It was the summer of 1973 when Helen Reddy’s song Delta Dawn played endlessly on the radio. I remember hearing it on my grandmother’s transistor radio (the predecessor to you young uns’ iPod/phone) that she carried around in her dress pocket while she cooked and cleaned. So when I heard Helen Reddy died, I have to admit I felt a little nostalgic. (1)
Helen Reddy’s Anthem For Women’s Lib
Ms. Reddy was 78-years-old when she passed away on September 29, 2020 in Los Angeles. While I remember Delta Dawn the most, her far more popular hit, I Am Woman made her famous. The 1971 hit topped the Billboard Hot 100 list but more importantly reflected the plight of women around the world. The impact of her lyrics, “‘Cause I’ve heard it all before, and I’ve been down there on the floor, no one’s ever gonna keep me down again” remain very poignant in light of the MeToo movement. (1)
Helen Reddy’s Grammy Speech
Australia-born, she won her first Grammy in 1972 while being the top-selling female singer in the world for 1973 and 1974. Perhaps even more memorable than her Grammy-winning song, was her acceptance speech. ″I would like to thank God because she makes everything possible.” Now that’s commitment to her brand. (1,2)
The Women’s Rights Movement
As the 60’s went out with what seemed like a sputter, the 70s brought on new focuses for human rights. At the height of the women’s rights movement, I know my aunt attending university at the time supported women’s lib. Of course, it was early days then. So while younger educated women held good jobs, most ended up becoming a happy mom and housewife eventually. (1)
Helen Reddy As Wife And Mom
Despite her support of the women’s movement, Ms. Reddy was still a committed wife and mother. ″She was a wonderful Mother, Grandmother and a truly formidable woman,” says her children Traci Donat and Jordan Sommers on her fan page. “Our hearts are broken. But we take comfort in the knowledge that her voice will live on forever. ″ (1)
Her ex-husband also posted about her death on his Instagram page. “It took a while but we managed to become friends again after the divorce,” he says. “We had many ups and downs, but more ups than downs.”(3)
Helen Reddy’s Successful Career
Alongside I Am Woman and Delta Dawn I remember listening to Angie Baby, and Ain’t No Way to Treat a Lady throughout my childhood. She also had a short-lived variety show, The Helen Reddy Show, in June 1973. Variety shows were another big childhood memory, although I don’t remember ever watching hers. Sorry Helen! (1)
One fact I was not aware of was that she acted too, earning a Golden Globe nomination for Most Promising Female Newcomer in 1975 for her role as Sister Ruth in Airport ’75. She also made guest appearances on popular, cheesy TV shows from my childhood including The Love Boat, The Jeffersons, and Fantasy Island. More recently she voiced a character on Family Guy. (1)
Helen Reddy’s Biopic
Ms. Reddy’s impact is not forgotten with her story depicted in a recent biopic aptly titled, I Am Woman. Her story is an impressive one considering the time, outlining how she overcame the challenges of single motherhood in the gritty New York City of the 70s. She also managed to become a hit as a female solo artist, making Billboard’s list of most successful singles acts of the 1970s. (1)
″I will forever be grateful to Helen for teaching me so much about being an artist, a woman and a mother,” says the movie’s director, Unjoo Moon. “She paved the way for so many and the lyrics that she wrote for ‘I Am Woman’ changed my life forever like they have done for so many other people and will continue to do for generations to come.” (1)
While I was probably too young to feel the impact of her lyrics, she was the soundtrack to many a fond memory from my childhood.
