Helen Reddy
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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 metro ...
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'' 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", reached number eight on the pop chart of the Canadian magazine '' RPM''. She was signed to
Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007) is an American record label distributed by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-based record label of not ...
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". 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 Awards, she won the award for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist. 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" 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 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, for Lamond's birthday, Reddy decided to return to live performing. Reddy's song " I Am Woman" 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 ar ...
'' 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 metro ...
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 Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mounta ...
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 the ...
'' (1971). During Reddy's childhood, she was educated partly at Tintern Grammar. Her half-sister Toni Lamond and her nephew
Tony Sheldon Tony Sheldon may refer to: * Tony Sheldon (actor) Tony Sheldon (born 12 September 1955) is an Australian actor/singer best known for his work in theatre; he is also a writer. Career Sheldon comes from one of Australia's leading theatrical fa ...
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, 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, 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 World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
. Her father was a
sergeant Sergeant ( abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other ...
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), who ...
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 Torres ...
at the time of Reddy's birth. Her father returned to service during the
Korean War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Korean War , partof = the Cold War and the Korean conflict , image = Korean War Montage 2.png , image_size = 300px , caption = Clockwise from top:{ ...
. 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 List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
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 ...
. 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 Syracuse ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States. It is the fifth-most populous city in the state of New York following New York City, Buffalo, Yonkers, and Rochester. At the 2020 census, the city' ...
—" 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 Martin St James (1934 – May 14, 2015) was an Australian stage hypnotist and entertainer. He grew up in the goldfields of Western Australia before joining a circus as a singing cowboy. He found success as a stage hypnotist in the 1960s an ...
, an Australian
stage hypnotist Stage hypnosis is hypnosis performed in front of an audience for the purposes of entertainment, usually in a theatre or club. A modern stage hypnosis performance typically delivers a comedic show rather than simply a demonstration to impress an au ...
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 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, "
ald ALD or Ald may refer to: Medicine, science and technology * Adrenoleukodystrophy, a disease linked to the X chromosome * Alcoholic liver disease * Aldolase or ALD, an enzyme occurring naturally in animals * Assistive listening device used to im ...
didn'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, 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 = List of sovereign states, Count ...
, where Wald landed a job as talent coordinator at Mister Kelly's. 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 Fontana Records is a record label that was started in the 1950s as a subsidiary of the Dutch Philips Records. The independent label distributor Fontana Distribution takes its name from the label. History Fontana started in the 1950s as a sub ...
, 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 ...
. 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 Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007) is an American record label distributed by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-based record label of not ...
, 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 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 usteither 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" 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" 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. Reddy is quoted in Fred Bronson'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'', 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. 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, 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'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, whi ...
ballad " Delta Dawn" (number one), Linda Laurie's " Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)" (number three), Austin Roberts' " Keep on Singing" (number 15), Paul Williams' " You and Me Against the World" (featuring daughter Traci reciting the spoken bookends) (number 9), Alan O'Day's "
Angie Baby "Angie Baby" is a song that was written by American singer-songwriter Alan O'Day, and became a hit for Australian singer Helen Reddy. The song reached #1 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart at the end of December 1974 and became one of Reddy' ...
" (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 Patti Dahlstrom is a singer, songwriter, and teacher. She recorded four albums in the 1970s and co-wrote the Helen Reddy hit "Emotion". Career One of five children, Dahlstrom was born in Houston, Texas. She began writing songs before her teen y ...
's "
Emotion Emotions are mental states brought on by neurophysiological changes, variously associated with thoughts, feelings, behavioral responses, and a degree of pleasure or displeasure. There is currently no scientific consensus on a definitio ...
" (number 22), Harriet Schock'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 became ...
" (number eight), and the Richard Kerr/ Will Jennings-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 cit ...
. 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 David Michael Letterman (born April 12, 1947) is an American television host, comedian, writer and producer. He hosted late night television talk shows for 33 years, beginning with the February 1, 1982 debut of ''Late Night with David Letterman' ...
, Bill Cosby, and
Barry Manilow Barry Manilow (born Barry Alan Pincus; June 17, 1943) is an American singer and songwriter with a career that spans seven decades. His hit recordings include " Could It Be Magic", " Somewhere Down the Road", " Mandy", " I Write the Songs", " C ...
. In 1976, Reddy recorded
the Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
' song " The Fool on the Hill" for the musical documentary '' All This and World War II''. 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 Awards, Grammy Award winner whose music career included 15 top-ten singles, including 5 number-one s ...
, 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, 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 The Adult Contemporary chart is published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine and lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary radio stations in the United States. The chart is compiled based on airplay data submitted to ''Billboard'' by sta ...
, scoring eight number-one hits there over a three-year span, from "Delta Dawn" in 1973 to " I Can't Hear You No More" 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 Gene Simmons (born Chaim Witz; he, חיים ויץ, ; born August 25, 1949) is an Israeli-American musician. Also known by his stage persona The Demon, he is the bassist and co-lead singer of Kiss, the hard rock band he co-founded with Paul ...
'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. Of Reddy's eight subsequent single releases on Capitol, five reached the Easy Listening top 50 – including "
Candle on the Water "Candle on the Water" is a torch song written by Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn for Walt Disney Pictures' 1977 live-action/animated film '' Pete's Dragon''. Originally recorded by Helen Reddy, who plays Nora in the film, the song was nominated for ...
", 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 ...
, 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 sa ...
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 Record chart, 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 ...
'' 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 Imagination is the production or simulation of novel objects, sensations, and ideas in the mind without any immediate input of the senses. Stefan Szczelkun characterises it as the forming of experiences in one's mind, which can be re-creations ...
'', 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'' 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; the track "Surrender"originating in '' Sunset Boulevard''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" for the album ''Keep Calm and Salute The Beatles'' on the
Purple Pyramid Purple Pyramid Records is a sub-label to Cleopatra Records that focuses on progressive rock and psychedelic music. The label began in 2000 with a series of releases by guitarist Allan Holdsworth, Jon Anderson, and Hawkwind co-founder Nik Turn ...
label.


