Love Olivia's Message, review of appearance at the Diplomat, FL March 28 1975 - Palm Beach Post

Love Olivia's Message

By Thom Smith, Post Staff Writer

"I'd have to say this was the worse opening night we've run into," proclaimed the lead guitarist after the show.

Like bored vultures on carrion, the Diplomat's Cafe Cristal crowd devoured the hottest female singer in the country with half-hearted applause and a genuine "so what?" attitude Friday night.

Even if she had sung only her hit songs, which bear a similar sound, she would have been good, but Olivia Newton-John displayed many sides to her talents range, stage presence, power, subtlety - and the audience still responded as if at a funeral.

Seldom does such a fresh personality draw such a reaction. There can be no explanation other than possibly the sardine can seating in the club or the catch-all bad mood induced by the economy. Maybe they were envious of her fame and fortune, the fact a sweet, young, attractive, innocent could be so successful and still not be rude like Sinatra or snobbish like Streisand.

Nevertheless there she was, pure as snow in white chiffon, singing her hits like Let Me be There," I Honesty Love You and Have You Ever Been Mellow? as well as more obscure numbers which show a different side Honey Pie, a funky Beatles number, The River's Too Wide, a handclapping gospel tune or the sentimental, nostalgic Nevertheless.

Any stereotype of the soft-singing, sugar sweet balladeer was quickly destroyed as her fresh air came through in a distinctive personal style. Olivia grew up professionally in the coffee houses of Australia, singing songs by Joan Baez among others, but she has no avowed political feelings. I just did folk songs, said the 26-year-old who's been singing professionally 11 years. It was the folk era. I don't have a message.

Nor is she like Helen Reddy who like Olivia got her break by winning an Australian talent contest. The most notable difference being Olivia does not sing many songs about strange people.

I like to sing good songs, she told reporters in a Friday afternoon press meeting. and generally the songs I sing are love songs. I think that's the most important message if you have to have a message.

Because of her success in the country music market with Let Me Be There and If You Love Me (Let Me Know) and being named Female Country Vocalist of the Year she has been compared to established superstars like Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wynette. But she does not fit the mold - no nasal twang or teased hair and generally more substantive lyrics to her song.

It just happened, she said of her country popularity. My first hit was 'If Not for You, a Bob Dylan song. And then I recorded a a few country songs in England. I had a hit in England with 'Country Roads' -John Denver didn't. I had a country-folk flavor in my music, mainly because I haven't got a belty voice and the songs suited me and I liked singing them.

An Englishman wrote Let Me Be There and my producer heard it and thought it would be ideal for me. It wasn't aimed at any specific market; it was just recorded with a country flavor we liked. Then we followed up with another song in the same vein and that's established me in the country market.

On my albums I do a lot of not heavy country, sort of middle-of-the-road country if you can call it that.

Sprinkled with songs by writers like John Denver and Kris Kristofferson as well as Lennon and McCartney and Albert Hammond, Olivia's albums could be considered country-folk-pop-rock-oldie and some old guard country stars rebelled at her recognition by the industry and formed a new association.

I suppose I can understand to a certain extent, she said, but I don't choose what the public buys and I don't make people vote for the awards. I'm sorry, but I think actually I've helped according to 98 per cent of the country people I've met. They say they're very happy because it's broadened their chances of having a hit in the pop market. People who've never listened to country before are now listening to it.

Olivia's domain however, is not limited exclusively to country music, obviously. She won Grammys as Best Female Pop Vocalist and for Record of the Year is up -I Honestly Love You. Additionally this year she has won four American Music awards, AGVA's Rising Star of the Year award, the People's Choice award as Favorite Female Singer and the country music honors.

I think you can only hope you're going to remain successful, she said of her big year. To stay on top, I don't think you can do that forever anyway. You reach your peak and you just can't keep going.

I've had a fantastic year so I expect it can't keep going like this. It's been too good.

Though not pessimistic, quite the contrary actually, Olivia Newton-John refuses to speculate about the future, only that she plans to continue making good records.

At first my parents were very concerned if I didn't have a degree I was going to end up working in a shop or something. Now they're very happy.