In 1974, Olivia Newton-John was nominated for four CMA Awards. Her nominations included one for Album of the Year, with If You Love Me Let Me Know, and Single of the Year, for the record’s title track. “If You Love Me, Let Me Know” is written by John Rostill. It is Newton-John’s second country single, following “Let Me Be There”, out in 1973.
Newton-John only won one CMA Award that year, and it was for Female Vocalist of the Year. But the win, combined with the other nominations—including one for Entertainer of the Year—was enough to create a lot of backlash in country music.
Based largely on Newton-John’s inclusion in country music, in addition to her already having plenty of success on the pop charts, George Jones and his then-wife, Tammy Wynette, formed the Association of Country Entertainers (ACE). According to Wide Open Country, ACE vowed to “preserve the identity of country music as a separate and distinct form of entertainment.”
The group reportedly consisted of several well-known country artists. The members included Dolly Parton, Barbara Mandrell, Hank Snow, Mel Tillis, Bill Anderson, Porter Wagoner, Dottie West, Faron Young, Conway Twitty, Brenda Lee, Ernest Tubb, and others. Although well-intended, ACE did not last, closing its doors in 1981.
What Olivia Newton-John Says About Her Country Music Career
Newton-John likely did not feel welcome within country music. Still, she acknowledges that it’s country music that gave her a start, although not in the United States.
“Country began my career,” the native of England explains. “It wasn’t something I actually had planned on. The first songs I recorded in England with an Australian-English producer were written by an Englishman, and they were hits in America on the country charts. So, I owe a lot to country music. And, I love country music, and I still listen to it all the time.”
Newton-John never received another CMA Awards nomination. But she did have more crossover success. In 1973, she had a major crossover hit with “I Honestly Love You”. Subsequent singles include “Have You Never Been Mellow”, “Please Mr. Please”, “Let It Shine”, and “Come On Over”.
In 1978, Newton-John released “Hopelessly Devoted To You“. The song is on the soundtrack for the movie Grease. Newton-John and John Travolta star in the film. “Hopelessly Devoted to You” is her final Top 20 single in country music. Written by John Farrar, “Hopelessly Devoted to You” was written to fulfill a stipulation in her contract that she would have a solo performance.
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