Helen Maxine Reddy (25 October 194129 September 2020) was an Australian-American singer, actress, television host, and activist. Born in
Melbourne
Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...
to a show business 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
A bandstand (sometimes music kiosk) is a circular, semicircular or polygonal structure set in a park, garden, pier, or indoor space, designed to accommodate musical bands performing concerts. A simple construction, it both creates an ornamen ...
'' in 1966; her prize was a ticket to New York City and a record audition, which was unsuccessful. After a short and unsuccessful singing career in New York, she eventually moved 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), and simply known as Capitol, is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-base ...
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
"I Am Woman" is a song written by Australian musicians Helen Reddy and Ray Burton (musician), Ray Burton. Performed by Reddy, the first recording of "I Am Woman" appeared on her debut album ''I Don't Know How to Love Him (album), I Don't Know H ...
".
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 Award
The American Music Awards (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show produced by Dick Clark Productions since 1974. Nominees are selected on commercial performance such as sales and airplay. Winners are determined by a poll of the public and ...
s, 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" (1981) 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" with her half-sister,
Toni Lamond, for Lamond's birthday, Reddy decided to return to live performing.
Reddy's song "
I Am Woman
"I Am Woman" is a song written by Australian musicians Helen Reddy and Ray Burton (musician), Ray Burton. Performed by Reddy, the first recording of "I Am Woman" appeared on her debut album ''I Don't Know How to Love Him (album), I Don't Know H ...
" 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, ending with the feminist sex wars in the early 1980s and being replaced by third-wave feminism in the early 1990s. It occurred ...
. She came to be known as a "feminist poster girl" or a "feminist icon".
In 2011, ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'' named her the number-28 adult contemporary artist of all time (the number-9 woman). In 2013, the ''
Chicago Tribune
The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...
'' 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 language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...
. Her mother was Stella Campbell (née Lamond), an actress, singer and dancer; her father was Maxwell David 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 States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
and was best-known as a regular cast member on the television programs ''
Homicide
Homicide is an act in which a person causes the death of another person. A homicide requires only a Volition (psychology), volitional act, or an omission, that causes the death of another, and thus a homicide may result from Accident, accidenta ...
'' (1964), ''
Bellbird'' (1967) and ''
Country Town'' (1971). During Reddy's childhood, she was educated at
Tintern Grammar
Tintern Grammar (also known as Tintern) is an independent, Anglican day school for girls and boys located in Ringwood East, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Established in 1877 by Emma Bartlet Cook, Tintern has a non-selective enr ...
and later Stratherne Girls' School in Hawthorn for a short time (mostly to study drama). Her half-sister
Toni Lamond and her nephew
Tony Sheldon 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.
Patsy Reddy, a former New Zealand
governor-general
Governor-general (plural governors-general), or governor general (plural governors general), is the title of an official, most prominently associated with the British Empire. In the context of the governors-general and former British colonies, ...
, is a distant cousin.
Reddy was born during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. Her father was a
sergeant
Sergeant (Sgt) is a Military rank, rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and in other units that draw their heritage f ...
in the
Australian Army
The Australian Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of Australia. It is 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 ...
with a unit of entertainers, serving in
New Guinea
New Guinea (; Hiri Motu: ''Niu Gini''; , fossilized , also known as Papua or historically ) is the List of islands by area, world's second-largest island, with an area of . Located in Melanesia in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, the island is ...
with one of his actor friends,
Peter Finch, at the time of Reddy's birth. Her father returned to service during the
Korean War
The Korean War (25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953) was an armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula fought between North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea; DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea; ROK) and their allies. North Korea was s ...
.
At age four, Reddy joined her parents on the Australian
vaudeville
Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment which began in France in the middle of the 19th century. A ''vaudeville'' was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a drama ...
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
A bandstand (sometimes music kiosk) is a circular, semicircular or polygonal structure set in a park, garden, pier, or indoor space, designed to accommodate musical bands performing concerts. A simple construction, it both creates an ornamen ...
'', the prize ostensibly being a trip to New York City 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. Mercury Records released ...
. 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 (New York), city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States. With a population of 148,620 and a Syracuse metropolitan area, metropolitan area of 662,057, it is the fifth-most populated city and 13 ...
—"
ere were like twelve people in the audience"—as being typical of her early US performing career. Her lack of a
work permit
A work permit or work visa is the permission to take a job within a foreign country. The foreign country where someone seeks to obtain a work permit for is also known as the "country of work", as opposed to the "country of origin" where someone ho ...
