Thanks to Michel
By MIKE MORSCH, Special to the Local News
Olivia Newton-John didn't get physical Saturday night at West Chester University. She got spiritual.
The actress, cancer survivor, environmental activist and four-time Grammy award-winning artist was in town over the weekend to headline a two-day event focused on health, wellness and environmental conservation: "Olivia: Voices For Healing ... Our Planet ... Ourselves."
The event culminated Saturday evening with a benefit concert at the Emilie K. Asplundh Concert Hall, where Newton-John performed for the first time in its entirety her 2006 album "Grace and Gratitude," a compilation of songs about healing.
"We're all here because we all want to see change. We know that change can only start with us," said Newton-John. "Change in the way we treat cancer, not just treating the body but healing the whole person — body, mind and spirit; change in our thoughts, as our thoughts create our reality, our beliefs create our world. Every choice we make, every word we say, creates our intent to change our relationships and our destiny.
"So through our changes we can make a difference in our world. We can heal ourselves, we can heal our world, and the rainforest. And we can all become an instrument of change, an instrument of peace."
Newton-John co-wrote and co-produced "Grace and Gratitude" with Amy Sky, who provided background vocals for Newton-John and her five-piece band. The music has a spiritual African sound heavily influenced by various flutes, and the songs "are all songs I've written from my heart," Newton-John said.
The Amazon Center for Environmental Education and Research was among the organizations benefiting from the concert.
Newton-John and her husband, John Easterling, have been supporters of ACEER for years. The president of the nonprofit organization, which has worked for rain forest conservation and community education in the Peruvian Amazon, is Roger Mustalish, who has an office at West Chester University. The weekend event came about through Newton-John and Easterling's connection with Mustalish.
The event also benefited the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre Appeal at the West Chester University College of Health Sciences.
Easterling, who Newton-John calls "Amazon John," introduced his wife to the West Chester crowd. The couple have known each other for 15 years and married in 2008.
"Olivia is an extraordinary human being who has the capacity for caring about other human beings and the planet," said Easterling, president of the Amazon Herb Co., a natural remedy firm. "We all have challenges in our life. And those things become very personal. And tonight is going to become a very personal experience for everyone. Olivia has a way of connecting through her music and through her song and expressing that healing through emotion.
"What you might not know, though, is that I never saw 'Grease' until after we were married. I realize I may be the only guy in the Western hemisphere that hadn't seen it, but they just weren't showing it in the Peruvian rain forest where I was spending all those years," said Easterling.
In a career that has spanned four decades, Newton-John, 61, has sold more than 50 million albums and has had five No. 1 hits, including "Physical" in 1981.
She and John Travolta starred in the 1978 film version of "Grease," which has become a Hollywood classic.
But the closest the artist came to any vintage Newton-John song on Saturday was during the encore, when she presented a scaled-back version of her 1980 No. 1 hit "Magic" from the film "Xanadu." Otherwise, the evening was all about music with a healing theme.
"When I was first diagnosed with breast cancer, the first thing I did was make a joke because that's my nature," said Newton-John, who has been cancer free now for 18 years. "And then I went into denial, and then of course there is the fear. We're all afraid of the unknown. But what I've learned on my journey through cancer and indeed on my journey through life is that fear is a choice, and if we can let go of that fear, we can move toward love."
Gala photos | Peter's Concert photos | programme | Alumni magazine coverage
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