Helen Maxine Reddy (25 October 194129 September 2020) was an Australian-American singer, actress, television host, and activist. Born in
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
to a showbusiness family, Reddy started her career as an entertainer at age four. She sang on radio and television and won a talent contest on the television program ''
Bandstand
A bandstand (sometimes music kiosk) is a circular, semicircular or polygonal structure set in a park, garden, pier, or indoor space, designed to accommodate musical bands performing concerts. A simple construction, it both creates an orname ...
'' in 1966; her prize was a ticket to New York City and a record audition, which was unsuccessful. She pursued her international singing career by moving to Chicago, and subsequently, Los Angeles, where she made her debut singles "
One Way Ticket" and "
I Believe in Music" in 1968 and 1970, respectively. The B-side of the latter single, "
I Don't Know How to Love Him
"I Don't Know How to Love Him" is a song from the 1970 album and 1971 rock opera ''Jesus Christ Superstar'' written by Andrew Lloyd Webber (music) and Tim Rice (lyrics), a torch ballad sung by the character of Mary Magdalene. In the opera ...
", reached number eight on the pop chart of the Canadian magazine ''
RPM
Revolutions per minute (abbreviated rpm, RPM, rev/min, r/min, or with the notation min−1) is a unit of rotational speed or rotational frequency for rotating machines.
Standards
ISO 80000-3:2019 defines a unit of rotation as the dimensionl ...
''. She was signed to
Capitol Records a year later.
During the 1970s, Reddy enjoyed international success, especially in the United States, where she placed 15 singles on the top 40 of the
''Billboard'' Hot 100. Six made the top 10 and three reached number one, including her signature hit "
I Am Woman
"I Am Woman" is a song written by Australian musicians Helen Reddy and Ray Burton. Performed by Reddy, the first recording of "I Am Woman" appeared on her debut album ''I Don't Know How to Love Him'', released in May 1971, and was heard durin ...
".
She placed 25 songs on the
''Billboard'' Adult Contemporary chart; 15 made the top 10 and eight reached number one, six consecutively. In 1974, at the inaugural
American Music Award
The American Music Awards (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show, generally held in the fall, created by Dick Clark in 1973 for ABC when the network's contract to air the Grammy Awards expired, and currently produced by Dick Clark Produ ...
s, she won the award for
Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist
The American Music Awards for Favorite Female Artist – Pop/Rock has been awarded since 1974. Years reflect the year in which the awards were presented, for works released in the previous year (until 2003 onward when awards were handed out on Nove ...
. On television, she was the first Australian to host a one-hour weekly primetime variety show on an American network, along with specials that were seen in more than 40 countries.
Between the 1980s and 1990s, as her single "
I Can't Say Goodbye to You
I, or i, is the ninth letter and the third vowel letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''i'' (pronounced ), plural ...
" became her last to chart in the US, Reddy acted in musicals and recorded albums such as ''
Center Stage'' before retiring from live performance in 2002. She returned to university in Australia, earned a degree, and practised as a clinical
hypnotherapist
Hypnotherapy is a type of mind–body intervention in which hypnosis is used to create a state of focused attention and increased suggestibility in the treatment of a medical or psychological disorder or concern. Popularized by 17th and 18th ce ...
and motivational speaker. In 2011, after singing "
Breezin' Along with the Breeze
"Breezin' Along with the Breeze" is a popular song written by Haven Gillespie, Seymour Simons, and Richard Whiting; it was published in 1926. Popular versions in 1926 and 1927 were by Johnny Marvin, Abe Lyman, the Revelers and Hoosier Hot Shots.
...
" with her half-sister,
Toni Lamond
Patricia Lamond Lawman AM (born 29 March 1932), professionally known as Toni Lamond, is an Australian vaudevillian, cabaret performer, singer, actress, dancer, and comedian. She has had a successful career spanning some 80 years, both locally ...
, for Lamond's birthday, Reddy decided to return to live performing.
Reddy's song "
I Am Woman
"I Am Woman" is a song written by Australian musicians Helen Reddy and Ray Burton. Performed by Reddy, the first recording of "I Am Woman" appeared on her debut album ''I Don't Know How to Love Him'', released in May 1971, and was heard durin ...
" played a significant role in popular culture, becoming an anthem for
second-wave feminism
Second-wave feminism was a period of feminist activity that began in the early 1960s and lasted roughly two decades. It took place throughout the Western world, and aimed to increase equality for women by building on previous feminist gains.
...
. She came to be known as a "feminist poster girl" or a "feminist icon".
In 2011, ''
Billboard'' named her the number-28 adult contemporary artist of all time (the number-9 woman). In 2013, the ''
Chicago Tribune
The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television a ...
'' dubbed her the "Queen of '70s Pop".
Early years
Helen Maxine Reddy
was born into a well-known Australian showbusiness family in
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
to actress, singer, and dancer Stella Campbell ( Lamond) and Maxwell David "Max" Reddy (born 1914 in Melbourne, Victoria), a writer, producer, and actor. Her mother performed at the Majestic Theatre in
Sydney and was best known as a regular cast member on the television programs ''
Homicide'' (1964), ''
Bellbird'' (1967), and ''
Country Town
A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while th ...
'' (1971). During Reddy's childhood, she was educated partly at
Tintern Grammar
, motto_translation = By deeds not words
, established = 1877
, type = Independent, co-educational
, denomination = Anglican
, slogan =
, principal = Brad ...
. Her half-sister
Toni Lamond
Patricia Lamond Lawman AM (born 29 March 1932), professionally known as Toni Lamond, is an Australian vaudevillian, cabaret performer, singer, actress, dancer, and comedian. She has had a successful career spanning some 80 years, both locally ...
and her nephew
Tony Sheldon are actor-singers.
Reddy had Irish, Scottish, and English ancestry.
Her great-great-grandfather Edward Reddy was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1855. Her Scottish great-grandfather, Thomas Lamond, was a one-time mayor of
Waterloo, New South Wales
Waterloo is an inner-city suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Waterloo is located 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) south of the Sydney central business district and is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney. Waterloo is sur ...
, whose patron was
Hercules Robinson, 1st Baron Rosmead
Hercules George Robert Robinson, 1st Baron Rosmead, (19 December 1824 – 28 October 1897), was a British colonial administrator who became the 5th Governor of Hong Kong and subsequently, the 14th Governor of New South Wales, the first Gove ...
.
Patsy Reddy
Dame Patricia Lee Reddy (born 17 May 1954) is a New Zealand lawyer and businesswoman who served as the 21st governor-general of New Zealand from 2016 to 2021.
Before becoming governor-general, Reddy was a partner of a law firm, headed a majo ...
, New Zealand's former
governor-general, is a distant cousin.
