Singer Helen Reddy, who became an icon of feminism with the 1972 song "I Am a Woman," died Tuesday in Los Angeles. She was 78 years old.
"It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our beloved mother Helen Reddy at noon on September 29, 2020 in Los Angeles. She was a wonderful mother, grandmother, and a truly wonderful woman. Our hearts are shattered. But we feel relieved when we know that her voice will last forever," said her daughter and son, Tracy and Jordan in a statement.
Her ex-husband and former manager, Jeff Wald, said, "I am sad to announce the death of my 18-year-old first wife and the mother of my oldest son, Traci & Jordan." "Tracy spent the morning with Helen and passed away soon after under the excellent care of Motion & Television Home."
"I Am Woman" was ranked # 1 in 1972 and was succeeded by other notable people such as Delta Dawn and "Angie Baby" in 1973 and 1974. Her other top 10 songs in the US included "Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)" "You and I are against the world" and "There is no way to deal with a lady." It last topped the American list with the 1976 movie "I Can't Hear You More".
Reddy retired for a decade before returning to performing in 2012. She explained her retirement by saying, “This was one reason I stopped singing, when she showed me a textbook on modern American history in high school, and an entire class on feminism - and it was my name. And my words are in the book, and I thought, "Well, I'm a part of history now. How do I excel at that? I can't get over it. “So,” she told CBS News, “It was an easy pull-out.”
In 2002, Reddy left the entertainment field to obtain a degree in clinical hypnotherapy. For the next decade, she lived under the radar in Sydney before returning to showcase her work in 2012.
It was reported in 2015 that Reddy was suffering from dementia and was receiving care at the Samuel Goldwyn Behavioral Health Center of the Film and TV Fund in Woodland Hills.
Her life story was turned into a feature film in 2019, "I am a woman". The film director / producer, Onjo Moon, released a statement Tuesday night stating, “When I first met Helen Reddy, she told me that I would be in her life for many years. What followed was an amazing seven-year friendship during which she entrusted me with telling her story in a movie celebrating her life and her talents. And her amazing legacy.I will be forever grateful to Helen for teaching me so much about being an artist, woman, and mom.
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