Gladys Knight

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3 Feb 2024

Gladys Knight

Gladys Maria Knight, born on May 28, 1944, is renowned as the "Empress of Soul." As an American singer, she has garnered acclaim for her remarkable career spanning the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Knight achieved significant success with her family group, Gladys Knight & the Pips, which consisted of her brother Merald "Bubba" Knight, and cousins William Guest and Edward Patten.

Throughout her career, Gladys Knight has amassed an impressive array of achievements. She is a ten-time Grammy Award-winner, recording numerous hits across various decades. Notably, she has recorded two number-one Billboard Hot 100 singles: "Midnight Train to Georgia" and "That's What Friends Are For," the latter performed with Dionne Warwick, Sir Elton John, and Stevie Wonder. Additionally, Knight has secured eleven number-one R&B singles and six number-one R&B albums.

Her contributions to music have not gone unnoticed. Gladys Knight has won seven Grammy Awards, four as a solo artist and three with the Pips. She holds esteemed positions in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Vocal Group Hall of Fame alongside The Pips. Two of her songs, "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" and "Midnight Train to Georgia," have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for their historical and artistic significance.

Knight's influence extends beyond her recordings. She recorded the theme song for the 1989 James Bond film "Licence to Kill." Rolling Stone magazine has recognized her vocal prowess, ranking her among the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. Additionally, Knight is a recipient of the National Medal of Arts and the Kennedy Center Honors, highlighting her significant contributions to American culture and music.

Gladys Knight was born in Atlanta to Merald Woodlow Knight Sr., a postal worker, and Sarah Elizabeth (née Woods). She has a sister named Brenda, one living brother named Merald "Bubba" Knight, Jr., and one deceased brother named David "Billy" Knight. At the age of eight, Gladys won Ted Mack's The Original Amateur Hour TV show contest on July 1, 1952.

The formation of Gladys Knight & the Pips began during Bubba's tenth birthday party when a record player malfunctioned, prompting Gladys, Bubba, Brenda, and their cousins Eleanor and William Guest to perform together. Encouraged by Gladys' mother Elizabeth Knight, they decided to form a group and settled on the name The Pips, inspired by the nickname of their cousin James "Pip" Woods. Brenda and Eleanor later left the group.

In 1961, the quintet released the single "Letter Full of Tears," which became another top-40 hit in early 1962. They released several singles on Fury Records before Langston George left the group in 1962. That same year, Gladys Knight left the group to start a family with her husband, musician Jimmy Newman.

Gladys Knight & the Pips signed with Motown Records in 1966, despite not having a "sure hit" at the time. Although initially considered a second-string act by the label, they achieved several major hit singles, including "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" (1967), later famously covered by Marvin Gaye, "Take Me in Your Arms and Love Me" (1967), "The Nitty Gritty" (1969), "Friendship Train" (1969), "If I Were Your Woman" (1970), "I Don't Want To Do Wrong" (1971), the Grammy Award–winning "Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)" (1972), and "Daddy Could Swear (I Declare)" (1973).

During their early years at Motown, Gladys Knight and the Pips toured as the opening act for Diana Ross and the Supremes. However, Knight stated in her memoirs that Ross kicked her off the tour because the audience's response to Knight's soulful performance overshadowed Ross. Berry Gordy later informed Knight that she was making it difficult for his act.

In 1973, the group left Motown for a better deal with Buddah Records and achieved even greater mainstream success with hits such as the Grammy-winning "Midnight Train to Georgia," "I've Got to Use My Imagination," "The Way We Were/Try To Remember," and "Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me." They also recorded the soundtrack to the film Claudine with producer Curtis Mayfield in 1974.

Gladys Knight & the Pips enjoyed particular success in Europe and the United Kingdom, with several of their Buddah singles becoming hits there years after their release in the US. For example, "Midnight Train to Georgia" reached the Top 5 of the UK singles chart in the summer of 1976, three years after its US success.

The group continued to have hits until the late 1970s, when they were forced to record separately due to legal issues. This led to Gladys Knight's first solo LP recordings—Miss Gladys Knight (1978) on Buddah and Gladys Knight (1979) on Columbia Records. After divorcing James Newman II in 1973, Knight married Barry Hankerson, and they had a son named Shanga Ali. Knight and Hankerson divorced after four years, engaging in a heated custody battle over Shanga Ali.

After signing with Columbia Records in 1980, Gladys Knight & the Pips returned to their familiar quartet lineup and began releasing new material. They collaborated with former Motown producers Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson for their first two albums: About Love (1980), which featured the hit "Landlord," and Touch (1981).

In 1983, Gladys Knight and the Pips achieved success once again with the hit "Save the Overtime (For Me)." Produced by Leon Sylvers III, the song adopted a soulful boogie style and reached number one on the R&B chart for a week in mid-1983. It marked the group's first number-one R&B hit since 1974. The accompanying music video was one of the earliest R&B videos to incorporate elements of hip-hop culture. The album "Visions" also included the R&B hit "You're Number One (In My Book)."

In 1987, Knight made the decision to pursue a solo career, and she and the Pips recorded their final LP together, "All Our Love" (1987), for MCA Records. The lead single, "Love Overboard," became a number-one R&B hit and earned another Grammy for the group. Following a successful 1988 tour, the Pips retired, and Knight embarked on her solo career.
Gladys Knight & the Pips received several honors, including induction into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 1989, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996, and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2001.