The last ever song recorded by Olivia Newton-John has been released posthumously online, a week before she is honoured with a state funeral.
Newton-John died at her ranch in southern California in August last year aged 73.
The song is a duet of Dolly Parton‘s country hit Jolene, which she sang alongside Parton in an intimate studio recording session some time before her passing.
A music video released on YouTube on Saturday shows the pair clearly thrilled to be recording their vocals together.
‘I am excited, I have always wanted to sing with Dolly,’ Newton-John says in the video.
Olivia Newton-John’s surprise final record released
She famously covered the song in 1976, three years after the song was originally released by Parton.
‘I am so excited to be working with Olivia Newton-John, one of my favourites of all time,’ Parton said in the video.
‘We’ve always stayed close through the years and I’m so proud to be a part of this duet project.’
A state memorial service is being held to honour the life of Newton-John at Hamer Hall Arts Centre in Melbourne on Sunday, February 26.
She emigrated from England with her family when she was five years old and spent most of her childhood in Melbourne.
The beloved actor and singer skyrocketed to international fame when she appeared alongside John Travolta in the 1978 musical film Grease.
A state memorial service is being held to honour the life of Newton-John at Hamer Hall Arts Centre in Melbourne on Sunday, February 26
She established herself as one of the best-selling music artists of all time and was nominated for 12 Grammy Awards including four wins.
The release comes after Newton-John’s husband, John Easterling, and daughter Chloe Lattanzi opened up about the final moments spent with her before she died.
Lattanzi, 37, revealed her mum’s heartbreaking final words in an interview with US television program Today.
Newton-John established herself as one of the best-selling music artists of all time and was nominated for 12 Grammy Awards including four wins
‘The last words she could say to me was… “my sunshine,”‘ she said.
Until she could no longer use her voice, Olivia cracked jokes to her daughter, and the pair shared some special moments together towards the end.
‘She’s my mama. She’s not Olivia Newton-John to me, but I’m so glad that she was Olivia Newton-John for so many people,’ she added.
Newton-John’s husband, John Easterling, and daughter Chloe Lattanzi opened up about the final moments spent with her before she died
Chloe is Olivia’s daughter with her first husband, Matt Lattanzi, who she was married to between 1984 and 1995.
Meanwhile John, who wed Olivia in 2008, said he felt his late wife’s presence the most ‘late at night, early in the morning.’
He talks aloud to his late wife on their Californian ranch after six months had passed since her passing.
Lattanzi, 37, revealed her mum’s heartbreaking final words in an interview with US television program Today
‘I’ll just be walking around the house, or throwing the ball for the dogs and just speak to her out loud, ‘ he said.
John told the program he was lucky to have found his soul mate, and it was his obligation to now live life for the two of them.
Olivia’s first cancer diagnosis came in 1992 before the disease went into remission, and later returned in 2013 and 2017.