Iconic pop star memorialized in song; Local musician Andy G. Fagan to release new album

A new song by local singer and songwriter Andy G. Fagan was released on Feb. 16 ahead of a State Memorial Service planned for Feb. 26 in Melbourne, Australia that will honor the extraordinary legacy of the late Dame Olivia Newton-John.

Newton-John, a pop music icon and actress, passed away in August of 2022 from breast cancer. She was 73.

Fagan, a long-time fan of Newton-John’s, had begun working on his fourth album last fall, and as a tribute to her, Fagan penned “What Makes You Great”, an acoustic solo with guitar.

Fagan shared that he admires Dame Olivia’s music and her genuine positive spirit, and remarked, “I wrote the song in memory of Olivia Newton-John, who meant a great deal to me.”

The song received praise from Newton-John’s publicist as well as other listeners prior to its release, and is now available to the public across several platforms. Fagan is hopeful that the song will eventually catch on across the globe and has shared it on fan club pages and elsewhere. 

Not only is the song in memory of Dame Olivia, but Fagan shared that it also resonates with others suffering a loss, and said, “It is envisioned as a send-off song for loved ones.”

Fagan had the opportunity to meet Dame Olivia on several occasions, and one in particular will always be a cherished memory, and that being the day that he proposed to his husband while she was present.

Olivia Newton-John rose to fame in the 1970’s. Best known for several top hits like “I Honestly Love You”, “Have You Ever Been Mellow”, and “Let’s Get Physical”, to name a few, Dame Olivia will be fondly remembered, too, as the character Sandy in the film adaptation of the Broadway smash “Grease”, and which introduced more classic tunes like, “You’re The One That I Want”.

Dame Olivia, who received the United Kingdom’s high honor of Dame in 2020 in recognition of her music career and charity work, was born in the U.K. and then moved with her family to Australia around the age of five. Her career extended over six decades, with more than 100 million records sold.   

Dame Olivia used her 30-year cancer journey as a way to promote early detection and wellness, and raise research funds. The Olivia Newton-John Wellness and Research Centre opened in Melbourne in 2012. She also established the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund, which sponsors global research into exploring alternative treatments for cancer, like plant medicines.

Fagan explained that his forthcoming new album, Folk America, is filled with songs with social-conscience messages.

For example, the song “Child of the Earth” focuses on how every child deserves to be safe and free, and then “One More Day” speaks to the issue of guns in our society today.

Fagan shared, “The messages are meant to resonate with people and bring people together,” and, in addition, brings to mind the illustrious sounds of folk singers from the 1960’s. 

The album, recorded at Electric Wilburland Studio in Newfield, N.Y. allowed Fagan the opportunity to work alongside Grammy award-winning engineer and producer, Will Russell.

Featured on the album is back-up singing by Fagan’s daughter, Erin Leigh Fagan, as well as contributing percussion by Chris Ploss, Michael Alliger on keyboards, and Lisa Bloom on bass.

“It’s been great to focus more on my music since my retirement from Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tioga and Chemung Counties,” Fagan said, adding, “It’s a dream come true. I started writing songs on our family dairy farm when I was 14.”

Fagan previously released three other albums entitled “Rising”, “Something Right”, and “Love’s the Only Thing.”

For the 12 songs on the new album, Fagan is asking artists to create a piece of art inspired by the lyrics of each song.

Fagan exclaimed, “I have a few artists committed, but I could use more.”

Once the album is released a release party will be announced, and where Fagan noted he would perform alongside all of the art contributions. Interested artists can find contact information on Andy G. Fagan Music on Facebook.  

Fagan continues to perform locally; his next event is scheduled for March 16 at Sam’s Bar and Grill in Sayre, Pa. He also dedicates time monthly to perform for individuals at Elderwood in Waverly, N.Y.

You can also listen to Andy G. Fagan’s music on YouTube.

To hear the song dedicated to Dame Olivia, follow the link: https://andygfagan.hearnow.com/what-makes-you-great.

The memorial service in honor of Dame Olivia will be live-streamed on Feb. 26, 2023 starting at 4 p.m. AEDT, or 12 a.m. EST the previous day (Melbourne’s time zone is 16 hours ahead of New York).

You can connect to the live stream at www.vic.gov.au/.