Helen Reddy

Helen Reddy (1941–2020), singer/songwriter, is best known for her anthem for women’s liberation, 'I am Woman', inspired by Australian feminist and rock journalist Lillian Roxon. Born in Melbourne, Reddy began performing on stage with her showbusiness parents at the age of four. After winning a talent contest on the television music show Bandstand she moved to the USA in 1966. Twenty-seven music labels rejected her before she signed with Capitol Records in 1970, but over the course of the decade she was to achieve fourteen US Top 40 singles including three number ones. When she won a Grammy for 'I am Woman' in 1973, she famously thanked God: 'Because She makes everything possible.' The following year she won an American Music Award. With more gold records at the time than any other female artist except Barbra Streisand, at the height of her fame Reddy headlined to sell-out crowds in Las Vegas, and was honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In the 1980s and 1990s Reddy had guest roles on television programs including The Love Boat and Fantasy Island, and performed in musicals such as Shirley Valentine. She retired from performance in 2002 and moved back to Australia, practising a clinical hypnotherapist. Reddy had a brief comeback tour from 2012 to 2014, performing at venues in Los Angeles, New York, Las Vegas and then around Australia. She performed 'I am Woman' for the last time at the 2017 Women's March in LA following the inauguration of Donald Trump, in front of 750,000 people.