Reddy was born during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
. Her father was a
sergeant in the
Australian Army
The Australian Army is the principal land warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. The Army is commanded by the Chief of Army (CA), wh ...
with a unit of entertainers; he served alongside one of his actor friends,
Peter Finch. They were serving together in
New Guinea
New Guinea (; Hiri Motu: ''Niu Gini''; id, Papua, or , historically ) is the world's second-largest island with an area of . Located in Oceania in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, the island is separated from Australia by the wide Torr ...
at the time of Reddy's birth. Her father returned to service during the
Korean War
, date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...
.
At age four, Reddy joined her parents on the Australian
vaudeville
Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...
circuit, singing and dancing; she recalled: "It was instilled in me: 'You will be a star'. So between the ages of 12 and 17, I got rebellious and decided this was not for me. I was going to be a housewife and mother."
At age 12, owing to her parents' constant touring nationwide and their arguing, Reddy went to live with her paternal aunt, Helen "Nell" Reddy, "... who was her role model"; as her aunt, "she gave her niece stability, a sense of morality, and strength" for her future career as a singer who motivated women.
The younger Helen's teenaged rebellion in favour of domesticity manifested as marriage to Kenneth Claude Weate, a considerably older musician and family friend; divorce ensued, and to support herself as a single mother to daughter Traci, she resumed her performing career, concentrating on singing, since health problems precluded dancing (she had a kidney removed at 17). She sang on radio and television, eventually winning a talent contest on the Australian pop music TV show
''Bandstand'', the prize ostensibly being a trip to
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
to cut a single for
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It had significant success as an independent operation in the 1940s and 1950s. Smash Records and Fontana Records were sub labels of Mercury. In the United States, it i ...
. After arriving in New York in 1966, she was informed by Mercury that her prize was only the chance to "audition" for the label and that Mercury considered the ''Bandstand'' footage to constitute her audition, which was deemed unsuccessful. Despite having only and a return ticket to Australia, she decided to remain in the United States with three-year-old Traci and pursue a singing career.
Music career
1966–1968: Early career
Reddy recalled her 1966 appearance at the Three Rivers Inn in
Syracuse, New York—"
ere were like twelve people in the audience"—as being typical of her early U.S. performing career. Her lack of a
work permit made it difficult to obtain singing jobs, and she was forced to make trips to Canada, which did not require work permits for citizens of
Commonwealth countries. In 1968,
Martin St James, an Australian
stage hypnotist she had met in New York City, threw Reddy a party with an admission price of to enable Reddy—then down to her last —to pay her rent. On this occasion, Reddy met her future manager and husband, Jeff Wald, a 22-year-old secretary at the
William Morris Agency
The William Morris Agency (WMA) was a Hollywood-based talent agency. It represented some of the best known 20th-century entertainers in film, television, and music. During its 109-year tenure it came to be regarded as the "first great talent ag ...
who crashed the party.
Reddy told ''
People
A person ( : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of prope ...
'' in 1975, "
alddidn't pay the five dollars, but it was love at first sight."
Wald recalled that Reddy and he married three days after meeting, and along with daughter Traci, the couple took up residence at the
Hotel Albert in
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village ( , , ) is a neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City, bounded by 14th Street to the north, Broadway to the east, Houston Street to the south, and the Hudson River to the west. Greenwich Village ...
.
Reddy later stated that she married Wald "out of desperation over her right to work and live in the United States."
According to ''
New York Magazine
''New York'' is an American biweekly magazine concerned with life, culture, politics, and style generally, and with a particular emphasis on New York City. Founded by Milton Glaser and Clay Felker in 1968 as a competitor to ''The New Yorker' ...
'', Wald was fired from William Morris soon after having met Reddy, and "Helen supported them for six months doing $35-a-night hospital and charity benefits. They were so broke that they snuck out of a hotel room carrying their clothes in paper bags." Reddy recalled: "When we did eat, it was
spaghetti
Spaghetti () is a long, thin, solid, cylindrical pasta.[spaghetti](_blank)
Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridg ...
, and we spent what little money we had on cockroach spray."
They left New York City for
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
, where Wald landed a job as talent coordinator at
Mister Kelly's
Mister Kelly’s was a nightclub on Rush Street in Chicago which existed from 1953 to 1975. From around 1956 until its demise, it was a springboard to fame for many entertainers, especially jazz singers and comedians. As reported in the ''Chicago ...
. While in Chicago, Reddy gained a reputation singing in local lounges, including Mister Kelly's, and in 1968 she landed a deal with
Fontana Records, a division of major-label Chicago-based
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It had significant success as an independent operation in the 1940s and 1950s. Smash Records and Fontana Records were sub labels of Mercury. In the United States, it i ...
.
Her first single, "
One Way Ticket", on Fontana was not an American hit, but it did give Reddy her first appearance on any chart, as it peaked at number 83 in her native Australia.
1969–1975: "I Am Woman" era and stardom
Within a year, Wald moved Reddy and Traci to Los Angeles, where he was hired at
Capitol Records, the label under which Reddy was to attain stardom; however, Wald was hired and fired the same day.
At the same time, in 1969, Reddy enrolled at the
University of California Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California ...
to study psychology and philosophy part-time.
Reddy became frustrated as Wald found success managing acts such as
Deep Purple and
Tiny Tim without making any evident effort to promote her; after 18 months of career inactivity, Reddy gave Wald an ultimatum: "he
ust UST or Ust may refer to:
Organizations
* UST (company), American digital technology company
* Equatorial Guinea Workers' Union
* Union of Trade Unions of Chad (Union des Syndicats du Tchad)
* United States Television Manufacturing Corp.
* UST Gr ...
either revitalise her career or get out... Jeff threw himself into his new career as Mr. Helen Reddy. Five months of phone calls to Capitol Records executive Artie Mogull finally paid off; Mogull agreed to let Helen cut one single if Jeff promised not to call for a month. She did "
I Believe in Music" penned by
Mac Davis backed with "
I Don't Know How to Love Him
"I Don't Know How to Love Him" is a song from the 1970 album and 1971 rock opera ''Jesus Christ Superstar'' written by Andrew Lloyd Webber (music) and Tim Rice (lyrics), a torch ballad sung by the character of Mary Magdalene. In the opera ...
" from
Tim Rice
Sir Timothy Miles Bindon Rice (born 10 November 1944) is an English lyricist and author. He is best known for his collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber, with whom he wrote, among other shows, ''Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat'', ...
and
Andrew Lloyd Webber's ''
Jesus Christ Superstar''. The A-side fell flat, but then some Canadian DJs flipped the record over and it became a hit – number 13 in June 1971 – and Helen Reddy was on her way."
Reddy's stardom was solidified when her single "
I Am Woman
"I Am Woman" is a song written by Australian musicians Helen Reddy and Ray Burton. Performed by Reddy, the first recording of "I Am Woman" appeared on her debut album ''I Don't Know How to Love Him'', released in May 1971, and was heard durin ...