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
A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the 15th century. Originally a phrase (the common-wealth ...
countries. In 1968,
Martin St James, an Australian
stage hypnotist 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
The William Morris Agency (WMA) was a Hollywood-based talent agency. It represented some of the best-known 20th-century entertainers in film, television, and music. During its 109-year tenure it came to be regarded as the "first great talent ...
who crashed the party.
Reddy told ''
People
The term "the people" refers to the public or Common people, common mass of people of a polity. As such it is a concept of human rights law, international law as well as constitutional law, particularly used for claims of popular sovereignty. I ...
'' in 1975, "
alddidn'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, or simply the Village, is a neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City, bounded by 14th Street (Manhattan), 14th Street to the north, Broadway (Manhattan), Broadway to the east, Houston Street to the s ...
.
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, with a particular emphasis on New York City.
Founded by Clay Felker and Milton Glaser in 1968 as a competitor to ''The New Yorker'' a ...
'', 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
Spaghetti () is a long, thin, solid, cylindrical pasta.[spaghetti](_blank)
Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Una ...
, and we spent what little money we had on cockroach spray."
They left New York City for Chicago, 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, 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. Mercury Records released ...
.
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), and simply known as Capitol, is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-base ...
, 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 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
"I Am Woman" is a song written by Australian musicians Helen Reddy and Ray Burton (musician), Ray Burton. Performed by Reddy, the first recording of "I Am Woman" appeared on her debut album ''I Don't Know How to Love Him (album), I Don't Know H ...
" 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
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 ...
. 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 US charts. In 2025, the Library of Congress selected "I Am Woman" for inclusion as a single in the National Recording Registry.
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
The feminist movement, also known as the women's movement, refers to a series of social movements and political campaigns for radical and liberal reforms on women's issues created by inequality between men and women. Such issues are women's ...
, 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 US 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. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...
ballad "
Delta Dawn" (number one),
Linda Laurie's "
Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)" (number three), Danny Janssen & Bobby Hart's "
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
Alan Earle O'Day (October 3, 1940 – May 17, 2013) was an American singer-songwriter, best known for writing and singing "Undercover Angel (song), Undercover Angel," a million-selling Gold-certified American No. 1 hit in 1977. He also wrote son ...
's "
Angie Baby" (number one),
Véronique Sanson and
Patti Dahlstrom's "
Emotion
Emotions are physical and mental states brought on by neurophysiology, neurophysiological changes, variously associated with thoughts, feelings, behavior, behavioral responses, and a degree of pleasure or suffering, displeasure. There is ...
" (number 22),
Harriet Schock's "
Ain't No Way to Treat a Lady" (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 UK top-40 hit.
On 23 July 1974, Reddy received a star, located at 1750 Vine Street, on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a landmark which consists of 2,813 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in the Hollywood, Los Angeles, Hollywood dist ...
for her work in the music industry.
In August–September 1974, Reddy, along with
Rolf Harris
Rolf Harris (30 March 1930 – 10 May 2023) was an Australian musician, television personality, painter, and actor. He used a variety of instruments in his performances, notably the didgeridoo and the Stylophone, and is credited with the inventi ...
and many other entertainers and performers, to perform at
Expo '74 in
Spokane, Washington
Spokane ( ) is the most populous city in eastern Washington and the county seat of Spokane County, Washington, United States. It lies along the Spokane River, adjacent to the Selkirk Mountains, and west of the Rocky Mountain foothills, south o ...
. On Tuesday 24 September Australia held a "national day", with Reddy singing the
national anthem
A national anthem is a patriotic musical composition symbolizing and evoking eulogies of the history and traditions of a country or nation. The majority of national anthems are marches or hymns in style. American, Central Asian, and European ...
.
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 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 city limits ...
. Among her opening acts were
Joan Rivers
Joan Alexandra Molinsky (June 8, 1933 – September 4, 2014), known professionally as Joan Rivers, was an American comedienne, actress, producer, writer and television host. She was noted for her blunt, often controversial comedic persona that w ...
,
David Letterman
David Michael Letterman (born April 12, 1947) is an American television host, comedian, writer, producer, and auto racing team owner. He hosted late-night television talk shows for 33 years, beginning with the February 1, 1982, debut of ''Late N ...
,
Bill Cosby
William Henry Cosby Jr. ( ; born July 12, 1937) is an American retired comedian, actor, and media personality. Often cited as a trailblazer for African Americans in the entertainment industry, Cosby was a film, television, and stand-up comedy ...
and
Barry Manilow. In 1976, Reddy recorded
the Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...