2002–2010: Retirement

Reddy announced her retirement from performing in 2002, giving her farewell performance with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. 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 to ...
, back to her native Australia to spend time with her family, living first on
Norfolk Island Norfolk Island (, ; Norfuk: ''Norf'k Ailen'') is an external territory of Australia located in the Pacific Ocean between New Zealand and New Caledonia, directly east of Australia's Evans Head and about from Lord Howe Island. Together wit ...
before taking up residence in
Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mounta ...
. She also earned a degree in clinical
hypnotherapy 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 c ...
and
neurolinguistic programming Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) is a pseudoscientific approach to communication, personal development and psychotherapy, that first appeared in Richard Bandler and John Grinder's 1975 book ''The Structure of Magic I''. NLP claims that ther ...
. 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 replac ...
(ARIA)
Hall of Fame A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actual halls or muse ...
by actress singer, Toni Collette, who described her song, "I Am Woman", as "timeless". The song was performed by fellow Australian, Vanessa Amorosi. In April 2008, Reddy was reported to be living "simply and frugally off song royalties, pension funds, and social security...
enting Enting is both a surname and a given name. Notable people with the name include: * Ian G. Enting (born 1948), Australian mathematician *Xi Enting Xi Enting ( 3 January 1946 – 27 October 2019) was a male table tennis player from China. Xi wa ...
a 13th-floor apartment with a 180° view of
Sydney Harbour Port Jackson, consisting of the waters of Sydney Harbour, Middle Harbour, North Harbour and the Lane Cove River, Lane Cove and Parramatta River, Parramatta Rivers, is the ria or harbor, natural harbour of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. T ...
." 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 "Angie Baby" is a song that was written by American singer-songwriter Alan O'Day, and became a hit for Australian singer Helen Reddy. The song reached #1 on the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart at the end of December 1974 and became one of Reddy' ...
", " You and Me Against the World", a medley of " Delta Dawn"/"Ain't No Way to Treat a Lady", and " I Am Woman", reasoning on the latter that the audience "comes to hear" it. She said she refused to sing " Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)" 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 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 ...
brought out 750,000 people. Reddy was introduced by actress Jamie Lee Curtis and sang an ''
a cappella ''A cappella'' (, also , ; ) music is a performance by a singer or a singing group without instrumental accompaniment, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differentiate between Ren ...
'' 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'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'', 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 ...
'' – Reddy helmed the 1973 summer replacement series for ''The Flip Wilson Show'' (Reddy had become friends with Flip Wilson when she worked the Chicago club circuit early in her career); the series, ''The Helen Reddy Show'', provided early national exposure for
Albert Brooks Albert Brooks (born Albert Lawrence Einstein ; July 22, 1947) is an American actor and filmmaker. He received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for 1987's '' Broadcast News'' and was widely praised for his performance as a ...
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-nominated song "
Candle on the Water "Candle on the Water" is a torch song written by Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn for Walt Disney Pictures' 1977 live-action/animated film '' Pete's Dragon''. Originally recorded by Helen Reddy, who plays Nora in the film, the song was nominated for ...
" and the role of a nun in '' Airport 1975'', 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 ''Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'' is the eighth studio album by the English rock band the Beatles. Released on 26May 1967, ''Sgt. Pepper'' is regarded by musicologists as an early concept album that advanced the roles of sound composi ...
'' (1978), and she later played cameo roles in the films '' Disorderlies'' (1987) and '' The Perfect Host'' (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'', ''
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, Tatto ...
'', '' The Jeffersons'' (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'', '' Call Me Madam'', '' The Mystery of Edwin Drood'', and – both on Broadway and the West End – '' Blood Brothers''. She also appeared in four productions of the one-woman show '' Shirley Valentine''. Reddy's notable stage roles included: * '' Shirley Valentine'' – 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'' – as Mrs Sally Adams – Sacramento Music Circus (August 1986). * '' Anything Goes'' – 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 ''Star Wars'' is an American epic space opera multimedia franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has been expanded into various film ...
'' 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 Sept ...
". 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 S ...
appointed Reddy to the nine-member commission overseeing the
California Department of Parks and Recreation The California Department of Parks and Recreation, more commonly known as California State Parks, manages the California state parks system. The system administers 279 separate park units on 1.4 million acres (570,000 hectares), with over 28 ...
. 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, is descended from their mutual New Zealand forebear. Reddy was an enthusiastic genealogist; 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
caste Caste is a form of social stratification characterised by endogamy, hereditary transmission of a style of life which often includes an occupation, ritual status in a hierarchy, and customary social interaction and exclusion based on cultur ...
from
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...
. 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 ...
. 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 th ...
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 Am ...
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
Calabasas, CA Calabasas (from Spanish ''calabazas'' " gourds") is a city in the southwestern region of the San Fernando Valley, between the foothills of the Santa Monica and Santa Susanna mountains.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 adrena ...
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'' 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 (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show. They commenced in 1974. Reddy won one award from four nominations. , - ,
1974 Major events in 1974 include the aftermath of the 1973 oil crisis and the resignation of United States President Richard Nixon following the Watergate scandal. In the Middle East, the aftermath of the 1973 Yom Kippur War determined politics; ...
, Helen Reddy , Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist , , - ,
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 , Helen Reddy , Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist , , - , 1977 , 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 , , Helen Reddy , , Ted Albert Award for Outstanding Services to Australian Music , ,


