I Am Woman - The Recording Session

The Recording Session

Reddy told Sunday Magazine she remembered nothing of the second recording session and did not know which musicians played on the song. In fact, she had some of the best LA session musicians backing her:

• Mike Deasy, whose CV includes sessions with The Beach Boys, Elvis Presley, Barbra Streisand, The 5th Dimension and Frank Sinatra, played guitar.
• Jim Horn, legendary saxman, played with The Beatles and the Rolling Stones and who also played on The Righteous Brothers' "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'," was on woodwind and arranged the strings and horns.
• Jim Gordon, whose credits included The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds and John Lennon's "Imagine", was on drums. Jim was also the drummer in Derek and the Dominoes and a co-writer of "Layla".
• Michael Melvoin, who played with The Monkees, played piano.
• Leland Sklar, extraordinary bass player. Known for his brilliant work with James Taylor and numerous other major recording artists.
• Dick "Slide" Hyde, a veteran of sessions with Glen Campbell and Bread, played trombone.
• Don Menza, a longtime Buddy Rich band member, played sax.
• Kathy Deasy, whose credits included Johnny Rivers, Kenny Loggins and The Byrds, provided backup vocals.

The tracking session for "I Am Woman" was extremely difficult. Producer Jay Senter assembled the rhythm section at SunWest Studios for a 7 pm downbeat (start) but since he had planned on tracking without Helen, she was told to arrive until 9 pm. Reddy and Jeff Wald (her former husband) arrived thinking they were going to track when in fact Senter and the band had already recorded "I Am Woman" as well as "Don't Mess With A Woman". Wald and Reddy were furious in the control room and Senter was clearly not happy and voices were raised, however he did not quit the project. Helen put her voice on the track that Senter produced and she and Jeff left the studio since they only were interested in having this record quickly finished and released as a single by Capitol Records in conjunction with the film Stand and Be Counted. That release triggered a five-figured payment to Helen which at the time was sorely needed according to Wald.

Immediately after that guitarist Deasy played the riff on his 12 string electric guitar which became the signature sound for the song. Senter then asked friend and noted sax man, Jim Horn to write string and horn charts to be recorded the following week, while Senter went into the studio with Clydie King, Vanetta Fields and Shirley Matthews (the Blossoms) and layered the background vocals which when coupled with the horn's created a broad sound that left the original Reddy vocal seem thin and frail.

Mauri Lathower, the head of A&R, who brought Senter in to produce deflected Jeff Wald's pressure tactics and threats so Senter was able to complete what he believed to be a record having great social significance.