' 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 and Australian singer and actress. With over 100 million records sold, Newton-John was one of the List of best-selling music artists#100 million to 119 million record ...
, encouraging her to move from England to the United States in the early 1970s, giving her professional opportunities that did not exist in the UK. At a dinner party at Reddy's house, Newton-John met producer
Allan Carr, who offered her 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), Billboard'' magazine and lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary music, adult contemporary radio stations in the United States. The chart is compiled based on ...
, 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" 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
Helen Maxine Reddy (25 October 194129 September 2020) was an Australian-American singer, actress, television host, and activist. Born in Melbourne to a show business family, Reddy started her career as an entertainer at age four. She sang on ra ...
''.
In 1978, Reddy sang as a backup singer on
Gene Simmons
Gene Simmons (born Chaim Witz; ; born August 25, 1949) also known by his stage persona "The Demon", is an Israeli-born American musician. He was the bassist and co-lead singer of the hard rock band Kiss (band), Kiss, which he co-founded wit ...
'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
The London Palladium () is a Grade II* West End theatre located on Argyll Street, London, in Soho. The theatre was designed by Frank Matcham and opened in 1910. The auditorium holds 2,286 people. Hundreds of stars have played there, many wit ...
.
Of Reddy's eight subsequent single releases on Capitol, five reached the Easy Listening top 50 – including "
Candle on the Water", 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, which gave Reddy a lone R&B chart ranking at number 59. Reddy also made it to number 98 on the
Country chart 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, she said: "I signed
ith Capitolten 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. established in 1972, though MCA had released recordings under that name in the UK from the 1960s. The label achieved success in the 1970s through the 1980s, often by acquiring other ...
, which she said had "made me a deal we
eddy and Waldcouldn't refuse"; "we shopped around and felt the most enthusiasm at MCA".
Reddy's new label affiliation would result in only one minor success; her remake of
Becky Hobbs'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"). Her 14 November 1981 ''
Top of the Pops
''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British record chart television programme, made by the BBC and broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show. For most of its histo ...
'' 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 of sensations, feelings and thoughts informing oneself. These experiences can be re-creations of past experiences, such as vivid memories with imagined changes, or completely invented and possibly fantastic scenes ...
'', 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 she 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 her 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 which 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 label.
2002–2010: Retirement

Reddy announced her retirement from performing in 2002, giving her farewell performance with the
Edmonton Symphony Orchestra
The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra (ESO) is a Canadian orchestra based in Edmonton, Alberta. As the professional orchestra of Alberta's creative capital city it presents over 85 concerts a year of symphonic music in all genres, from classical to co ...
. The same year, she moved from her longtime residence in
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica (; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Santa Mónica'') is a city in Los Angeles County, California, Los Angeles County, situated along Santa Monica Bay on California's South Coast (California), South Coast. Santa Monica's 2020 United Sta ...
, back to her native Australia to spend time with her family, living first on
Norfolk Island
Norfolk Island ( , ; ) is an States and territories of Australia, external territory of Australia located in the Pacific Ocean between New Zealand and New Caledonia, directly east of Australia's Evans Head, New South Wales, Evans Head and a ...
before taking up residence in
Sydney
Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
.
Reddy also earned a degree in clinical
hypnotherapy and
neuro-linguistic programming
Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) is a Pseudoscience, pseudoscientific approach to communication, personal development, and psychotherapy that first appeared in Richard Bandler and John Grinder's book ''The Structure of Magic I'' (1975). NLP ...
. She was a practising 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 Records (Australia), Festival, Sony Music ...
(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 Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...
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 ...
entinga 13th-floor apartment with a 180° view of
Sydney Harbour
Port Jackson, commonly known as Sydney Harbour, is a ria, natural harbour on the east coast of Australia, around which Sydney was built. It consists of the waters of Sydney Harbour, Middle Harbour, North Harbour and the Lane Cove River, Lane ...
".
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 was not sure if she would be able to sing some of her hits. She also said that she had simply lost interest in performing, saying that "I have very wide-ranging interests".
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", "
You and Me Against the World", a medley of "
Delta Dawn"/"Ain't No Way to Treat a Lady", and "
I Am Woman
"I Am Woman" is a song written by Australian musicians Helen Reddy and Ray Burton (musician), Ray Burton. Performed by Reddy, the first recording of "I Am Woman" appeared on her debut album ''I Don't Know How to Love Him (album), I Don't Know H ...
