Gladys Knight

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Biography

Gladys Maria Knight (born May 28, 1944), known as the "Empress of Soul", is an American singer-songwriter , actress , businesswoman , humanitarian , and author . She is best known for the hits she recorded during the 1960s and 1970s, for both the Motown and Buddah Records labels, with her group Gladys Knight & the Pips , the most famous incarnation of which also included her brother Merald "Bubba" Knight and her cousins Edward Patten and William Guest (singer)|William Guest .

Early life

Knight was born in Atlanta , Georgia (US state)|Georgia , the daughter of Sarah Elizabeth (née Woods) and Merald Woodlow Knight, Sr., a postal worker. She first achieved minor fame by winning Ted Mack (radio-TV host)|Ted Mack's Original Amateur Hour TV show contest at the age of 7 in 1952. The following year, she, her brother Merald, sister Brenda, and cousins William and Elenor Guest formed a musical group called The Pips (named after another cousin, James "Pip" Woods). By the end of the decade, the act had begun to tour, and had replaced Brenda Knight and Eleanor Guest with Gladys Knight's cousin Edward Patten and friend Langston George.

Success with The Pips

Gladys Knight & the Pips joined the Motown roster in 1966, and, although regarded as a second-string act, scored several hit singles, including " I Heard It Through the Grapevine ", (recorded later by Marvin Gaye ), "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). In their early Motown career Gladys Knight and the Pips toured as the opening act for Diana Ross and The Supremes. Gladys Knight stated in her memoirs that Miss Ross kicked her off the tour because the audience's reception to Knight's soulful performance overshadowed her. Berry Gordy later told Gladys that she was giving his act a hard time.Knight, Gladys. Between Each Line of Pain and Glory: My Life Story. Hyperion, New York, NY 1997, p. 179.

The act left Motown for a better deal with Buddah Records in 1973, and achieved full-fledged success that year with hits such as the Grammy-winning " Midnight Train to Georgia " (#1 on the pop and R& B chart), "I've Got to Use My Imagination," and " You're the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me ". In the summer of 1974, Knight and the Pips recorded the soundtrack to the successful film Claudine (film)|Claudine with producer Curtis Mayfield . The act was particularly successful in Europe, and especially the United Kingdom. However, a number of the Buddah Belly hits followed a number of years after their success in the US. For example "Midnight Train to Georgia" hit the UK pop charts Top 5 in the summer of 1976, a full three years after its success in the U.S.

During this period of greater recognition, Knight made her motion picture acting debut in the film Pipe Dreams (1976 film)|Pipe Dreams , a romantic drama set in Alaska. The film failed at the box-office, but Knight did receive a Golden Globe Best New Actress nomination.

Knight and the Pips continued to have hits until the late 1970s, when they were forced to record separately due to legal issues, resulting in Knight's first solo LP recordings-- Miss Gladys Knight (1978) on Buddah and Gladys Knight (1979) on Columbia Records . Having divorced James Newman II in 1973, Knight married Barry Hankerson (future uncle of R& B singer Aaliyah ), then Detroit mayor Coleman Young 's executive aide. Knight and Hankerson remained married for four years, during which time they had a son, Shanga Ali. Upon their divorce, Hankerson and Knight were embroiled in a heated custody battle over Shanga Ali.

In the early 1980s, Johnny Mathis invited Gladys to record two duets – "When A Child Is Born" (previously a hit for Mathis) and "The Lord's Prayer".

Signing with Columbia Records in 1980 and restored to its familiar quartet form, Gladys Knight & the Pips began releasing new material. The act enlisted former Motown producers Ashford & Simpson|Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson for their first two LPs-- About Love (1980) and Touch (1981). During this period, Knight kicked a gambling addiction to the game baccarat .

In 1987, Knight decided to pursue a solo career, and she and the Pips recorded their final LP together, All Our Love (1987), for MCA Records . Its lead single, "Love Overboard", was a successful hit and won a third Grammy for the act as well. After a successful 1988 tour, the Pips retired and Knight began her solo career. Gladys Knight & the Pips were inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 1989 and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.

Solo music career

While still with The Pips, Knight joined with Dionne Warwick , Stevie Wonder , and Elton John on the 1986 AIDS benefit single, "That's What Friends Are For" which won a Grammy for Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal. In 1989, Gladys Knight recorded the title track for the James Bond movie Licence to Kill , a top 10 hit both in the UK, reaching #6, and Germany.

Knight's third solo LP, Good Woman , was released by MCA in 1991. It rose to #1 on the R& B album chart and featured the #2 R& B hit "Men". The album also featured "Superwoman", written by Babyface (musician)|Babyface and featuring Dionne Warwick and Patti LaBelle . Knight and LaBelle would collaborate the same year on "I Don't Do Duets", a duet with Patti LaBelle from LaBelle's album '' Burnin' (Patti LaBelle album)|Burnin' .

Her fourth solo LP, Just for You , went RIAA certification|gold and was nominated for the 1995 Grammy Award for Best R& B Album .

