Helen Reddy, singer of ‘I Am Woman’, dies at 78



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Singer Helen Reddy, who became an emblem of feminism with the 1972 hit I’m a woman, died on Tuesday (September 29) in Los Angeles. She was 78 years old.

In a statement, her daughter and son, Traci and Jordan, said: “It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved mother, Helen Reddy, on the afternoon of September 29, 2020 in Los Angeles. She was a wonderful mother. “Grandmother and a truly formidable woman. Our hearts are shattered. But we are comforted to know that her voice will live forever.”

Her ex-husband and former manager, Jeff Wald, said: “I am very sad to announce that my first wife of 18 years and the mother of my two oldest, Traci & Jordan,” has died. “Traci spent the morning with Helen and shortly after she passed away under the excellent care of Motion & Television Home.”

I’m a woman reached No. 1 in 1972 and was superseded by more chart hits, Delta Dawn Y Angie baby, in 1973 and 1974.

His other top 10 hits in the United States included Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress), You and I against the world Y There is no way to treat a lady.

She topped the American chart for the last time with 1976 I can’t hear you anymore.

At the 1973 Grammys, accepting her award for female pop vocalist, Reddy further cemented her status as a symbol of the women’s liberation movement when she thanked “God that She makes everything possible.”

That same year, he hosted a network variety show, The Helen Reddy Show, for eight episodes, before proceeding to an acting career that included roles in Pete’s Dragon Y Airport 75.

Reddy retired for a decade before returning to acting in 2012.

She explained her retirement by saying, “That was one of the reasons I stopped singing, it was when they showed me a high school textbook of modern American history and a whole chapter on feminism, and my name and lyrics (were ) in the book.

“And I thought, ‘Well, now I’m part of the story. And how can I get over that? I can’t get over that. ‘ So, “he told CBS News,” it was an easy retirement. “

In 1974, Reddy, who was born in Melbourne, Australia, became a naturalized American citizen and became an activist supporting Democratic politicians.

She was appointed by California Governor Jerry Brown to the California Department of Parks and Recreation and served for three years.

In 2002, Reddy left the entertainment sphere to pursue a degree in clinical hypnotherapy.

For the next decade, he lived under the radar in Sydney before returning to show business in 2012.

“Singing Leave me alone 43 times per song it lost its charm a long time ago, “he said of his long withdrawal from public view.

Reddy grew up part of a show business family in Melbourne and eventually became a hero in her homeland by becoming the first Australian to win a Grammy.

Helen Reddy, 1941-2020Helen Reddy, 1941-2020In 2006, Reddy published a memoir, The woman i am.

It was reported in 2015 that Reddy suffered from dementia and was being treated at the Samuel Goldwyn Center for Behavioral Health of the Motion Picture and Television Fund in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles.

His life story was made into a 2019 feature film, I’m a woman.

The film’s director / producer, Unjoo Moon, released a statement Tuesday night saying, “When I met Helen Reddy, she told me that I would be in her life for many years. What followed was an incredible friendship. of seven years during which she trusted to tell me her story in a film that celebrates her life, her talents and her incredible legacy I will always be grateful to Helen for teaching me so much about being an artist, woman and mother.

“He paved the way for so many and the lyrics he wrote for ‘I’m a woman It changed my life forever, as it has for many other people and will continue to do so for generations to come, “continued Moon.

“She will always be a part of me and I will miss her greatly. On behalf of all of us who participated in the making of the film. I’m a woman, producer Rosemary Blight and I express our condolences to Helen’s family, especially her children Traci and Jordan, her granddaughter Lily and her ex-husband Jeff. “

“The idea of ​​its story over so many decades felt so relevant,” said the film’s cinematographer Dion Beebe. Variety earlier this month.

“We met her in 2016 at election time, where we were supposed to have our first female president, and that was not the case, as we soon discovered, but this idea of ​​a strong woman was relevant then and is relevant now.” – Reuters



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