Have You Never Been Mellow?

Kirk Baird

Friday, March 31, 2000 | 8:51 a.m.

Who: Olivia Newton-John.

When: 9 p.m. today and Saturday.

Where: Las Vegas Hilton Theater.

Cost: $73.50 and $84.50.

Information: Call 732-5755.

When you think of musical pioneers, Olivia Newton-John probably doesn't jump to mind.

In fact, when one mentions her name, most likely images of Sandy, the goody two-shoes-turned-dressed-in-leather vixen from "Grease" probably race to the forefront. And to those a little more into their pop culture, her role in the '80s musical/disco hybrid "Xanadu," in which she cut a rug with Gene Kelly, is also up there.

What sometimes gets clouded by her short theatrical resume is her pre-"Grease" days -- 1971 through '78, a period in which she routinely charted singles such as "Let Me Be There," "Have You Never Been Mellow" and "Please Mr. Please" that won industry accolades and, along with John Denver, regularly crossed the great divide between country and pop music.

You can hear Newton-John perform these songs tonight and Saturday at the Las Vegas Hilton.

It's her cross-over success, of course, that helped pave the way for such current country/pop chart heavyweights as Shania Twain, Faith Hill, LeAnn Rimes, among others. But, lest you think it's easy to transcend genres, consider Garth Brooks' latest: "Garth Brooks in ... The Life of Chris Gaines."

Although a superstar, the country singer's pop-rock musical cross-over was generally ripped by critics and largely ignored by the public, at least by Brooks' standards. Nevertheless, Newton-John remains a fan.

"I thought it was a brilliant album and I thought it should have been No. 1. His voice is unbelievable and the music is fantastic," Newton-John said in a recent phone interview. "I think it was a mistake on behalf of radio. But it's a whole other audience. He has his fan base and they probably weren't expecting that, but I think he gained a whole lot of other people (whom) he hadn't got before."

One could just as easily say the same thing about Newton-John's last album, "Back With a Heart." Released in 1998, "Heart" marked her return to country music. Unfortunately for the 52-year-old singer, the album fared worse than "Chris Gaines," something Newton-John said was due in part to a record company (MCA) that didn't push the album and resistance from radio stations to play it.

And then there was the fan reaction. It had been so long since Newton-John was considered country that most fans, ironically, seemed unwilling to accept the singer's return to roots.

"I think it's very difficult when you are considered part of a certain era. Cher has just broken that barrier, so maybe it's going to make it easier for some of the others," Newton-John said. "Who knows. But I'm not complaining: I've had a wonderful time and I still do."

As happy as Newton-John sounds now, though, there was a period when things weren't so wonderful, particularly the last decade when the England-born, Australia-raised singer had her share of problems: a bout with breast cancer -- she made a full recovery; a divorce that left her the single mother of a 14-year-old girl, Chloe; and a music career that remained largely quiet.

And although the dark realities of her life -- particularly her breast cancer -- will never scar the pristine celluloid image many people have of her as Sandy, to Newton-John it simply makes her human.

"It's a life toll, everyone goes through hardships. It was a very growing experience. I learned a lot about myself and a lot about other people," she said. "I learned that I had a lot of strength and resources and I feel very fortunate that I'm here."

Newton-John worked to further awareness of breast cancer, and because of her celebrity status became a role model in the process to millions of women fighting for their own lives. It's a role Newton-John is comfortable with.

"We all have things happen to us," she said. "And if I can help some woman out there who just found out she has breast cancer and is terrified out of her mind and thinks she's going to die, and she sees me eight years on, here I am -- it's a wonderful thing.

"I remember when I was going through it, just to hear somebody else who had breast cancer (who) was still OK was just a wonderful reassurance for me," she said. "So I'm happy to be that."

As for Newton-John's future, the singer is currently without a record deal in Nashville, but is working on a project to commemorate the 30-year anniversary of her first hit in 1971, a cover of Bob Dylan's "If Not For You." She's also in a movie to be released soon, "Sordid Lives," in which she plays a "white-trash country and western singer."

And then there's her tour. The singer is excited about getting back on the road, which is understandable since, until last year, she hadn't played the United States in 17 years. Even without the performing for her fans, she knows what they want: the hits.

"I remember when I was a young girl going to a see a show of a famous girl singer and she didn't do any of her hits. I thought, 'if I ever make it, I have to do my hits because that's what people want to hear.' So unfortunately for people who have seen the show, they are going to have to sit through those (songs) because that's what people want to hear. That's kind of the core of my show."

In fact, she modestly added, she's having problems getting all the favorites to fit into the set list.

"I had to edit some and put a couple of new things in to give it some variety," Newton-John said. "Basically, my hits from beginning to now."