" reached number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in December 1972. The song was co-written by Reddy with
Ray Burton; Reddy attributed the impetus for writing "I Am Woman" and her early awareness of the women's movement to expatriate Australian rock critic and pioneer feminist
Lillian Roxon
Lillian Roxon (8 February 1932 – 10 August 1973) was a noted Australian journalist and author, best known for ''Lillian Roxon's Rock Encyclopedia'' (1969).
From Italy to Australia, then the USA
She was born Lillian Ropschitz in Alassio, Provi ...
. Reddy is quoted in
Fred Bronson
Fredric M. "Fred" Bronson (born January 10, 1949) is an American journalist, author and writer. He is the author of books related to #1 songs on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart and other books related to various music charts as well. He is also k ...
's ''The ''Billboard'' Book of Number One Hits'' as having said that she was looking for songs to record which reflected the positive self-image she had gained from joining the women's movement but could not find any, so "I realised that the song I was looking for didn't exist, and I was going to have to write it myself."
"I Am Woman" first appeared on her debut album ''
I Don't Know How to Love Him
"I Don't Know How to Love Him" is a song from the 1970 album and 1971 rock opera ''Jesus Christ Superstar'' written by Andrew Lloyd Webber (music) and Tim Rice (lyrics), a torch ballad sung by the character of Mary Magdalene. In the opera ...
'', released in May 1971. A new recording of the song was released as a single in May 1972 but barely dented the charts. Female listeners soon adopted the song as an anthem and began requesting it from their local radio stations in droves, resulting in its September chart re-entry and eventual number-one peak. "I Am Woman" earned Reddy a
Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance was a Grammy Award recognizing superior vocal performance by a female in the pop category, the first of which was presented in 1959. It was discontinued after the 2011 Grammy season. The awar ...
. At the awards ceremony, Reddy concluded her acceptance speech by famously thanking God "because She makes everything possible". The success of "I Am Woman" made Reddy the first Australian singer to top the U.S. charts.
Three decades after her Grammy, Reddy discussed the song's iconic status: "I think it came along at the right time. I'd gotten involved in the
women's movement
The feminist movement (also known as the women's movement, or feminism) refers to a series of social movements and political campaigns for radical and liberal reforms on women's issues created by the inequality between men and women. Such is ...
, and there were a lot of songs on the radio about being weak and being dainty and all those sort of things. All the women in my family, they were strong women. They worked. They lived through the
Depression and a world war, and they were just strong women. I certainly didn't see myself as being dainty," she said.
Over the next five years following her first success, Reddy had more than a dozen U.S. top-40 hits, including two more number-one hits. These tracks included
Kenny Rankin
Kenneth Joseph Rankin (February 10, 1940 – June 7, 2009) was an American singer and songwriter in the folk rock and singer-songwriter genres; he was influenced by jazz. Rankin would often sing notes in a high range to express emotion.
Biogr ...
's "
Peaceful" (number 12), the
Alex Harvey country
A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while ...
ballad "
Delta Dawn
"Delta Dawn" is a song written by musician Larry Collins and country songwriter Alex Harvey (country musician), Alex Harvey. The first notable recording of the song was in 1971 by American singer and actress Bette Middler, Bette Midler for her ...
" (number one),
Linda Laurie
Linda Maxine Laurie was an American singer and songwriter, best known for the novelty record "Ambrose (Part 5)", which went to #52 on the '' Billboard'' chart while she was still a high school student in 1959.
"Ambrose (Part 5)"
While attendin ...
's "
Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)
"Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)" is a 1973 song written and first recorded by American singer-songwriter Linda Laurie. It was famously covered by Australian-American singer Helen Reddy several months later; Reddy's cover was a million-selling, G ...
" (number three),
Austin Roberts' "
Keep on Singing
"Keep on Singing" is a 1973 song composed by Danny Janssen and Bobby Hart, and was originally recorded by Austin Roberts from the album ''Austin Roberts''. It was released as a single on Chelsea Records and reached No. 50 on the U.S. ''Billboa ...
" (number 15),
Paul Williams' "
You and Me Against the World
''You and Me Against the World'' is the fifth studio album from Norwegian electronic rock music band Apoptygma Berzerk. The album was released in 2005, and gave way to a very different sound in the band, whereas previous records had a more tradit ...
" (featuring daughter Traci reciting the spoken bookends) (number 9),
Alan O'Day's "
Angie Baby" (number one),
Véronique Sanson
Véronique Marie Line Sanson (; born 24 April 1949) is a three-time Victoires de la Musique award-winning French singer-songwriter and record producer with an avid following in her native country.
Ten years after Barbara, Véronique Sanson beca ...
and
Patti Dahlstrom's "
Emotion
Emotions are mental states brought on by neurophysiology, neurophysiological changes, variously associated with thoughts, feelings, behavioral responses, and a degree of pleasure or suffering, displeasure. There is currently no scientific ...
" (number 22),
Harriet Schock
Harriet Schock (born January 24, 1941) is an American singer, songwriter, teacher, author, and actress. She made three albums for a major label in the 1970s, scoring gold and platinum awards for her Grammy-nominated " Ain't No Way to Treat a La ...
's "
Ain't No Way to Treat a Lady
"Ain't No Way to Treat a Lady" is a 1974 written and first recorded by American singer-songwriter Harriet Schock. It was covered by various other artists, and saw its greatest success when it was covered by Helen Reddy, whose 1975 rendition becam ...
" (number eight), and the
Richard Kerr/
Will Jennings
Wilbur H. "Will" Jennings (born June 27, 1944) is an American lyricist. He is popularly known for writing the lyrics for the songs " Tears in Heaven" and " My Heart Will Go On". He has been inducted into the Songwriter's Hall of Fame and has wo ...
-penned "
Somewhere in the Night" (number 19). She also had two Australian number-one singles, while "Angie Baby" was her only U.K. top-40 hit.
On 23 July 1974, Reddy received a star, located at 1750 Vine Street, on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame for her work in the music industry.
In late 1975, Reddy toured East Asia, Australia and New Zealand and collected 16 gold records, including 6 gold records in Australia and 6 gold records in New Zealand.
At the height of her fame in the mid 1970s, Reddy was a headliner, with a full chorus of backup singers and dancers to standing-room-only crowds on the
Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is a stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard South in Clark County, Nevada, that is known for its concentration of resort hotels and casinos. The Strip, as it is known, is about long, and is immediately south of the Las Vegas city ...
. Among Reddy's opening acts were
Joan Rivers
Joan Alexandra Molinsky (June 8, 1933 – September 4, 2014), known professionally as Joan Rivers, was an American comedian, actress, producer, writer and television host. She was noted for her blunt, often controversial comedic persona—heavi ...
,
David Letterman,
Bill Cosby
William Henry Cosby Jr. ( ; born July 12, 1937) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and media personality. He made significant contributions to American and African-American culture, and is well known in the United States for his eccentric ...
