'' (1975–1979), in which his sister, Ellen, also occasionally appeared (as Arnold Horshack's mother). The show aired on ABC.

'70s stardom

Around this time, Travolta had a hit single entitled "Let Her In" peaking at number ten on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In the next few years, he appeared in some of his most memorable screen roles: Tony Manero in ''Saturday Night Fever'' (1977) and as Danny Zuko in ''Grease'' (1978). These two films were among the most commercially successful pictures of the decade and catapulted Travolta to international stardom. ''Saturday Night Fever'' earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. At age 24, Travolta became one of the youngest performers ever nominated for the Best Actor Oscar. His mother and his sister Ann appeared as extras in ''Saturday Night Fever'' and his sister Ellen appeared as a waitress in ''Grease''. Travolta performed several of the songs on the ''Grease'' soundtrack album. In 1980, Travolta inspired a nationwide country music craze that followed on the heels of his hit film, ''Urban Cowboy'', in which he starred with Debra Winger.

Downturn

After ''Urban Cowboy'', Travolta starred in a string of flops that sidelined his acting career. These included ''Perfect'', co-starring Jamie Lee Curtis, and ''Two of a Kind'', a romantic comedy reteaming him with Olivia Newton-John. During that time he was offered, but turned down, lead roles in what would become box office hits, including ''American Gigolo'' and ''An Officer and a Gentleman'', both of which went to Richard Gere.

Resurgence

In 1989 Travolta starred in ''Look Who's Talking'', which grossed $297,000,000, making it his most successful film since ''Grease''. Travolta continued to the 2 sequels ''Look Who's Talking Too'' (1990) and ''Look Who's Talking Now'' (1993). But It was not until he played Vincent Vega in Quentin Tarantino's hit ''Pulp Fiction'' (1994), for which he received an Academy Award nomination, that his career was revived. The movie shifted him back onto the A-list, and he was inundated with offers. Notable roles following ''Pulp Fiction'' include a movie-buff loan shark in ''Get Shorty'' (1995), an FBI agent and terrorist in ''Face/Off'' (1997), a desperate attorney in ''A Civil Action'' (1998), a Bill Clinton-esque presidential candidate in ''Primary Colors'' (1998) and a military detective in ''The General's Daughter'' (1999).

2000–present

Travolta also starred in ''Battlefield Earth'' (2000) based on a work of science fiction by L. Ron Hubbard, in which he played the leader of a group of aliens that enslaves humanity on a bleak future Earth. The film received almost universally negative reviews and did very poorly at the box office. Travolta played Mrs. Edna Turnblad in the remake of ''Hairspray'', his first musical since ''Grease''.

Personal life

Travolta was in a relationship with actress Diana Hyland, whom he met while filming ''The Boy in the Plastic Bubble''; Hyland died of breast cancer in 1977.

Travolta married actress Kelly Preston in 1991. The couple had a son, Jett (1992–2009). Their daughter, Ella Bleu, was born in 2000. On May 18, 2010, Travolta and Preston announced that she was pregnant with the couple's third child, later confirmed to be a boy. Their son, Benjamin, was born on November 23, 2010 in Florida.

Travolta and Preston have regularly attended marriage counseling; Travolta has stated that therapy has helped the marriage.

Travolta is a certified private pilot and owns five aircraft, including an ex-Qantas Boeing 707–138 airliner. The plane bears the name ''Jett Clipper Ella'' in honor of his children. Pan American World Airways was a large operator of the Boeing 707 and used Clipper in its names. The 707 aircraft bears the marks of Qantas, as Travolta acts as an official goodwill ambassador for the airline wherever he flies. His $4.9 million estate in the Jumbolair subdivision in Ocala, Florida, is situated on Greystone Airport with its own runway and taxiway right to his front door. On September 13, 2010, during the first episode of the final season of her talk show, Oprah Winfrey announced that she would be taking her entire studio audience on an 8-day expenses-paid trip to Australia, with Travolta serving as pilot for the trip. He had helped Winfrey plan the trip for over a year. On 24 Nov. 1992 Travolta piloting his Gulfstream N728T at night (on top of a solid undercast) had a total electrical system failure while flying IFR into DCA. During the emergency landing there was a near mid-air collision with USAir Boeing 727, due to a risky decision by an air trafic controller.

Travolta has been a practitioner of Scientology since 1975 when he was given the book ''Dianetics'' while filming the movie ''The Devil's Rain'' in Durango, Mexico. After the 2010 Haiti earthquake, joining other celebrities in helping with the relief efforts, Travolta flew his 707 full of supplies, doctors, and Scientologist Volunteer Ministers into the disaster area.

In June 2010, Travolta and Preston donated $10,000 to the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund while on a trip to South Africa.

Son's death

On January 2, 2009, Travolta and Preston's son, Jett, died while on their holiday vacation in The Bahamas. A Bahamian death certificate was issued, attributing the cause of death to a seizure. Jett, who had a history of seizures, reportedly suffered from Kawasaki disease as an infant. On September 24, 2009, long a source of speculation, Travolta and Preston confirmed that their son had autism and suffered regular seizures. They made their statements while giving a testimony after a multi-million dollar extortion plot against them regarding the circumstances of their son's death. After a mistrial, Travolta dropped the charges. Travolta has credited his family and faith in helping him survive the tragic death of his son, and in moving forward with his film career.