", 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 brought out 750,000 people. Reddy was introduced by actress
Jamie Lee Curtis
Jamie Lee Curtis (born November 22, 1958) is an American actress, producer, and children's author. Known for List of Jamie Lee Curtis performances, her performances in the horror and slasher film, slasher genres, she is regarded as a scream qu ...
and sang an ''
a cappella
Music performed a cappella ( , , ; ), less commonly spelled acapella in English, is music performed by a singer or a singing group without instrumental accompaniment. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differentiate between Rena ...
'' version of "I Am Woman".
In August 2015, unnamed sources revealed that Reddy was diagnosed with
dementia
Dementia is a syndrome associated with many neurodegenerative diseases, characterized by a general decline in cognitive abilities that affects a person's ability to perform activities of daily living, everyday activities. This typically invo ...
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
''The Carol Burnett Show'' is an American variety/sketch comedy television show that originally ran on CBS from September 11, 1967, to March 29, 1978, for 279 episodes, and again with nine episodes in fall 1991. It starred Carol Burnett, Harv ...
'' and ''
The Muppet Show
''The Muppet Show'' is a variety sketch comedy television series created by Jim Henson and starring the Muppets. It is presented as a variety show, featuring recurring sketches and musical numbers interspersed with ongoing plot-lines with ru ...
'' – 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 and
the Pointer Sisters. She 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, voice actor, and entrepreneur. A pioneer of the Golden age of American animation, American animation industry, he introduced several develop ...
's ''
Pete's Dragon'', introducing the
Oscar
Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to:
People and fictional and mythical characters
* Oscar (given name), including lists of people and fictional characters named Oscar, Óscar or Oskar
* Oscar (footballer, born 1954), Brazilian footballer ...
-nominated song "
Candle on the Water" 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'' (1978). 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
Lake Tahoe (; Washo language, Washo: ''dáʔaw'') is a Fresh water, freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada of the Western United States, straddling the border between California and Nevada. Lying at above sea level, Lake Tahoe is the largest a ...
, but the project was abandoned. She was an occasional television guest star as an actress, appearing on the television programs '' The Love Boat'', '' Fantasy Island'', '' 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
''Family Guy'' is an American animated sitcom created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series premiered on January 31, 1999, following Super Bowl XXXIII, with the rest of the first season airing from April 11, 1999. Th ...
'' television show's ''Star Wars
''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera media franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and Cultural impact of Star Wars, quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop cu ...
'' parody, " Blue Harvest". 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, Californian 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 (United States), Democratic P ...
appointed Reddy to the nine-member commission overseeing the California Department of Parks and Recreation. 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, former New Zealand governor-general Patsy Reddy, is descended from their mutual New Zealand forebear.
Reddy was an enthusiastic genealogist
Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their Lineage (anthropology), lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family ...
; 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. She was asked in an interview whether her name had any connection to the Reddy
Reddy (also Hunterian transliteration, transliterated as Reddi or Raddi; also known as Reddiar or Reddappa) is a Telugu people, Telugu Hindu Caste system in India, caste predominantly found in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in Sou ...
caste
A caste is a Essentialism, fixed social group into which an individual is born within a particular system of social stratification: a caste system. Within such a system, individuals are expected to marry exclusively within the same caste (en ...
from India. 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, Reddy 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 the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...
.[ She converted to Judaism 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.
A tribute on the back cover of her 1974 album Love Song for Jeffrey reads: "In memory of my mother, Stella Lamond Reddy, July 1973, my father, Max Reddy, September 1973, and my beloved aunt, Helen Reddy Sr., January 1974."
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, United States. A notable and historic suburb of Los Angeles, it is located just southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Beverly Hil ...
treatment facility to overcome an eight-year cocaine
Cocaine is a tropane alkaloid and central nervous system stimulant, derived primarily from the leaves of two South American coca plants, ''Erythroxylum coca'' and ''Erythroxylum novogranatense, E. novogranatense'', which are cultivated a ...
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 Los Angeles on 29 September 2020, at the age of 78. She suffered from Addison's disease and dementia
Dementia is a syndrome associated with many neurodegenerative diseases, characterized by a general decline in cognitive abilities that affects a person's ability to perform activities of daily living, everyday activities. This typically invo ...
in her later years. No cause of death was given.
Reddy's second husband and former manager, Jeff Wald, died on November 12, 2021, at the age of 77.
Portrayals
A biographical film about Reddy titled ''I Am Woman
"I Am Woman" is a song written by Australian musicians Helen Reddy and Ray Burton (musician), Ray Burton. Performed by Reddy, the first recording of "I Am Woman" appeared on her debut album ''I Don't Know How to Love Him (album), I Don't Know H ...
