The end of an era. Olivia Newton-John, who was one of the most successful singers of the 20th century, with a string of indelible hits to her name — not to mention her acting career and her cancer advocacy — died Monday, August 8, some 30 years after her first cancer diagnosis. She was 73. I adored Olivia. She was one of the first grown-up stars I, as a kid, became aware of, chiefly through my older cousin Cathy, who asked for and received her red-hot albums for Christmas in the '70s. "Grease" captivated me. It was and is adorable, weird, bubblegum perfection, with its prescient presentation of the good-girl-gone-bad trope that would also impact ONJ's stellar career. My God, when goody-goody Olivia came at us with "Physical," it was an atom bomb, and that 1981 song was the biggest hit of the '80s. Her songs (and even her other movies — I am aware "Xanadu" has a cult around it) are too numerous to list, but I will say I was enthralled by the dance remix of "I Need Love," and told her so a few years ago after her Vegas show. She didn't remember it at first, so I sang a bit and she agreed it was a good one and promised to consider adding it. I think she was also just a very kind person, and leaves a huge hole in my pop cultural landscape. #onj #olivianewtonjohn #sandy #grease #xanadu #johntravolta #twistoffate #magic #physical #letsgetphysical #fuckcancer #movies #music #tv #gr8erdays #obituaries