ARIA Music Awards

The
ARIA Music Awards The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (commonly known informally as ARIA Music Awards, ARIA Awards, or simply the ARIAs) is an annual series of awards nights celebrating the Australian music industry, put on by the Austr ...
is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of
Australian music The music of Australia has an extensive history made of music societies. Indigenous Australian music forms a significant part of the unique heritage of a 40,000- to 60,000-year history which produced the iconic didgeridoo. Contemporary fusions ...
. They commenced in 1987. , - ,
2006 File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro votes to declare independence from Serbia; The 2006 ...
, Helen Reddy ,
ARIA Hall of Fame In music, an aria ( Italian: ; plural: ''arie'' , or ''arias'' in common usage, diminutive form arietta , plural ariette, or in English simply air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrumental or orchestral accompani ...
,


Australian Women in Music Awards

The Australian Women in Music Awards is an annual event that celebrates outstanding women in the Australian Music Industry 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 United ...
, Helen Reddy , AWMA Honour Roll ,


Grammy Awards

The
Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...
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 , "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 , "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'' (1971) *'' Helen Reddy'' (1971) *'' I Am Woman'' (1972) *''
Long Hard Climb ''Long Hard Climb'' is the fourth studio album by Australian-American pop singer Helen Reddy, released on July 23, 1973, by Capitol Records and, aside from its primary focus on Top 40-friendly material, had her trying out New Orleans jazz ("Lo ...
'' (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 ye ...
'' (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 excu ...
'' (1976) *'' Ear Candy'' (1977) *''We'll Sing in the Sunshine (album), We'll Sing in the Sunshine'' (1978) *''Reddy (album), Reddy'' (1979) *''Take What You Find'' (1980) *'' Play Me Out'' (1981) *''
Imagination Imagination is the production or simulation of novel objects, sensations, and ideas in the mind without any immediate input of the senses. Stefan Szczelkun characterises it as the forming of experiences in one's mind, which can be re-creations ...
'' (1983) *'' Feel So Young'' (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 registry * {{DEFAULTSORT:Reddy, Helen Helen Reddy, 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 American women pop singers APRA Award winners ARIA Award winners ARIA Hall of Fame inductees Australian emigrants to the United States Australian feminists Australian film actresses Australian people of English descent Australian people of Irish descent Australian people of Scottish descent Australian women pop singers California Democrats Capitol Records artists Converts to Judaism Feminist musicians Fontana Records artists Grammy Award winners Jewish American actresses Jewish American musicians Jewish feminists Jewish women singers MCA Records artists Naturalized citizens of the United States People with Addison's disease People with dementia Singers from Melbourne Varèse Sarabande artists