Aurora Starchild
Much of the world is still reeling since news of Olivia Newton-John’s passing broke last August. The singer and actress was legendary, not only as Sandy in Grease but for her show-stopping vocals. The 4-time Grammy Award-winning performer released 26 albums over her nearly 50-year-long career. But there is about to be one more, and it features a duet with Dolly Parton where they sing “Jolene.”
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Olivia Newton-John Never Saw Herself as “Battling” Cancer. She Was Always Healing.
Olivia Newton-John and Dolly Parton recorded “Jolene” prior to her tragic passing in 2022. Newton-John had been battling breast cancer, but it spread to her back and eventually her bones as a Stage-4 category. Despite her illness, she continued to follow her passion while creating music. Newton-John stopped touring after her cancer came out of remission in 2017, but she could still record. She also continued to act, making a cameo appearance in the 2020 film The Very Excellent Mr. Dundee.
The late singer refused to feel like a victim despite her diagnosis. “It’s something I’m living with. I see it as something in my body I’m getting rid of,” she told 60 Minutes Australia. “I don’t talk about a battle or a war, because I think that sets up that kind of feeling in your body like you’re battling something strange inside you.” She added that words mattered because they affect your cellular thinking. “I let it go and tell it to leave and talk to my body to heal itself and don’t try to make it that. Because that takes up your whole life and your whole being.”
The singer added that she thought humanity would come up with a holistic cure for cancer in her lifetime. She had been known to personally use cannabis oil to try to overcome cancer.
“Jolene” Was Recorded During COVID
Apart from staying positive, it’s clear the 73-year-old was also getting her bucket list checked off. One of those list items was to create music with Dolly Parton.
“I’m excited, I’ve always wanted to sing with Dolly,” said Newton-John in a clip of their music video. Her voice was just as smooth as it ever was. You wouldn’t know she was sick or struggling with cancer, except for the fact that she’s sitting down. While some vocalists do choose to sit, it’s a known fact that standing offers better breath control. And Dolly Parton is standing while she does her part.
Parton introduces the song as a favorite of both of theirs. When the recording begins, she and others are wearing masks. It’s clear that the song was likely recorded during COVID.
Newton-John begins the song and immediately shows off her range. Parton joins in with harmony in a higher octave. The two divas take turns with the song’s verses as guitarists can be heard shredding up and down their fretboards. It’s one of the crispest, freshest versions of “Jolene” I’ve ever heard. How could it not be? These two women are legendary.
Dolly Parton and Olivia Newton-John Were Friends and Fans of Each Other
Dolly Parton and Olivia Newton-John have been friends for decades. “She was always there for me and what she did for me early on in my career in Nashville is something I will never forget,” said the late singer in a press release (per USA Today).
Parton echoed her late friend’s sentiments. “My first memory of Olivia was when her song ‘Let Me Be There’ was a hit. I have loved her ever since,” she said in a press release. “We had many occasions that we got to share together, either backstage or performing on the same shows, and I loved every moment that I ever got to spend with her. I’ve always been inspired by her grit, tenderness, willingness, and determination.” In the clip, she reiterated that the two had “stayed close through the years,” calling her “one of my favorites of all time.”
For fans of either singer, it seemed inevitable that the two would eventually make music together. So, when Olivia Newton-John passed away at 73, there was a void left in the hearts of people everywhere. The timing of the posthumous album release is also a bit like a blessing from the afterlife. What’s that saying about legends never dying?
Watch Dolly Parton and Olivia Newton-John Perform “Jolene”
While the “Jolene” music video was released on Olivia Newton-John’s official YouTube channel February 17, there is much more to come. Just the Two of Us: The Duets Collection is set to release on May 5, 2023 via Primary Wave Music. The album will feature Olivia Newton-John and other music phenoms, including her Grease co-star John Travolta, Mariah Carey, her daughter Chloe Lattanzi, and more. In all there will be 17 tracks and each one is bound to give you chills.
If you’re still wanting more of Olivia Newton-John, there’s also a documentary coming out soon. Billy Eilish director R. J. Cutler is reportedly working on something great. You can read more about it on American Songwriter.