, and
Barry Manilow. In 1976, Reddy recorded
the Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the most influential band of all time and were integral to the developmen ...
' song "
The Fool on the Hill
"The Fool on the Hill" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1967 EP and album '' Magical Mystery Tour''. It was written and sung by Paul McCartney and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. The lyrics describe the ...
" for the musical documentary ''
All This and World War II
''All This and World War II'' is a 1976 musical documentary directed by Susan Winslow. It juxtaposes Beatles songs covered by a variety of musicians with World War II newsreel footage and 20th Century Fox films, in a manner meant by the filmma ...
''.
Reddy was also instrumental in supporting the career of friend
Olivia Newton-John
Dame Olivia Newton-John (26 September 1948 – 8 August 2022) was a British-Australian singer, actress and activist. She was a four-time Grammy Award winner whose music career included 15 top-ten singles, including 5 number-one singles on the ...
, encouraging her to emigrate from England to the United States in the early 1970s, giving her professional opportunities that did not exist in the United Kingdom. At a party at Reddy's house after a chance meeting with
Allan Carr
Allan Carr (born Allan Solomon; May 27, 1937 – June 29, 1999) was an American producer and manager of stage for the screen. Carr was nominated for numerous awards, winning a Tony Award and two People's Choice Awards, and was named Producer o ...
, a film producer, Newton-John won the starring role in the hit film version of the musical ''
Grease''.
1976–1990: Career decline
Reddy was most successful on the
Easy Listening chart, scoring eight number-one hits there over a three-year span, from "Delta Dawn" in 1973 to "
I Can't Hear You No More
"I Can't Hear You No More" is a composition written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King. It was originally recorded as "I Can't Hear You" in 1964 by Betty Everett. The most successful version was the 1976 top 40 single by Helen Reddy.
Betty Everett's ...
" in 1976. However, the latter track evidenced a sharp drop in popularity for Reddy, with a number-29 peak on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Reddy's 1977 remake of
Cilla Black's 1964 hit "
You're My World
"You're My World" is a ballad originally recorded in 1963 as "Il mio mondo" ("My World") by Umberto Bindi, who co-wrote the Italian version with Gino Paoli. Subsequently, an English version was commissioned, and the lyrics were written by Carl S ...
" indicated comeback potential, with a number-18 peak, but this track – co-produced by
Kim Fowley – would prove to be Reddy's last top-40 hit. Its source album, ''
Ear Candy'', Reddy's 10th album, became her first album to not attain at least
gold status since her second full-length release, 1972's ''
Helen Reddy''.
In 1978, Reddy sang as a backup singer on
Gene Simmons's solo album on the song "True Confessions". That year also saw the release of Reddy's only live album, ''
Live in London,'' recorded at the
London Palladium
The London Palladium () is a Grade II* West End theatre located on Argyll Street, London, in the famous area of Soho. The theatre holds 2,286 seats. Of the roster of stars who have played there, many have televised performances. Between 1955 a ...
.
Of Reddy's eight subsequent single releases on Capitol, five reached the Easy Listening top 50 – including "
Candle on the Water", from the 1977 Disney film ''
Pete's Dragon'' (which starred Reddy). Only three ranked on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100: "The Happy Girls" (number 57) – the follow-up to "You're My World", and besides "I Am Woman", Reddy's only chart item that she co-wrote – and the disco tracks "Ready or Not" (number 73) and "Make Love to Me" (number 60), the latter a cover of an Australian hit by
Kelly Marie
Kelly Marie (born Jacqueline McKinnon; 16 October 1957) is a Scottish singer, best known for the song " Feels Like I'm in Love", a No. 1 hit in the UK in 1980.
Early career
Born to Alex and Jeanette McKinnon, Kelly Marie began training for a p ...
, which gave Reddy a lone R&B chart ranking at number 59. Reddy also made it to number 98 on the
Country chart
Hot Country Songs is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States.
This 50-position chart lists the most popular country music songs, calculated weekly by collecting airplay data from Nielsen BDS along with digital sal ...
with "Laissez les bon Temps Rouler", the B-side to "The Happy Girls".
Without the impetus of any major hits, Reddy's four Capitol album releases subsequent to ''Ear Candy'' failed to chart. In 1981, Reddy said: "I signed
ith Capitol
The Ith () is a ridge in Germany's Central Uplands which is up to 439 m high. It lies about 40 km southwest of Hanover and, at 22 kilometres, is the longest line of crags in North Germany.
Geography
Location
The Ith is immediatel ...
ten years ago...And when you are with a company so long you tend to be taken for granted. For the last three years, I didn't feel I was getting the support from them."
May 1981 had the release of ''
Play Me Out'', Reddy's debut album for
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American record label owned by MCA Inc., which later became part of Universal Music Group.
Pre-history
MCA Inc., a powerful talent agency and a television production company, entered the recorded music business in 1962 w ...
, which Reddy said had "made me a deal we
eddy and Wald
Eddie or Eddy may refer to:
Science and technology
* Eddy (fluid dynamics), the swirling of a fluid and the reverse current created when the fluid flows past an obstacle
*Eddie (text editor), a text editor originally for BeOS and now ported to Lin ...
couldn't refuse"; "we shopped around and felt the most enthusiasm at MCA."
Reddy's new label affiliation, though, would result in only one minor success; her remake of
Becky Hobbs
Becky Hobbs (born January 24, 1950) is an American country singer, songwriter and pianist. She has recorded seven studio albums, and has charted multiple singles on the '' Billboard'' Hot Country Songs charts, including the 1983 Top Ten hit "Let ...
's 1979 country hit "I Can't Say Goodbye to You" returned her for the last time to the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 at number 88; it also returned Reddy to the charts in the UK and Ireland (her sole previous hit in both was "Angie Baby"). Reddy's 14 November 1981 ''
Top of the Pops
''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show. For most o ...
'' performance brought "I Can't Say Goodbye to You" into the UK top 50; the track would rise there no higher than number 43, but in Ireland reached number 16, giving Reddy her final high placing on a major national chart. MCA released one further Reddy album: ''
Imagination'', in 1983; it would prove to be Reddy's final release as a career recording artist.
The unsuccessful ''Imagination'' was released just after the finalisation of Reddy's divorce from Wald, whose alleged subsequent interference in her career Reddy blamed for the decline of her career profile in the mid-1980s: "Several of my performing contracts were cancelled, and one promoter told me he couldn't book me in case a certain someone 'came after him with a shotgun'."
Reddy states that she was effectively being blacklisted from her established performance areas, which led to her pursuing a career in theatre, where Wald had no significant influence.
1990s–2000: Later recordings
In 1990, Reddy issued ''
Feel So Young
''Feel So Young'' is the fifteenth studio album by Australian American, Australian-American Pop music, pop singer Helen Reddy, released in 1990 by her own record label, Helen Reddy, Inc.. The album included new recordings of some of her hits ("A ...
