Olivia Newton-John and Elton John are two of the most iconic singers in the world. They have both achieved fame and success in their music careers, and they have both starred in popular movies. They also share a common surname, John, which might make some people wonder if they are related. The answer is no, they are not related by blood or marriage. They are, however, very good friends and collaborators who have a lot in common.
Contents
olivia Newton-John’s Family Background
Olivia Newton-John was born on September 26, 1948, in Cambridge, England. She is the youngest of three children of Brinley “Bryn” Newton-John and Irene Helene. Her father was a Welsh-born professor and a secret MI5 officer who worked on the Enigma project during World War II. Her mother was a German-born writer and environmentalist who fled Nazi Germany in 1939.
Olivia’s paternal grandfather was Max Born, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist who was one of the founders of quantum mechanics. Her maternal grandfather was Victor von Jhering, a prominent jurist and legal scholar. Olivia also has a famous cousin, Hugh Laurie, who is an actor, comedian, writer, and musician.
Olivia moved to Australia with her family when she was five years old. She started singing in clubs and on television when she was a teenager. She won a talent contest that gave her a trip to England, where she pursued her music career. She became a pop star in the UK and Australia with hits like “If Not for You” and “Banks of the Ohio”. She also represented the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974.
Elton John’s Family Background
Elton John was born on March 25, 1947, in Pinner, Middlesex, England. His birth name was Reginald Kenneth Dwight. He is the only child of Stanley Dwight and Sheila Eileen Farebrother. His father was a Royal Air Force flight lieutenant and his mother was a housewife. Elton had a strained relationship with his father, who was strict and distant. His parents divorced when he was 14 years old.
Elton’s paternal grandparents were Edwin Dwight and Ellen Harris, who were from Buckinghamshire. His maternal grandparents were Ivy Sewell and Frederic “Fred” Harris, who were from London. Elton was raised by his maternal grandparents until he was six years old. He credits his grandmother Ivy for encouraging his musical talent.
Elton started playing the piano at the age of three. He won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music when he was 11 years old. He dropped out of school at 17 to pursue his music career. He changed his name to Elton John in 1967, inspired by his former bandmates Elton Dean and Long John Baldry. He became one of the best-selling music artists of all time with hits like “Your Song”, “Rocket Man”, “Candle in the Wind”, and “I’m Still Standing”. He also composed music for films like The Lion King and Broadway musicals like Aida.
Olivia and Elton’s Friendship and Collaboration
Olivia Newton-John and Elton John are not related, but they are very close friends who have supported each other through their personal and professional challenges. They met in 1973 when they both performed at the Royal Variety Performance for Queen Elizabeth II. They became friends and admirers of each other’s music.
They have collaborated on several occasions over the years. In 1975, they recorded a duet called “The Rumour”, which was written by Elton and Bernie Taupin. In 1982, they performed together at the Concert for Kampuchea, a benefit concert for the victims of the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia. In 1998, they sang “The Long and Winding Road” at the Linda McCartney Tribute Concert, a tribute to Paul McCartney’s late wife who died of breast cancer.
They have also helped each other raise awareness and funds for various causes that they are passionate about. Olivia is a breast cancer survivor who has been diagnosed three times since 1992. She has been an advocate for breast cancer research and wellness. She opened the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre in Melbourne, Australia, in 2012.
Elton is one of the most prominent celebrities who have been involved in the fight against AIDS since the 1980s. He founded the Elton John AIDS Foundation in 1992, which has raised over $450 million for HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and education programs around the world.
In 2019, Olivia and Elton reunited on stage at his Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour in Los Angeles. They performed “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart”, a song that Elton originally recorded with Kiki Dee in 1976. They also hugged and praised each other for their friendship and achievements.
Olivia Newton-John and Elton John may not be related by blood or marriage, but they are related by music and friendship. They have both inspired millions of fans with their songs and their stories. They have both shown that they are not only talented singers and performers, but also compassionate and generous human beings..