'' was released in 2019, in which Reddy is played by Tilda Cobham-Hervey.
Awards
American Music Awards
The American Music Awards
The American Music Awards (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show produced by Dick Clark Productions since 1974. Nominees are selected on commercial performance such as sales and airplay. Winners are determined by a poll of the public and ...
(AMAs) is an annual American music awards show that commenced in 1974. Reddy won one award from four nominations.
, -
, 1974
, 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
Events January
* January 2 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force.
* January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea.
* January 18 – Full diplomatic ...
, Helen Reddy
, Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist
,
, -
, 1977
Events January
* January 8 – 1977 Moscow bombings, Three bombs explode in Moscow within 37 minutes, killing seven. The bombings are attributed to an Armenian separatist group.
* January 10 – Mount Nyiragongo erupts in eastern Zaire (no ...
, Helen Reddy
, Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist
,
APRA Awards
The APRA Awards are presented annually from 1982 by the Australasian Performing Right Association
APRA AMCOS consists of Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) and Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS), both copyright management organisations or copyright collectives which jointly represent over 100,000 songwri ...
(APRA), "honouring composers and songwriters".
, -
, 2021
Like the year 2020, 2021 was also heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the emergence of multiple Variants of SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 variants. The major global rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, which began at the end of 2020, continued ...
, , 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 since 1987 that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music.
, -
, 2006
, Helen Reddy
, ARIA Hall of Fame
,
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. It commenced in 2018.
, -
, 2018
Events January
* January 1 – Bulgaria takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, after the Estonian presidency.
* January 4 – SPLM-IO rebels loyal to Chan Garang Lual start a raid against Juba, capital of ...
, Helen Reddy
, AWMA Honour Roll
,
Grammy Awards
The Grammy Awards
The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...
is an award presented annually by the Recording Academy
National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Inc. (NARAS), doing business as The Recording Academy, is an American Learned society, learned academy of musicians, producers, recording engineers, and other musical professionals. It is widely kno ...
since 1959 to recognise achievements in the music industry
The music industry are individuals and organizations that earn money by Songwriter, writing songs and musical compositions, creating and selling Sound recording and reproduction, recorded music and sheet music, presenting live music, concerts, ...
. Reddy has won one award from two nominations.
, -
, 1973
Events January
* January 1 – The United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland and Denmark 1973 enlargement of the European Communities, enter the European Economic Community, which later becomes the European Union.
* January 14 - The 16-0 19 ...
, "I Am Woman"
, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance
,
, -
, 1976
Events January
* January 2 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force.
* January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea.
* January 18 – Full diplomatic ...
, "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 fans and general public. The show has been held annually since 1975, with the winners originally determined using Gallup Polls un ...
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, 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
Helen Maxine Reddy (25 October 194129 September 2020) was an Australian-American singer, actress, television host, and activist. Born in Melbourne to a show business family, Reddy started her career as an entertainer at age four. She sang on ra ...
'' (1971)
*''I Am Woman
"I Am Woman" is a song written by Australian musicians Helen Reddy and Ray Burton (musician), Ray Burton. Performed by Reddy, the first recording of "I Am Woman" appeared on her debut album ''I Don't Know How to Love Him (album), I Don't Know H ...
'' (1972)
*'' Long Hard Climb'' (1973)
*'' Love Song for Jeffrey'' (1974)
*'' Free and Easy'' (1974)
*'' No Way to Treat a Lady'' (1975)
*'' Music, Music'' (1976)
*'' Ear Candy'' (1977)
*'' We'll Sing in the Sunshine'' (1978)
*''Reddy
Reddy (also Hunterian transliteration, transliterated as Reddi or Raddi; also known as Reddiar or Reddappa) is a Telugu people, Telugu Hindu Caste system in India, caste predominantly found in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in Sou ...
'' (1979)
*'' Take What You Find'' (1980)
*'' Play Me Out'' (1981)
*''Imagination
Imagination is the production of sensations, feelings and thoughts informing oneself. These experiences can be re-creations of past experiences, such as vivid memories with imagined changes, or completely invented and possibly fantastic scenes ...
'' (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
The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia (NFSA), known as ScreenSound Australia from 1999 to 2004, is Australia's audiovisual archive, responsible for developing, preserving, maintaining, promoting, and providing access to a national c ...
's Sounds of Australia registry
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Reddy, Helen
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