'' on her own labelan album that includes remakes of Reddy's repertoire favourites. Meanwhile, her one recording in the interim had been the 1987
dance maxisingle "Mysterious Kind", on which Reddy had vocally supported Jessica Williams. The 1997 release of ''
Center Stage'' was an album of show tunes that Reddy recorded for
Varèse Sarabande
Varèse Sarabande is an American record label, owned by Concord Music Group and distributed by Universal Music Group, which specializes in film scores and original cast recordings. It aims to reissue rare or unavailable albums, as well as newer r ...
; the track "Surrender"originating in ''
Sunset Boulevard
Sunset Boulevard is a boulevard in the central and western part of Los Angeles, California, that stretches from the Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades east to Figueroa Street in Downtown Los Angeles. It is a major thoroughfare in ...
''was remixed for release as a dance maxisingle. Reddy's final album was the 2000 seasonal release ''The Best Christmas Ever''. In April 2015, Reddy released a cover of The Beatles' "
All You Need Is Love
"All You Need Is Love" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles that was released as a non-album single in July 1967. It was written by John Lennon and credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. The song was Britain's contribution t ...
" for the album ''Keep Calm and Salute The Beatles'' on the
Purple Pyramid label.
2002–2010: Retirement
Reddy announced her retirement from performing in 2002, giving her farewell performance with the
Edmonton Symphony Orchestra
The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra (ESO) is a Canadian orchestra based in Edmonton, Alberta. As the professional orchestra of Alberta's creative capital city it presents over 85 concerts a year of symphonic music in all genres, from classical to cou ...
. The same year, she moved from her longtime residence in
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica (; Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 U.S. Census population was 93,076. Santa Monica is a popular resort town, owing t ...
, back to her native Australia to spend time with her family, living first on
Norfolk Island before taking up residence in
Sydney.
She also earned a degree in clinical
hypnotherapy and
neurolinguistic programming. She was a practicing clinical hypnotherapist and patron of the Australian Society of Clinical Hypnotherapists.
At a ceremony in August 2006, Reddy was inducted into the
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is a trade association representing the Australian recording industry which was established in the 1970s by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing ...
(ARIA)
Hall of Fame by actress singer,
Toni Collette
Toni Collette Galafassi (born Toni Collett; 1 November 1972) is an Australian actress, producer, singer, and songwriter. Known for her work in television and independent films, she has received various accolades throughout her career, inclu ...
, who described her song, "I Am Woman", as "timeless". The song was performed by fellow Australian,
Vanessa Amorosi
Vanessa Joy AmorosiSharon Verghis"Back on track" ''The Sun-Herald'', 18 October 2009, Archived fro''the original''on 6 March 2016. (born 8 August 1981) is an Australian singer-songwriter and recording artist. Her combined album and single sales ...
.
In April 2008, Reddy was reported to be living "simply and frugally off song royalties, pension funds, and social security...
entinga 13th-floor apartment with a 180° view of
Sydney Harbour."
Her apartment had been recently appraised, causing Reddy concern over its future affordability; however, the New York-based landlord learned his tenant's identity and wrote her: "I had no idea it was ''the'' Helen Reddy who was living in my unit. Because of what you have done for millions of women all over the world, I will not sell or raise your rent. I hope you'll be very happy living there for years to come."
For several years, Reddy maintained that she would not return to the stage. In 2008, she stated, "It's not going to happen. I've moved on," and explained that her voice had deepened to a lower key and she wasn't sure if she would be able to sing some of her hits. She also said she had simply lost interest in performing. "I have very wide-ranging interests," she said.
In 2011 she was interviewed by Australian television, and said she was very happy to be retired from show business.
2011–2020: Brief comeback to concerts
In 2011, Reddy decided to return to performing after being buoyed by the warm reception she received when she sang at her sister's 80th birthday party. "I hadn't heard my voice in 10 years, and when I heard it coming over the speaker, it was like: 'Oh, that’s not bad. Maybe I should do that again,'" Reddy explained in 2013.
Being more in control of her performances also appealed to Reddy, who said, "I have more leeway in the songs that I choose to sing. I'm not locked into what the record company wants."
She explained, "One of the reasons that I'm coming back to singing is because I'm not doing the greatest hits. I'm doing the songs that I always loved. So many are album cuts that never got any airplay, and they're gorgeous songs."
She also performed many of her best-known songs, including, "
Angie Baby", "
You and Me Against the World
''You and Me Against the World'' is the fifth studio album from Norwegian electronic rock music band Apoptygma Berzerk. The album was released in 2005, and gave way to a very different sound in the band, whereas previous records had a more tradit ...
", a medley of "
Delta Dawn
"Delta Dawn" is a song written by musician Larry Collins and country songwriter Alex Harvey (country musician), Alex Harvey. The first notable recording of the song was in 1971 by American singer and actress Bette Middler, Bette Midler for her ...
"/"Ain't No Way to Treat a Lady", and "
I Am Woman
"I Am Woman" is a song written by Australian musicians Helen Reddy and Ray Burton. Performed by Reddy, the first recording of "I Am Woman" appeared on her debut album ''I Don't Know How to Love Him'', released in May 1971, and was heard durin ...
", reasoning on the latter that the audience "comes to hear" it.
She said she refused to sing "
Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)
"Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)" is a 1973 song written and first recorded by American singer-songwriter Linda Laurie. It was famously covered by Australian-American singer Helen Reddy several months later; Reddy's cover was a million-selling, G ...
" because she disliked the monotony of the repeated chorus. "They used to have a contest on the radio that you could get two free tickets to Helen Reddy's show if you could tell us how many times she sang "leave me alone". I think it was like 42 times," she said.
Reddy appeared in downtown Los Angeles at the
2017 Women's March
The Women's March was a worldwide protest on January 21, 2017, the day after the inauguration of Donald Trump as US president. It was prompted by Trump's policy positions and rhetoric, which protesters called misogynistic or otherwise threate ...
on 21 January. The march for women's rights and unity following the
inauguration of Donald Trump
The inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States marked the commencement of Donald Trump's term as president and Mike Pence as vice president. An estimated 300,000 to 600,000 people attended the public ceremony hel ...
brought out 750,000 people. Reddy was introduced by actress
Jamie Lee Curtis
Jamie Lee Curtis (born November 22, 1958) is an American actress, producer, children's author, and activist. She came to prominence with her portrayal of Lt. Barbara Duran on the ABC sitcom '' Operation Petticoat'' (1977–78). In 1978, she m ...
and sang an ''
a cappella'' version of "I Am Woman".
In August 2015, unnamed sources revealed that Reddy was diagnosed with
dementia
Dementia is a disorder which manifests as a set of related symptoms, which usually surfaces when the brain is damaged by injury or disease. The symptoms involve progressive impairments in memory, thinking, and behavior, which negatively affe ...
and had moved into the
Motion Picture and Television Fund
The Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF) is a charitable organization that offers assistance and care to those in the motion picture and television industries and their families with limited or no resources, including services such as temp ...
