Olivia latest album, cut in Nashville

thanks to Kay

Olivia Newton-John has just finished her latest album, cut in Nashville, where she was seemingly a hate-object less than two years ago. That’s where the Country Music Association, through membership balloting, named her Best Female Vocalist, causing a walkout by members who called her a foreigner intruding on Nashville-country soil. They formed their own mutual-admiration society.

Now, Olivia was back in Music City, USA, for the simplest of reasons: “I admire the musicians here,” she told us at the Creative Workshop studios, “and I’d heard what a great atmosphere it was from people who’ve worked here.”

She seemed unconcerned with the past. “Oh, no, that doesn’t bother me not any more,” she said. “And it was so few people, and I talked to Dolly (Parton) about it, and she said that the press blew it out of all proportion anyway, and I was like the scapegoat.”

AND, judging by the response of music people around town, Newton-John is right. “There was surprise,” said one, “because of the stink.” “But,” said another, “everybody in town’s fallen in love with her. People are excited about her being here, ‘cause she’s getting pop hits out of a country town.”

Another scene-watcher noted, “Everybody’s been trying to get songs to her. At first it was a swarm.”

And, among her session players (all local musicians) there is respect. “She’s a professional,” said the guitarist. “You can spot singers, and you can see how quickly she adapts to a melody, how she just picks up a note and hits it, clean.”

In the studio, Olivia wrapped up 10 numbers quickly, took stabs at “The Wayward Wind”, and even tried songs made popular by Janis Joplin and Rod Stewart (specifically, “Piece of My Heart” and “I Don’t Want To Talk About It”). But you know what? She didn’t cut one country song.