Post by erik on Aug 20, 2022 17:19:54 GMT -5
In honor of Olivia Newton-John, who passed away from breast cancer on August 8, 2022, the Pop Music Hits Spotlight focuses on one of the many pop/country crossover hits she had during the mid-1970's that caused Nashville a lot of consternation.
LET IT SHINE (Olivia Newton-John; EMI; 1975)—Given how fresh-faced and honest she was in her singing during a long career that more or less began in the late 1960’s, it seems difficult that Olivia Newton-John could ever be thought of as someone who could caused controversy. But in her adapted home of America, at least when she began making an impact on the charts in 1973-74, her very presence with country-influenced material on America’s country singles charts and radio stations made her a target, particularly for a lot of “old timers” on Music Row in Nashville. Artists like Loretta Lynn and (ironically in retrospect) Dolly Parton derided the presence of such country/pop crossover material muscling in on their ground, though some of the bigger critics in the Nashville artistic circle, notably Charlie Rich, were having their own crossover success onto the pop charts. Olivia’s songs were more middle-of-the-road in sound than the more radical country-rock of her American counterpart Linda Ronstadt, but they struck a nerve with listeners. “Let Me Be There”, “If You Love Me (Let Me Know)”, “I Honestly Love You”, “Have You Never Been Mellow?”, and “Please Mister Please” were all Top Ten hits on both the pop and country charts well into 1975. One of the more overtly country songs of Olivia’s hit-making output was a Telecaster-dominated song called “Let It Shine”. Written by country singer and songwriter Linda Hargrove, who was known as the “Blue Jean Country Queen”, “Let It Shine” showed both the influences of Nashville and Bakersfield, with background vocals redolent of Nashville’s then current “Countrypolitan” mentality. Released as a single in late November 1975. “Let It Shine” was probably a bit more country than what pop audiences were ready for (even with Linda Ronstadt and The Eagles very much breaching the boundaries between country and pop during this time), but it did quite all right, peaking at #30 on the Hot 100, #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart, and #5 on the C&W singles chart in early January 1976. Olivia eventually went further into pop-rock, and hit her greatest period of popularity beginning in 1978 with her appearance in the musical movie Grease. During the 1990’s, however, Olivia also began battling breast cancer; and while the cancer would go into remission many times, it always managed to come back. She passed away at her ranch house in Santa Barbara County, California at the age of 73 on August 8, 2022.
LET IT SHINE (Olivia Newton-John; EMI; 1975)—Given how fresh-faced and honest she was in her singing during a long career that more or less began in the late 1960’s, it seems difficult that Olivia Newton-John could ever be thought of as someone who could caused controversy. But in her adapted home of America, at least when she began making an impact on the charts in 1973-74, her very presence with country-influenced material on America’s country singles charts and radio stations made her a target, particularly for a lot of “old timers” on Music Row in Nashville. Artists like Loretta Lynn and (ironically in retrospect) Dolly Parton derided the presence of such country/pop crossover material muscling in on their ground, though some of the bigger critics in the Nashville artistic circle, notably Charlie Rich, were having their own crossover success onto the pop charts. Olivia’s songs were more middle-of-the-road in sound than the more radical country-rock of her American counterpart Linda Ronstadt, but they struck a nerve with listeners. “Let Me Be There”, “If You Love Me (Let Me Know)”, “I Honestly Love You”, “Have You Never Been Mellow?”, and “Please Mister Please” were all Top Ten hits on both the pop and country charts well into 1975. One of the more overtly country songs of Olivia’s hit-making output was a Telecaster-dominated song called “Let It Shine”. Written by country singer and songwriter Linda Hargrove, who was known as the “Blue Jean Country Queen”, “Let It Shine” showed both the influences of Nashville and Bakersfield, with background vocals redolent of Nashville’s then current “Countrypolitan” mentality. Released as a single in late November 1975. “Let It Shine” was probably a bit more country than what pop audiences were ready for (even with Linda Ronstadt and The Eagles very much breaching the boundaries between country and pop during this time), but it did quite all right, peaking at #30 on the Hot 100, #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart, and #5 on the C&W singles chart in early January 1976. Olivia eventually went further into pop-rock, and hit her greatest period of popularity beginning in 1978 with her appearance in the musical movie Grease. During the 1990’s, however, Olivia also began battling breast cancer; and while the cancer would go into remission many times, it always managed to come back. She passed away at her ranch house in Santa Barbara County, California at the age of 73 on August 8, 2022.