's Samuel Goldwyn Center, where she was cared for by family and friends.
Film, theatre and television
A frequent guest on talk shows and variety programs of the 1970s and early 1980s – with credits including ''
The Bobby Darin Show'', ''
The Carol Burnett Show
''The Carol Burnett Show'' is an American variety/sketch comedy television show that originally ran on CBS from September 11, 1967, to March 29, 1978, for 279 episodes, and again with nine episodes in fall 1991. It starred Carol Burnett, Har ...
'', and ''
The Muppet Show
''The Muppet Show'' is a sketch comedy television series created by Jim Henson and featuring the Muppets. The series originated as two pilot episodes produced by Henson for ABC in 1974 and 1975. While neither episode was moved forward as a s ...
'' – Reddy helmed the 1973 summer replacement series for ''The Flip Wilson Show'' (Reddy had become friends with
Flip Wilson
Clerow "Flip" Wilson Jr. (December 8, 1933 – November 25, 1998) was an American comedian and actor best known for his television appearances during the late 1960s and 1970s. From 1970 to 1974, Wilson hosted his own weekly variety series ''The F ...
when she worked the Chicago club circuit early in her career); the series, ''The Helen Reddy Show'', provided early national exposure for
Albert Brooks and
the Pointer Sisters
The Pointer Sisters are an American pop and R&B singing group from Oakland, California, that achieved mainstream success during the 1970s and 1980s. Their repertoire has included such diverse genres as pop, jazz, electronic music, bebop, bl ...
. Reddy also served as the semiregular host of the late-night variety show ''
The Midnight Special'' in 1975 and 1976.
Reddy's film career included a starring role in
Walt Disney
Walter Elias Disney (; December 5, 1901December 15, 1966) was an American animator, film producer and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the American animation industry, he introduced several developments in the production of cartoons. As a film p ...
's ''
Pete's Dragon'', introducing the
Oscar
Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to:
People
* Oscar (given name), an Irish- and English-language name also used in other languages; the article includes the names Oskar, Oskari, Oszkár, Óscar, and other forms.
* Oscar (Irish mythology) ...
-nominated song "
Candle on the Water" and the role of a nun in ''
Airport 1975
''Airport 1975'' (also known as ''Airport '75'') is a 1974 American air disaster film and the first sequel to the successful 1970 film ''Airport''. It was directed by Jack Smight, produced by William Frye, executive produced by Jennings Lang, a ...
'', singing her own composition "Best Friend". For her part in ''Airport 1975'', Reddy was nominated for a
Golden Globe for
Most Promising Newcomer – Female. Reddy was one of many musical stars featured in the all-star chorale in the film ''
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'' (1978), and she later played cameo roles in the films ''
Disorderlies
''Disorderlies'' is a 1987 screwball comedy feature film starring the rap group, The Fat Boys, and Ralph Bellamy. The film was directed by Michael Schultz who previously directed The Fat Boys in ''Krush Groove''.
Plot summary
Winslow Lowry is a ...
'' (1987) and ''
The Perfect Host
''The Perfect Host'' is a 2010 American black comedy/psychological thriller film written and directed by Nicholas Tomnay, a remake of Tomnay's short film ''The Host'' (2001). The film stars David Hyde Pierce and Clayne Crawford. Filming took place ...
'' (2010).
[
Despite her late 1970s decline on the music charts, Reddy still had sufficient star power in 1979 to host ''The Helen Reddy Special'', broadcast that May on ABC-TV, of which Jeff Wald was the producer. In September 1981, Reddy announced she would be shooting the pilot for her own TV sitcom, in which she would play a single mother working as a lounge singer in Lake Tahoe,] but this project was abandoned. Reddy was an occasional television guest star as an actress, appearing on the television programs ''The Love Boat
''The Love Boat'' is an American romantic comedy/drama television series that aired on ABC from 1977 to 1986; in addition, four three-hour specials aired in 1986, 1987, and 1990. The series was set on the luxury passenger cruise ship MS ''Pa ...
'', ''Fantasy Island
''Fantasy Island'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by Gene Levitt. It aired on ABC from 1977 to 1984. The series starred Ricardo Montalbán as the mysterious Mr. Roarke and Hervé Villechaize as his assistant, Tattoo. ...
'', ''The Jeffersons
''The Jeffersons'' is an American sitcom television series that was broadcast on CBS from January 18, 1975, to July 2, 1985, lasting 11 seasons and a total of 253 episodes. ''The Jeffersons'' is one of the longest-running sitcoms in history, ...
'' (as herself), '' Diagnosis: Murder'', and '' BeastMaster''.
In the mid-1980s, Reddy embarked on a new career in the theatre. She mostly worked in musicals, including ''Anything Goes
''Anything Goes'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The original book was a collaborative effort by Guy Bolton and P. G. Wodehouse, heavily revised by the team of Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The story concerns madcap ant ...
'', ''Call Me Madam
''Call Me Madam'' is a musical written by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, with music and lyrics by Irving Berlin.
The musical is a satire on politics and foreign policy that spoofs postwar America's penchant for lending billions of dollars to ...
'', ''The Mystery of Edwin Drood
''The Mystery of Edwin Drood'' is the final novel by Charles Dickens, originally published in 1870.
Though the novel is named after the character Edwin Drood, it focuses more on Drood's uncle, John Jasper, a precentor, choirmaster and opium ...
'', and – both on Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
**Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
and the West End – '' Blood Brothers''. She also appeared in four productions of the one-woman show ''Shirley Valentine
''Shirley Valentine'' is a one-character play by Willy Russell. Taking the form of a monologue by a middle-aged, working class Liverpool housewife, it focuses on her life before and after a transforming holiday abroad.
Plot
Wondering what has ...
''.
Reddy's notable stage roles included:
* ''Shirley Valentine
''Shirley Valentine'' is a one-character play by Willy Russell. Taking the form of a monologue by a middle-aged, working class Liverpool housewife, it focuses on her life before and after a transforming holiday abroad.
Plot
Wondering what has ...
'' – as Shirley, which she performed in numerous venues across the US in 1997.
* '' Blood Brothers'' – as Mrs Johnstone – Broadway (1995), West End and Liverpool.
* ''Love, Julie'' – as Gail Sinclair.
* ''The Mystery of Edwin Drood'' – as Edwin Drood/Miss Alice Nutting – Sacramento Music Circus.
* ''Call Me Madam
''Call Me Madam'' is a musical written by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, with music and lyrics by Irving Berlin.
The musical is a satire on politics and foreign policy that spoofs postwar America's penchant for lending billions of dollars to ...
'' – as Mrs Sally Adams – Sacramento Music Circus (August 1986).