In 1992 Vernon Ray Blue II, choir master of the year asked Gladys to record his first single "He Lifted Me"

Knight joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1997. She had occasionally teased President of the Church|LDS Church president , the late Gordon B. Hinckley , that his flock needs to inject some "pep" into their music.2006 September, Desert Saints Magazine Knight created and now directs the Mormon-themed choir Saints Unified Voices . SUV has released a Grammy Award-winning CD titled One Voice , and occasionally performs at LDS church fireside (LDS Church)|fireside s.

In 2005, a duet between Knight and Ray Charles of "You Were There" was released on Charles' duets album Genius & Friends .

In 2008, a duet between Knight and Johnny Mathis was released on Mathis' album A Night to Remember . Knight is ranked number eighteen on VH1 network's list of the 100 Greatest Women of Rock.

In the spring of 2008, Knight appeared alongside Chaka Khan, Patti Labelle and Diana Ross at the 'Divas with Heart' concert in aid of cardiac research, at New York's Radio City Hall.

In 2008 Gladys, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr. and Ben Stiller performed on American Idol to raise money for charity. In March 2010, Randy Jackson mentioned on a new episode of the same show that he is back in the studio with Gladys Knight working on a new album.

In 2009 Knight sang "His Eye Is On The Sparrow" and "The Lord's Prayer" at the funeral service for Michael Jackson .

On December 21, 2010, Knight released the single "Settle" on iTunes and Amazon.
In September 2011, a new, updated recording of I (Who Have Nothing) was released on iTunes and Amazon.

UK Farewell Tour

In October 2009, Gladys started her farewell tour of the United Kingdom which featured Tito Jackson as her supporting act and special appearances by Dionne Warwick.

Speaking ahead of the Manchester show, Jackson said: "The UK was a very special place to my brother Michael and I'm so excited to be able to pay my respect to his fans here. To be able to do this whilst supporting our dear friend Gladys is a complete blessing." On the October 9 concert, his mother Katherine Jackson and his brothers Jackie and Marlon were acknowledged in the audience.

The UK Farewell Tour featured higher production value than previous "Gladys Knight, a mic and a light" appearances by Gladys in the UK. A glossy program was available and the show featured pre-produced animation on large on-stage screens. The tour was promoted by an appearance on the TV program Later... with Jools Holland where Gladys performed " If I Were Your Woman (song)|If I Were Your Woman " and " Help Me Make It Through the Night ".

At select performances on the UK Farewell Tour recordings of the concerts were made available for sale on USB flash drives .

Acting and other work

Knight guest-starred on several television series throughout the 1980s and 1990s ,with roles on Benson (TV series)|Benson , The Jeffersons , A Different World (TV series)|A Different World , Living Single , The Jamie Foxx Show and New York Undercover . In 1985, she co-starred on the CBS sitcom Charlie & Co. with comedian Flip Wilson . It lasted for one season. In April 2009, she made a special guest appearance and performed a song on '' Tyler Perry's House of Payne . Knight has also made a number of television cameo appearances, including Las Vegas (TV series)|Las Vegas , and 30 Rock .

Knight's son Shanga owns a chain of chicken and waffles restaurants based in Atlanta, bearing her name. Gladys Knight & Ron Winans' Chicken & Waffles currently have three locations in the Atlanta area. One location was featured on the Travel Channel original series Man v. Food .Family Business – Gladys Knight co-owner of restaurant in Atlanta. Jet Dec 11, 2000

In 2009, Gladys was featured in Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself (film)|I Can Do Bad All By Myself and performed her song The Need To Be from the 1974 album I Feel a Song .

In 2008, she had a cameo in 30 Rock as the rest of the cast sang Midnight Train To Georgia .

Personal life

Knight has been married four times and has three children of her own. In 1960, Knight married her high school teacher, Jimmy Newman. Gladys gave birth to their son, Jimmy III, in 1962. She retired from the road to raise the child while The Pips toured on their own. After giving birth in 1963 to a daughter, Kenya, Knight returned to recording with the Pips in order to support her family. Newman and Knight divorced in 1973. She lived in Detroit neighborhood (Sherwood Forest), and her children attended Gesu Catholic Grade School. She married producer and Blackground Records founder, Barry Hankerson , who was the uncle of the late R& B singer Aaliyah , in 1974. They had one son, Shanga Hankerson, and divorced in 1981. She married motivational speaker Les Brown in 1995 but they separated and divorced in 1997. Also in 1997, she was baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , following her son and daughter. & ndash; Philly.com October 05, 1997 Knight married current husband, William McDowell, in 2001. They have sixteen grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Awards, honors and achievements

Grammy Award s

* 1986 Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal – "That's What Friends Are For" – Dionne Warwick , Elton John , Gladys Knight & Stevie Wonder .

* 2001 Best Traditional R& B Vocal Album – "At Last"

* 2004 Best Gospel Performance – "Heaven Help Us All" – Ray Charles & Gladys Knight.

* 2005 Best Gospel Choir Or Chorus Album – One Voice – Gladys Knight & The Saints Unified Voices.

Other awards

* 1992 Gladys Knight was awarded an Essence Award for Career Achievement.

* 1995 Gladys Knight was awarded a on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles.

