Keith Urban has nothing but fond memories of the late Olivia Newton-John.
The country singer met the Grease star at a songwriters’ retreat in the late ’90s and reveals he was a bit of a “fanboy.”
“It was surreal to get to meet her. She couldn’t have been more down to earth, kind, friendly, warm, funny, everything I thought she would be,” Keith describes. “She was exactly that.”
The two kept in touch and continued to write together over the years, including a song called “Sunburned Country” that Keith is a featured vocalist on. But music isn’t the only way they connected. In fact, the actress was present the night Keith met his wife, Nicole Kidman, at an event called Good Day LA in 2005 where he, Nicole and Mel Gibson were being honored as Australians who’d found success in America. When asked which fellow famous Australian he’d like to introduce him, Olivia’s name was the first that came to mind.
“I had just written with Olivia, so I asked Olivia if she would do it for me. She was the person who introduced me that fateful night when I met my wife, so she also plays that very special role in our past, as well,” he recalls. “Olivia is one of those people that for so many Australians particularly has always been part of the fabric of life. She was there in the ’70s and has been there for all of my life. It feels like she’s been there.”
Olivia passed away on August 8 at the age of 73 from cancer.
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