Helen Reddy, who is best known for her pop anthem of female empowerment, "I Am Woman", has passed away on September 29th at the age of seventy-eight. The Australian singer (who retired from performing in 2002 but briefly reappeared in 2012) had been struggling with dementia over the last few years.
Born in Melbourne, Victoria, Reddy, at the age of four, was a part of a show-business family. She would sing on radio and television which lead to her winning a talent contest on a television program in 1966. The prize was a ticket to New York City and a chance to audition for a recording contract. Unfortunately, Reddy did not win over the label executives at the time but decided to stay in the States to pursue her dream of becoming a professional singer.
With the lack of a work permit and trying to care for her three-year old daughter, Traci from her brief marriage to musician, Kenneth Weate, Reddy struggled to get singing gigs. But she met and fell for Jeff Wald and they married three days later which solved her ability to perform legally. After the family moved to Los Angeles, Wald would become manager of several musical acts but neglected the career of his own wife, who still couldn't get signed to a label. Reddy gave him an ultimatum to help her or the marriage was over.
Wald went to work and eventually got Capitol Records to give her a one record opportunity in 1971. Reddy recorded two songs; "I Believe in Music" (written by Mac Davis) which was the A-side of the record and a cover of "I Don't Know How to Love Him" from the popular Broadway musical, "Jesus Christ Superstar" on the back. The single wasn't getting much attention until a DJ in Canada flipped over the record and played it on air. This would become Reddy's first hit song, reaching number thirteen on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. She quickly put together her debut album (also called "I Don't Know How to Love Him") and the follow-up single would make her a pop music sensation.
"I Am Woman" (which Reddy co-wrote with fellow Australian musician, Ray Burton) originally appeared on Reddy's debut album but after it was used in the closing credits for the 1972 film, "Stand Up and Be Counted", it generated some attention. A new version was recorded and released as a single later that year. It took some time but "I Am Woman" eventually reached the top of the US pop chart and would help Reddy win a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance (becoming the first Australian to win the prize). The timing of this song couldn't be more perfect as the Equal Rights Amendment was gaining traction in this country and "I Am Woman" would be embraced as a rallying cry for the movement.
More hits followed for Reddy including "Peaceful", "Angie Baby", "Delta Dawn", "Ain't No Way to Treat a Lady", "Keep on Singing" and "Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)". She would go on to sell over eighty million records worldwide over her career.
Reddy also made many appearances on talk shows, television series and variety programs; became the semi-regular host of the late night music variety show, "The Midnight Special" from 1973 until 1975 and even had her own summer replacement series, "The Helen Reddy Show" in 1973. She also appeared in several films (including the 1977 Disney feature, "Pete's Dragon" and the disaster flick, "Airport '75") and theatrical productions ("Anything Goes", "Call Me Madam", "Blood Brothers" and "The Mystery of Edwin Drood") in the 1980's and 1990's.
Reddy wrote her memoir, "The Woman I Am" in 2006 and her life story was given the bio-pic treatment with a 2019 feature film, "I Am Woman" from filmmaker, Unjoo Moon. Reddy is survived by her daughter, Traci and son, Jordan from her marriage to Wald. She was married to Wald from 1968 until 1983 and then married Milton Ruth, a drummer in her band, that year before the couple divorced in 1995.
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