* ''Anything Goes
''Anything Goes'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The original book was a collaborative effort by Guy Bolton and P. G. Wodehouse, heavily revised by the team of Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The story concerns madcap ant ...
'' – as Reno Sweeney
** Long Beach Civic Light Opera (July 1987).
** Sacramento Music Circus (July 1985).
* ''Senior Entourage'' – as Helen – (May 2021).
In 2007, Reddy had a voice cameo as herself in the '' Family Guy'' television show's '' Star Wars'' parody, "Blue Harvest
"Blue Harvest" is the hour-long premiere of the sixth season of the American animated television series ''Family Guy'' and the first part of the series' '' Laugh It Up, Fuzzball'' trilogy. It originally aired on Fox in the United States on Sep ...
". In 2011, she guest-starred on ''Family Guy'' again singing the opening theme song for the show's fictional Channel 5 News telecast.
Personal life
Political service, citizenship
Reddy became a naturalised American citizen in 1974, saying after the ceremony, "I feel like I'd like to have a cup of tea and a good cry." She resumed her Australian citizenship subsequently, when the opportunity to maintain dual American–Australian citizenship became available.[
Reddy was active in community affairs:
* In the 1970s, she helped raise millions of dollars for Democratic political candidates.][
* In July 1977, California Governor ]Jerry Brown
Edmund Gerald Brown Jr. (born April 7, 1938) is an American lawyer, author, and politician who served as the 34th and 39th governor of California from 1975 to 1983 and 2011 to 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, he was elected Secretary of ...
appointed Reddy to the nine-member commission overseeing the California Department of Parks and Recreation. Her nomination was unanimously approved. She served on the commission until 1980.
Family
Three of Reddy's forebears left Ireland and went to Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. A distant cousin, New Zealand Governor-General Patsy Reddy
Dame Patricia Lee Reddy (born 17 May 1954) is a New Zealand lawyer and businesswoman who served as the 21st governor-general of New Zealand from 2016 to 2021.
Before becoming governor-general, Reddy was a partner of a law firm, headed a majo ...
, is descended from their mutual New Zealand forebear.
Reddy was an enthusiastic genealogist
Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kins ...
; she researched her family's history extensively and founded the Tasmanian Genealogical Society. "Genealogy is addictive; it begins as an interest, becomes a hobby, then a passion, and finally an obsession. Not only with each generation uncovered does the number of people to investigate double, but so too does the desire to understand the forces that shaped them," she wrote in her autobiography. Reddy was once asked in an interview whether her name had any connection to the Reddy
Reddy (also transliterated as ''Raddi'', ''Reddi'', ''Reddiar'', ''Reddappa'', ''Reddy'') is a caste that originated in India, predominantly settled in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. They are classified as a forward caste.
The origin of the ...
caste from India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. Her response was: "I have done some research on my father's side; most of my research has been done on my mother's side. His father was born in Ireland, but his great-grandfather served with an Irish regiment stationed in India, so it is possible that I have Indian ancestry. But it has not yet been established."
At age 20, Helen married Kenneth Claude Weate, an older musician and family friend whom she says she wed to defy her parents, who wished her to follow them into show business.[ The couple separated not long after the birth of their daughter, Traci.][
In 1968, she married Jeff Wald, a native of ]the Bronx
The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...
.[ She converted to ]Judaism
Judaism ( he, ''Yahăḏūṯ'') is an Abrahamic, monotheistic, and ethnic religion comprising the collective religious, cultural, and legal tradition and civilization of the Jewish people. It has its roots as an organized religion in t ...
before marrying Wald,[ – "Although Helen Reddy is Jewish, she has just released an album titled 'The Best Christmas Ever.' When an Internet interviewer cocked an eyebrow, Reddy said she had stuck to her religious beliefs by making sure that no song mentioned Jesus."] with whom she had a son, Jordan, born in 1972.
In a 1975 ''People'' interview, Reddy admitted that her relationship with then-husband and manager Wald was volatile, with the couple having "huge, healthy fights", but that she owed her success (she was then the world's biggest-selling female vocalist for two consecutive years) to Wald: "He runs it all. Naturally, when the moment of performance comes I have to deliver – but everything else is him. It's not my career; it's our career."
By 2 January 1981, Reddy and Wald had separated and he had moved into a Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California. A notable and historic suburb of Greater Los Angeles, it is in a wealthy area immediately southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. ...
treatment facility to overcome an eight-year cocaine
Cocaine (from , from , ultimately from Quechua: ''kúka'') is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant mainly used recreationally for its euphoric effects. It is primarily obtained from the leaves of two Coca species native to South Ameri ...
addiction, a US$100,000-per-year habit (US$ in ). Reddy subsequently filed for divorce, yet withdrew her petition the day after filing it, stating: "After 13 years of marriage, a separation of one month is too short to make a decision." In 1982, after finding evidence of Wald's continued substance abuse, Reddy again separated from him and initiated divorce proceedings, which this time went through in January 1983. They agreed to shared custody of their son Jordan, but later became embroiled in a court battle after both filed for sole custody. Her son later changed his surname to Sommers and became her assistant.
In June 1983, she married Milton Ruth, a drummer in her band; the couple divorced in 1995.[
]
Death
Reddy died at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital
In physics, motion is the phenomenon in which an object changes its position with respect to time. Motion is mathematically described in terms of displacement, distance, velocity, acceleration, speed and frame of reference to an observer and me ...
in Calabasas, CA on 29 September 2020, at the age of 78. She suffered from Addison's disease
Addison's disease, also known as primary adrenal insufficiency, is a rare long-term endocrine disorder characterized by inadequate production of the steroid hormones cortisol and aldosterone by the two outer layers of the cells of the adre ...
and dementia
Dementia is a disorder which manifests as a set of related symptoms, which usually surfaces when the brain is damaged by injury or disease. The symptoms involve progressive impairments in memory, thinking, and behavior, which negatively affe ...
in her later years. No cause of death was given.
Portrayals
A biographical film about Reddy titled ''I Am Woman
"I Am Woman" is a song written by Australian musicians Helen Reddy and Ray Burton. Performed by Reddy, the first recording of "I Am Woman" appeared on her debut album ''I Don't Know How to Love Him'', released in May 1971, and was heard durin ...
'' was released in 2019, in which Reddy is played by Tilda Cobham-Hervey
Tilda Cobham-Hervey (born 1994) is an Australian actress from Adelaide, South Australia, with a background in circus and physical theatre. In 2014 Cobham-Hervey made her film debut at the age of 19 in ''52 Tuesdays'', a critically acclaimed ind ...
.
Awards
American Music Awards
The American Music Awards
The American Music Awards (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show, generally held in the fall, created by Dick Clark in 1973 for ABC when the network's contract to air the Grammy Awards expired, and currently produced by Dick Clark Pro ...
(AMAs) is an annual American music awards show. They commenced in 1974. Reddy won one award from four nominations.
