Remembering Olivia Newton-John's visit to Olivia, Minn.
OLIVIA, Minn. -- Olivia Newton-John, who burst onto the Hollywood scene as Sandy in "Grease," died Monday at her Southern California ranch.
The late star once visited Olivia, Minnesota in 1978.
An old Star Tribune article about the visit said it was a big hit.
Jon Bream, music critic and editor at the Star Tribune wrote on Twitter Monday night that a month after "Grease" opened in 1978, Newton-John chartered a jet at her own expense to be the grand marshal in the centennial parade in tiny Olivia.
RIP @olivianj, who, a month after Grease opened in 1978, charted a jet at her own expense to be grand marshal in centennial parade in tiny Olivia, MN bc she was charmed by letter inviting her, loved name of town & was fond of MN because her band on first US tour was from there.
— Jon Bream (@jonbream) August 8, 2022
Bream said she was charmed by the letter inviting her, loved the name of the town and was fond of Minnesota because her band on her first U.S. tour was from there.
Olivia is about 95 miles west of Minneapolis in Renville County.