The Chicks Honor the Late Olivia Newton-John in Live Performance of ‘Grease’ Hit

Country trio The Chicks honored the late actress and musician Olivia Newton-John in a live performance of the artist’s Grease hit, “Hopelessly Devoted to You,” on Saturday (August 13) at the famed concert venue, the Gorge, in Washington.

Videos by American Songwriter

The trio performed the hit musical track from the stage over the weekend to a raptured audience.

The Chicks’ singer Natalie Maines said to the onlooking fans, “We lost a worldwide sweetheart last week, Olivia Newton-John. I thought I was Olivia Newton-John from [ages] 4 to 12, and then I only wished I was Olivia Newton-John. So we worked up today at soundcheck a little Olivia Newton-John song.”

The song, “Hopelessly Devoted to You,” was Newton-John’s most beloved musical moment in Grease. The song hit No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 around its released and it received an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song at its height.

Of course, Newton-John, who rose to international fame as the co-lead, Sandy Olsson, of the popular musical film Grease, died on Monday at 73 years old. Her passing came some 30 years after she was first diagnosed with breast cancer.

Actor John Travolta, who was the other co-lead, Danny Zuko, along with Newton-John in Grease, had shared a tribute on Instagram, in which he wrote, “My dearest Olivia, you made all of our lives so much better. Your impact was incredible. I love you so much. We will see you down the road and we will all be together again. Yours from the moment I saw you and forever!”

As for The Chicks and their cover of Newton-John’s song, the group performed it along with a smattering of fans in attendance, singing along. Check out fan-shot footage of the song below.

And for more on Newton-John’s life, death and legacy, check out these stories from American Songwriter HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE.

(Photo by Rick Kern/WireImage)

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