Olivia Newton-John's Final Recording a 'Jolene' Duet With Dolly Parton Resurfaces on Spotify

Olivia Newton-John, star of Grease, made a name for herself in the 1970s with her sweet and delicate singing style. She achieved success with several hit albums and peaked at number one with her single 'Have You Never Been Mellow'.

She was a four-time Grammy winner with 15 top ten singles, and in 1974 she earned herself the Country Music Association Female Vocalist of the Year award.

Recorded in 2022

Olivia Newton-John was renowned for her sunny disposition and passion to spread joy. She achieved great success as an actress, singer and philanthropist through the 1978 movie Grease, which catapulted her to stardom.

She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1992 and became an advocate for cancer research and funding. Her work led to the founding of the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre in Melbourne, Australia. Additionally, she served on the Children's Health Environmental Coalition and worked alongside The Rainforest Alliance.

At her passing in 2022, Olivia Newton-John left behind a lasting legacy of music and charity. She received many awards and honours, including the Queen's Golden Jubilee medal. Additionally, together with John Easterling she founded the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund to invest in global research into plant medicine for cancer patients with an emphasis on cannabis.

In their first televised interview after Newton-John's passing, Easterling and her daughter Chloe Lattanzi revealed that the late Grease star recorded a special duet with Parton just months before she passed away. In the clip, Easterling and Lattanzi spoke to NBC's Hoda Kotb about the emotional recording as well as Newton-John's ability to keep her sense of humor even during difficult moments.

They became friends after Parton won her Country Music Association Female Vocalist of the Year award in 1974 and recorded "Jolene" together for Newton-John's 1976 seventh studio album Come On Over. This duet serves as a poignant testament to their bond and how it continues to shape both of their careers - not only among fans around the world but also within each other themselves.

Released in 2023

Olivia Newton-John, who passed away in August 2022 after a courageous fight with cancer, was an iconic entertainer of her generation. Her career included many hits and appearances in classic musicals such as Grease and Xandu.

Dame Olivia maintained a positive outlook throughout her battle with breast cancer, spreading joy and love to her family and fans around the globe. Additionally, she used her platform for raising awareness of breast cancer awareness and funding research projects.

Last year, Dame Olivia passed away but her remarkable voice and ability to bring joy to so many will always be remembered. Her husband John Easterling recently shared a touching tribute to his beloved in an interview with TODAY's Hoda Kotb.

Hoda Easterling shared with Hoda that he and Newton-John recorded Dolly Parton's final duet months before she passed away, "Kiss Me Goodbye," a song which showcases her incredible voice and underscores their shared appreciation of music.

Dolly, whose hit single 'Jolene' has become one of her most beloved songs, has long been an admirer of Newton-John's work and wanted to pay her respects. So the two collaborated on a reimagined version of 'Jolene' that can now be purchased via iTunes.

The duet is part of an upcoming 17-track duets album that will be released in May and features a host of famous artists, such as Mariah Carey, Michael McDonald, John Travolta and more. Chloe Lattanzi - daughter to Dame Olivia - will also be singing on the project.

Streamed in 2023

More than six months after her passing, Olivia Newton-John's final recording a 'Jolene' duet with Dolly Parton was resurfaced on Spotify and other streaming services. This song was recorded just months before the Grease star passed away from breast cancer at 73 years old in August 2022.

She was first diagnosed with cancer in 1992 and experienced two recurrences - in 2013 and 2017. John Easterling and daughter Chloe Lattanzi recently spoke to Today's Hoda Kotb about the 'Jolene' duet in their first TV interview since her passing - on behalf of Today.

Newton-John, a four-time Grammy winner with 15 top ten singles in her career, was an outspoken advocate for cancer research and treatment. She founded the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre in Melbourne, Australia, using her platform to spread awareness of its risks.

Newton-John's daughter remembered her mother having a wonderful sense of humor even during her battle for life. She told TODAY that her mom continued to crack jokes right up until the very last moment.

Before she passed away, actress Julie Andrews took time out of her busy schedule to record a duet with Parton. It had been her dream for years to record this song alongside her friend.

Dolly Parton recently shared a heartfelt message on her social media accounts about her friendship with Olivia. She recalled their first meeting and how they have remained close ever since.

Dolly and Mike come together to reimagine Dolly's iconic hit for her upcoming compilation album, Just the Two of Us: The Duets Collection. Featuring 17 tracks on May 5, this 17-track collection includes duets with artists like Mariah Carey, Michael McDonald, John Travolta, Barry Gibb, Vanessa Amorossi and Jon Secada.

Written by Dolly Parton

Olivia Newton-John achieved several top ten hits and chart-topping albums during her lifetime, garnering praise for her authentic performances. Not content with singing her own material, the Grease star also showcased covers of songs by various artists in her shows.

Her cover of Parton's "Jolene" is no exception to this rule - in fact, it's one of the highlights of her 1976 album Come On Over.

Dolly Parton's hit single "Dolly Parton" achieved chart success in 1973 and earned it a place of honor on Rolling Stone magazine's list of 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2021. Since then, many other artists have covered it, including Olivia Newton-John who did an admirably accurate job of recreating the song without diluting or altering its meaning completely.

Hoda Kotb was informed by Newton-John's husband John Easterling that they recorded their duet 'Jolene' months before she passed away from cancer. As a tribute to their friendship and Newton-John's remarkable voice, the duo decided to release the song as a memorial.

A duet between two entertainment icons will be released as part of an upcoming duets collection, Just the Two of Us: The Duets Collection. Featuring performances by Mariah Carey, Michael McDonald, John Travolta, Barry Gibb, Vanessa Amorossi, Jon Secada and Chloe Lattanzi on vinyl and CD alike - this 17-track album also includes some never before released recordings on both vinyl and CD.

Featuring Chloe Lattanzi

Olivia Newton-John's only child, Chloe Lattanzi, took to social media to pay a heartfelt tribute to her beloved mother. The 36-year-old posted several touching photos that captured special moments between them.

On August 8, 73-year-old singer and actress died from breast cancer. In an exclusive interview with TODAY's Hoda Kotb, her husband John Easterling revealed that the "Grease" star recorded a duet of Dolly Parton's "Jolene" months prior to her passing away.

Parton had previously recorded the song for her 1976 album Come On Over, earning critical acclaim. Furthermore, Parton and Newton-John became close friends after winning 1974's Country Music Association Female Vocalist of the Year award.

Lattanzi and Newton-John share sweet, melancholy lyrics side-by-side while they embrace one another - a touching moment Lattanzi will cherish throughout her life.

Her Instagram post revealed this was the first time the two entertainment icons had performed together in years. You can now stream the duet on Spotify, iHeartRadio and Pandora.

Meanwhile, the two also shared a video for their hit single "Window in the Wall," which debuted at number one on both iTunes Music Video Chart and Amazon A/C chart last January 2021. In it, they reunite to perform the song live in studio - filled with tenderness and love.

On May 5, Mariah Carey and John Travolta's final duet, "Jolene," will be released as part of the 17-track album Just the Two of Us. Featuring artists such as Mariah Carey, John Travolta, and Barry Gibb, this collection will be available both on vinyl and CD.