* 1997: Gladys Knight received the Pinnacle Award during 5th Annual Trumpet Awards presentation in Atlanta, Georgia.

* 2005: Gladys Knight received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Black Entertainment Television|BET cable network.

* 2006: Gladys Knight received a Legendary Award from the Las Vegas Music Awards .

* 2007: Gladys Knight received Image Award for Outstanding Jazz Artist during The 38th NAACP Image Awards.

* 2007: Gladys Knight was declared the "Empress of Soul" and presented with the 16th Annual Ella Award by the Society of Singers

* 2008: Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder were presented with the Best Living Legend Award at the 1st Annual The Black Entertainment Television|BET Honors.

* 2008: Gladys Knight received the Lifetime Diva Award at the Stardust Music Awards in March.

* 2008: Gladys Knight was honored by The National Black Arts Festival and The Coca Cola Company at the 2008 Legends Celebration.

* 2009: Gladys Knight was inducted into the Hit Parade Hall of Fame.

Solo discography

Studio albums

Year	Album	url=Allmusic				url=http:/ / www.riaa.com/ goldandplatinumdata.php? table=SEARCH_RESULTS& artist=%22KNIGHT,%20GLADYS%22& format=Album& go=Search& perPage=25	Record label
Year	Album	US	US R& B	US Gospel	US Jazz		Record label
1978	Miss Gladys Knight	& mdash;	57	& mdash;	& mdash;	& mdash;	Buddah Records
1979	Gladys Knight	201	71	& mdash;	& mdash;	& mdash;	Columbia Records
1991	Good Woman	45	1	& mdash;	& mdash;	& mdash;	MCA Records
1994	Just for You	53	6	& mdash;	& mdash;	Gold
1998	Many Different Roads	& mdash;	& mdash;	21	& mdash;	& mdash;
2001	At Last	98	30	& mdash;	& mdash;	& mdash;
2005	One Voice (with Saints Unified Voices )	& mdash;	95	2	& mdash;	& mdash;	Many Roads
2006	A Christmas Celebration (with Saints Unified Voices)	155	59	1	& mdash;	& mdash;	Many Roads
2006	Before Me	93	18	& mdash;	4	& mdash;	Verve Records
"—" denotes the album failed to chart

Singles

Year	Single	url=Allmusic
Year	Single	US	US R& B	US A/ C	UK
1978	"I'm Coming Home Again"	& mdash;	54	& mdash;	& mdash;
1979	"Am I Too Late"	& mdash;	45	& mdash;	& mdash;
1981	" When a Child Is Born " (with Johnny Mathis )	& mdash;	& mdash;	& mdash;	74
1985	" That's What Friends Are For " (with Dionne Warwick , Elton John & Stevie Wonder )	1	1	1	16
1986	"Loving on Borrowed Time (Love Theme from Cobra (1986 film)	& mdash;	& mdash;	16	& mdash;
1989	" License to Kill (song)	& mdash;	69	18	6
1990	"If I Knew Then What I Know Now" (with Kenny Rogers )	& mdash;	& mdash;	10	& mdash;
1991	"Men"	& mdash;	2	& mdash;	& mdash;
	" Superwoman (Karyn White song)	& mdash;	19	& mdash;	& mdash;
	"Meet Me in the Middle"	& mdash;	78	& mdash;	& mdash;
1992	"Where Would I Be"	& mdash;	66	& mdash;	& mdash;
1994	"I Don't Want to Know"	113	32	& mdash;	& mdash;
1994	" End of the Road	& mdash;	76	& mdash;	& mdash;
1995	"Next Time"	& mdash;	30	& mdash;	& mdash;
1996	" Missing You (1996 song)	25	10	30	& mdash;
2010	"Settle"	& mdash;	& mdash;	& mdash;	& mdash;
2011	" I (Who Have Nothing) "	& mdash;	& mdash;	& mdash;	& mdash;
"& mdash;" denotes the single failed to chart

; Notes

Did not chart on the Hot R& B/Hip-Hop Songs charts ( Billboard rules at the time prevented album cuts from charting). Chart peak listed represents the Hot R& B/Hip-Hop Airplay chart.

Published works

Knight, Gladys. At Home With Gladys Knight , McGraw-Hill, 2001 – ISBN 1-58040-075-2

Knight, Gladys. Between Each Line of Pain and Glory: My Life Story , Hyperion Press, 1998 – ISBN 0-7868-8371-5

Copyright Citations

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1. Ashanti 2. Ashford and Simpson 3. Brandy 4. Diana Ross 5. Mary J. Blige 6. Ray Charles 7. Stevie Wonder 8. Whitney Houston 9. Aaliyah 10. Aretha Franklin 11. Bill Withers 12. Curtis Mayfield 13. Marvin Gaye 14. Chaka Khan 15. Tamia 16. Dionne Warwick 17. Joss Stone 18. Ruben Studdard 19. Gerald Levert 20. Zapp 21. The Funk Brothers 22. Gladys Knight and the Pips 23. Earth, Wind & Fire 24. Jackson 5

Urban/R&B Music Artists