, -
, 1974
, Helen Reddy
, Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist
The American Music Awards for Favorite Female Artist – Pop/Rock has been awarded since 1974. Years reflect the year in which the awards were presented, for works released in the previous year (until 2003 onward when awards were handed out on Nove ...
,
, -
, 1975
It was also declared the ''International Women's Year'' by the United Nations and the European Architectural Heritage Year by the Council of Europe.
Events
January
* January 1 - Watergate scandal (United States): John N. Mitchell, H. R. ...
, Helen Reddy
, Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist
,
, -
, 1976
Events January
* January 3 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force.
* January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea.
* January 11 – The 1976 ...
, Helen Reddy
, Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist
,
, -
, 1977
Events January
* January 8 – Three bombs explode in Moscow within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group.
* January 10 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in eastern Zaire (now the Democrat ...
, Helen Reddy
, Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist
,
APRA Awards
The APRA Awards are presented annually from 1982 by the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA), "honouring composers and songwriters".
, -
, 2021
File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October 2021 coup in Sudan; Crowd shortly after t ...
, , Helen Reddy , , Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music , ,
ARIA Music Awards
The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. They commenced in 1987.
, -
, 2006
, Helen Reddy
, ARIA Hall of Fame
,
Australian Women in Music Awards
The Australian Women in Music Awards
Australian Women in Music Awards (commonly known informally as AWMA) is an annual awards ceremony and conference celebrating the contributions of women in all areas of the Australian music industry. The two-day program includes forums, a show ...
is an annual event that celebrates outstanding women in the Australian Music Industry
Australian(s) may refer to:
Australia
* Australia, a country
* Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia
** European Australians
** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists
** Aboriginal Au ...
who have made significant and lasting contributions in their chosen field. They commenced in 2018.
, -
, 2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the Unit ...
, Helen Reddy
, AWMA Honour Roll
,
Grammy Awards
The Grammy Awards is an award presented by the Recording Academy
The Recording Academy (formally the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences; abbreviated NARAS) is an American learned academy of musicians, producers, recording engineers, and other musical professionals. It is famous for its Grammy A ...
to recognise achievements in the music industry. They commenced in 1959. Reddy has won one award from two nominations.
, -
, 1973
Events January
* January 1 - The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark 1973 enlargement of the European Communities, enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union.
* January 15 – Vietnam War: ...
, "I Am Woman"
, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance was a Grammy Award recognizing superior vocal performance by a female in the pop category, the first of which was presented in 1959. It was discontinued after the 2011 Grammy season. The awar ...
,
, -
, 1976
Events January
* January 3 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force.
* January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea.
* January 11 – The 1976 ...
, "Ain't No Way to Treat a Lady"
, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
,
People's Choice Awards
The People's Choice Awards
The People's Choice Awards is an American awards show, recognizing people in entertainment, voted online by the general public and fans. The show has been held annually since 1975, with the winners originally determined using Gallup Polls until ...
is an American awards show, recognising people in entertainment, voted online by the general public and fans. The show has been held annually since 1975.
, -
, 1975
It was also declared the ''International Women's Year'' by the United Nations and the European Architectural Heritage Year by the Council of Europe.
Events
January
* January 1 - Watergate scandal (United States): John N. Mitchell, H. R. ...
, Helen Reddy
, Favorite Female Performer
,
, -
Recognition
In December 2020, Helen Reddy was listed at number 35 in Rolling Stone Australia's ''50 Greatest Australian Artists of All Time'' issue.50 Greatest Australian Artists of All Time – #35: Helen Reddy
Deborah Conway, ''Rolling Stone Australia'', 8 February 2021. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
Filmography
Film
Television
Discography
*''I Don't Know How to Love Him
"I Don't Know How to Love Him" is a song from the 1970 album and 1971 rock opera ''Jesus Christ Superstar'' written by Andrew Lloyd Webber (music) and Tim Rice (lyrics), a torch ballad sung by the character of Mary Magdalene. In the opera ...
'' (1971)
*'' Helen Reddy'' (1971)
*''I Am Woman
"I Am Woman" is a song written by Australian musicians Helen Reddy and Ray Burton. Performed by Reddy, the first recording of "I Am Woman" appeared on her debut album ''I Don't Know How to Love Him'', released in May 1971, and was heard durin ...
'' (1972)
*'' Long Hard Climb'' (1973)
*''Love Song for Jeffrey
''Love Song for Jeffrey'' is the fifth studio album by Australian-American pop singer Helen Reddy, released on March 25, 1974, by Capitol Records. The album focused on her family, giving special attention to those who had died within the past ...
'' (1974)
*'' Free and Easy'' (1974)
*'' No Way to Treat a Lady'' (1975)
*''Music, Music
''Music, Music'' is the eighth studio album by Australian-American pop singer Helen Reddy that was released in the summer of 1976 by Capitol Records and later described by J. Scott McClintock for AllMusic: "There are breezy, Bacharach-ian exc ...
'' (1976)
*'' Ear Candy'' (1977)
*''We'll Sing in the Sunshine
"We'll Sing in the Sunshine" is a 1964 hit song written and recorded by Gale Garnett which reached No. 2 in Canada, and No. 4 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart for the week ending 17 October 1964. It also enjoyed success on easy listening a ...
'' (1978)
*''Reddy
Reddy (also transliterated as ''Raddi'', ''Reddi'', ''Reddiar'', ''Reddappa'', ''Reddy'') is a caste that originated in India, predominantly settled in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. They are classified as a forward caste.
The origin of the ...
'' (1979)
*'' Take What You Find'' (1980)
*'' Play Me Out'' (1981)
*'' Imagination'' (1983)
*''Feel So Young
''Feel So Young'' is the fifteenth studio album by Australian American, Australian-American Pop music, pop singer Helen Reddy, released in 1990 by her own record label, Helen Reddy, Inc.. The album included new recordings of some of her hits ("A ...
'' (1990)
*'' Center Stage'' (1998)
*''The Best Christmas Ever'' (2000)
Books
*
Notes
References
External links
Official website
(archived)
*
*
Helen Reddy: Life Timeline and History
"I Am Woman"
– the 2009 addition to the National Film and Sound Archive's Sounds of Australia
The Sounds of Australia, formerly the National Registry of Recorded Sound, is the National Film and Sound Archive's selection of sound recordings which are deemed to have cultural, historical and aesthetic significance and relevance for Australi ...
registry
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Reddy, Helen
1941 births
2020 deaths
20th-century American actresses
20th-century American singers
20th-century American women singers
20th-century Australian actresses
20th-century Australian women singers
21st-century American singers
21st-century American women singers
21st-century Australian actresses
Actresses from Melbourne
American feminists
American film actresses
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APRA Award winners
ARIA Award winners
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Australian emigrants to the United States
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Australian film actresses
Australian people of English descent
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Australian women pop singers
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