Helen Reddy, the Australian singer and activist best known for 1972’s “I Am Woman,” has died. Her children confirmed the news in a statement on Facebook. She was 78.
Reddy grew up in a show business family and began performing at a young age. Her recording career began in the late 1960s, and she found hits in the 1970s with “I Am Woman,” “Delta Dawn,” and “Angie Baby.” She also had a prominent acting career, starring in Pete’s Dragon and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. “I Am Woman” is credited as a second-wave feminist anthem. She actively campaigned for Democratic causes and worked with the California Department of Parks and Recreation.
“She was a wonderful Mother, Grandmother and a truly formidable woman,” the family’s statement reads. “Our hearts are broken. But we take comfort in the knowledge that her voice will live on forever.” Reddy was diagnosed with dementia in 2015 and was living in a Los Angeles nursing home. A biopic about Reddy’s life called I Am Woman that followed her career was released earlier this year.
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This article was originally published on Tuesday, September 29 at 10:07 p.m. Eastern. It was last updated at Wednesday, September 30 at 12:15 p.m. Eastern.