John Travolta has revealed that he collaborated with Olivia Newton-John to record a new festive album to try to ease some of the devastation he felt about the loss of his son Jett – who died in January 2009, aged only 16 – at Christmas. The 58-year-old actor said that Christmas was never an easy time of year for his family since then. “Doing something for him makes it easier, because you’re doing something, you’re proactive, you’re raising money for the foundation that represents him,” the Sydney morning Herald quoted him as saying. The ‘Grease’ star said guest artists including Barbra Streisand, Tony Bennett and James Taylor were happy to get involved, knowing proceeds of the album were going to the Jett Travolta Foundation and the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre in Melbourne. “It felt effortless. And everybody hopped on board effortlessly, we called Barbra and Tony and James and they all knew my son, so they just wanted to do this from their heart,” he said. He also said that he was inspired by Paul Newman in relation to raising money under Jett’s name. “Paul Newman did it through food, the Scott Newman foundation was to raise money for his son’s foundation,” he said. “People find different ways . . . I’m most comfortable doing it this way because I love to sing and I don’t get a chance to do it a lot. “To join Olivia again, where we’ve succeeded at this level, to do that is a beautiful opportunity. I can’t believe it,” he added.