Filmography

+ List of film and television credits
! Year	! Title	! Role	Notes
1975	''''	John	TV movie
1975	''''	Danny
1976	''''	Tod Lubitch
1976		Billy Nolan
1977	''Saturday Night Fever''	Tony Manero
1978	''Moment by Moment''	Strip Harrison
1978
1980	''Urban Cowboy''	Buford 'Bud' Uan Davis
1981	''Blow Out''	Jack Terry
1983	''Staying Alive''	Tony Manero
1983		Zack Melon
1985		Adam Lawrence
1987		Ben	TV segment "The Dumb Waiter"
1989	''Look Who's Talking''	James Ubriacco
1989	''''	Travis
1990	''Look Who's Talking Too''	James Ubriacco
1991		Jack Cabe
1991	''Eyes Of An Angel''	Bobby	aka ''The Tender''
1991	''Chains of Gold''	Scott Barnes	TV movie; also writer
1992	''Boris and Natasha: The Movie''	Himself	cameo
1993	''Look Who's Talking Now''	James Ubriacco
1994		Vincent Vega
1995		Chili Palmer
1995		Louis Pinnock
1996
1996		George Malley
1996	''Orientation: A Scientology Information Film''	Himself	short subject
1996		Maj. Vic 'Deak' Deakins
1997		Himself	documentary
1997		Sam Baily
1997	''Face/Off''	Sean Archer/Castor Troy	Nomination—Saturn Award for Best Actor
1997	''She's So Lovely''	Joey Giamonti	also executive producer
1998	''''	Jan Schlichtmann
1998	''''	Brigadier General Quintard
1998	''Junket Whore''	Himself	documentary
1998		Governor Jack Stanton	Nomination—Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
1999	''''	Warr. Off. Paul Brenner/Sgt. Frank White
1999	''Our Friend, Martin''	Kyle's dad	animated educational film, voice only
2000	''Welcome to Hollywood''	Himself	mockumentary; cameo
2000	''Lucky Numbers''
2000			also producerRazzie Award for Worst Actor
2001	''Domestic Disturbance''	Frank Morrison
2001		Gabriel Shear
2002	''Austin Powers in Goldmember''	"Austinpussy" Johann van der Smut (Goldmember) / Himself	cameo
2003		Tom Hardy
2004	''Ladder 49''	Captain Mike Kennedy
2004	''''	Bobby Long
2004	''''	Howard Saint
2005	''Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3D''		narrator; documentary
2005	''Be Cool''	Chili Palmer
2006		Elmer C. Robinson
2007	''Wild Hogs''	Woody Stevens
2007
2008		Bolt the Dog	voice
2009	''''	Benard Ryder
2009		Charlie Reed
2010		Charlie Wax
2012		Dennis
2012	''The Expendables 2''

+ List of credits in series television
! Year	! Title	! Role	Notes
1972	''Emergency!''	Chuck Benson	Episode: "Kids"
1972	''Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law''		Episode: "A Piece of God"
1973	''''	Eddie Halley	Episode: " Frozen Smoke"
1974		Danny	Episode: "Saturday's Child"
1975–1979	''Welcome Back, Kotter''

Discography

Albums

! Year	! Album	! style="width:50px;"
1974	''Over Here!''
1976	''John Travolta''
1977	''Can't Let You Go''
	''Travolta Fever''
1983	''Two of a Kind''
1986	''The Road to Freedom''
1996	''Let Her In: The Best of John Travolta''
2003	''The Collection''
2007	''Hairspray''

Singles

"Dream Drummin (1974)

"Easy Evil" (1975)

"Can't Let You Go" (1975)

"You Set My Dreams To Music" (1976)

"Goodnight Mr. Moon" (1976)

"Rainbows" (1976)

"Settle Down" (1976)

"Moonlight Lady" (1976)

"Right Time Of The Night" (1976)

"Big Trouble" (1976)

"What Would They Say" (1976)

"Back Doors Crying" (1976)

"Let Her In" (1976) – #10

"Whenever I'm Away From You" (1976) – #38

"Slow Dancin'" (1976)

"It Had To Be You" (1976)

"I Don't Know What I Like About You Baby" (1976)

"All Strung Out On You" (1977) – #34

"Baby, I Could Be So Good At Lovin' You" (1977)

"Razzamatazz" (1977)

"You're the One That I Want" – #1 (1978) (w/ Olivia Newton-John)

"Sandy" (1978)

"Greased Lightnin" (1978) – #47

"Never Gonna Fall in Love Again" (1980)

"Hooker Madness" (1983)

"Take A Chance" (1983) (w/ Olivia Newton-John)

"Two Sleepy People" (1997) (w/ Carly Simon)

"I Thought I Lost You" (2008) (w/ Miley Cyrus)

See also

List of oldest and youngest Academy Award winners and nominees – Youngest Nominees for Best Actor

References

Further reading

Tast, Brigitte (ed.) ''John Travolta''. (Hildesheim/Germany 1978) ISBN 3-88842-103-9.

External links

John Travolta official site

John Travolta: A Passionate Ambassador of Aviation

Category:1954 births Category:Living people Category:20th-century actors Category:21st-century actors Category:Actors from New Jersey Category:American aviators Category:American dancers Category:American film actors Category:American male singers Category:American musical theatre actors Category:American musicians of Irish descent Category:American musicians of Italian descent Category:American people of Irish descent Category:American people of Italian descent Category:American pop singers Category:American Scientologists Category:American television actors Category:Best Musical or Comedy Actor Golden Globe (film) winners Category:Converts from Roman Catholicism Category:Former Roman Catholics Category:People from Bergen County, New Jersey Category:People from Englewood, New Jersey Category:Children of Entertainers

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