Helen Reddy

Date of Birth: October 25, 1941

Zodiac Sign: Scorpio

Date of Death: September 29, 2020

Biography

Helen Reddy was an Australian-American singer, actress, and activist who gained international fame in the 1970s. Best known for her hit song “I Am Woman,” which became an anthem for the feminist movement, Reddy’s career spanned several decades and included numerous chart-topping singles, albums, and performances in film and television. Born in Melbourne, Australia, Reddy was exposed to show business at an early age through her parents, who were both performers. She won a talent contest on the Australian television show “Bandstand” in 1966, which earned her a trip to New York City to audition for a recording contract. Despite initial setbacks, she persevered and eventually signed with Capitol Records. Reddy’s breakthrough came with her 1971 hit “I Don’t Know How to Love Him,” from the rock opera “Jesus Christ Superstar.” However, it was “I Am Woman” in 1972 that solidified her place in music history, earning her a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. She went on to achieve 15 Top 40 singles in the United States, including “Delta Dawn,” “Angie Baby,” and “Ain’t No Way to Treat a Lady.” In addition to her music career, Reddy appeared in several films and television shows, including “Airport 1975” and “Pete’s Dragon.” She was also an outspoken advocate for women’s rights and other social causes.

5 Interesting Facts about Helen Reddy

1. Helen Reddy was the first Australian to win a Grammy Award.

2. She was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1974.

3. Reddy was diagnosed with Addison’s disease in 1999 and lived with the condition for the rest of her life.

4. She retired from live performance in 2002 but made a brief comeback in 2012.

5. Helen Reddy’s song “I Am Woman” was added to the National Film and Sound Archive’s Sounds of Australia registry in 2009.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Helen Reddy

1. “I am woman, hear me roar, in numbers too big to ignore.”

2. “There is no magic person out there, no perfect human being who can make you whole.”

3. “I don’t think any of us can go back and change the way we were. We have to live with the way we are.”

4. “Success is very ephemeral. You depend entirely on the desire of others, which makes it difficult to relax.”

5. “Stop living in the past, and stop worrying about the future. Focus on the present moment and make it beautiful.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

At the peak of her career, Helen Reddy’s net worth was estimated to be around $3 million.

Children

Helen Reddy had two children: a daughter named Traci Wald Donat, born in 1963, from her first marriage to Kenneth Claude Weate, and a son named Jordan Sommers, born in 1972, from her second marriage to Jeff Wald.