Helen Reddy, best known for her 1972 anthem “I Am Woman,” died Tuesday afternoon in Los Angeles. She was 78.
The singer had been living at the Samuel Goldwyn Center, a nursing home in Los Angeles, following a 2015 diagnosis of dementia.
“She was a wonderful Mother, Grandmother and a truly formidable woman,” read a statement from her children Traci and Jordan, on Facebook. “Our hearts are broken. But we take comfort in the knowledge that her voice will live on forever.”
Reddy earned the Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female for “I Am Woman” in 1972 – making her the first Australian to win a Grammy – and a nomination in the same category in 1975 for “Ain't No Way To Treat A Lady.”
She had eight Top 10 hits in Canada, including “I Don’t Know How to Love Him,” “Delta Dawn,” “Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress),” “Keep on Singing” and “Angie Baby.” Canada also played an important role in Reddy’s early career – her inability to secure a U.S. visa meant frequent trips north for singing gigs (citizens of other Commonwealth countries did not need visas).
Reddy’s farewell performance in 2002 was with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, though she returned to the stage on several occasions.
Her music success led to roles in films like Airport 1975 and Pete’s Dragon as well as TV series The Love Boat and Diagnosis Murder. Reddy also lent her voice to episodes of Family Guy in 2007 and 2011. Her 2006 memoir was titled The Woman I Am.
The last of Reddy's three marriages ended in 1995. She had two children and is also survived by sister Toni Lamond.