About Helen Wheels
Lived 1949 – 2000. Helen Wheels was an American songwriter, musician and singer.
Helen Wheels (born Helen Robbins; 6 May 1949 – 17 January 2000) was an American singer and songwriter. She was from a Jewish family. During the 1970s she was involved with punk in New York and got the name Helen Wheels from Handsome Dick Manitoba of The Dictators. She was lead singer of the Helen Wheels Band, and also wrote several lyrics for songs by Blue Öyster Cult. In 1981 she became a bodybuilder. Robert Crumb was a friend of hers and drew the album cover for her 1998 compilation album "Archetype". She died in 2000 at the age of 50, after developing an infection following back surgery.
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Important facts
People in Helen Wheels's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Related people
Same field, nearest in time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Helen Wheels's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Helen Wheels?
New York punk musician
When was Helen Wheels born?
Helen Wheels was born in 1949.
When did Helen Wheels die?
Helen Wheels died in 2000.
What was Helen Wheels's occupation?
Helen Wheels was a songwriter, musician and singer.
What nationality was Helen Wheels?
Helen Wheels was American.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: Helen Wheels (musician)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Helen Wheels. https://biography.guide/helen-wheels/
MLA: "Helen Wheels." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/helen-wheels/.
Chicago: "Helen Wheels." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/helen-wheels/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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