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Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, Ray Charles, Ashanti, Tamia, Brandy, Gladys Knight and the Pips, R. Kelly, Ray J, Aretha Franklin, Joss Stone, Chaka Khan, Marvin Gaye, Bill Withers, Jackson 5, Curtis Mayfield, Diana Ross, Ciara, Alicia Keys, B2K, Blu Cantrell, Ashanti, Commodores, Boyz II Men, Brian McKnight, Billy Preston, Deborah Cox, En Vogue, Ashford and Simpson, Brandy, D'Angelo, Babyface, India Arie, Erykah Badu, Ginuwine, Geno WashingtonMore Urban/R&B Music...
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Gladys Maria Knight, "The Empress of Soul,"[title=The Voice, Winter 2007, Society of Singer's 16th Ella Awards][title=eurweb.com article reviewing Society of Singer's 16th Ella Award] (born May 28, 1944) is a seven-time Grammy Award-winning American R&B/soul 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. She is a notable member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
BiographyEarly lifeGladys Knight was born to Merald Woodlow Knight and Sarah Elizabeth Woods in Loachapoka, Alabama. She first achieved minor fame by winning Ted Mack's Original Amateur Hour TV show contest at the age of 7 in 1951. 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.
Knight discovered she was pregnant in 1960, and married her high school sweetheart James Newman. After a miscarriage, Knight returned to performing with the Pips. In 1961, Bobby Robinson produced the single "Every Beat of My Heart" for the group, which became a #1 R&B and #6 pop hit when released on Vee-Jay Records. In 1962, Langston George left the group, which at that time renamed itself Gladys Knight & the Pips and continued as a quartet.
In 1962, after scoring a second hit, "Letter Full of Tears", Knight became pregnant again and gave birth to a son, Jimmy III, that year. She retired from the road to raise her 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.
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," (also recorded 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.
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 with producer Curtis Mayfield. The act was particularly successful in Europe, and especially the United Kingdom. However, the Buddah hits all followed a number of years after their success in the U.S.. 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, 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 three years, during which time they had a son, Shanga Ali. Upon their divorce, Hankerson and Knight had 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 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 second 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 Knight and Ron Winan's Chicken & Waffles in Atlanta.
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 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'.
Her fourth solo LP, Just for You, went gold and was nominated for the 1995 Grammy Award for Best R&B Album. During this period, Knight was briefly married to motivational speaker Les Brown. It was also during this period that her eldest son, Jimmy III, died in his sleep at the age of 36.
Now married to William McDowell, Knight joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1997. She had occasionally teased LDS Church president, the late Gordon B. Hinckley, that his flock needs to inject some "pep" into their music. Knight created and now directs the Mormon-themed choir Saints Unified Voices [1]. SUV has released a Grammy Award-winning CD titled One Voice, and occasionally performs at the Mormon church firesides.
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, Gladys 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.
Acting and other workKnight guest-starred on several television series throughout the 1980s and 1990s ,with roles on Benson, The Jeffersons, A Different World, Living Single, The Jamie Foxx Show and New York Undercover. In 1985, she co-starred on the CBS sitcom Charlie and Co. with comedian Flip Wilson. It lasted for one season.
Knight owns a chain of chicken and waffles restaurants based in Atlanta. The Gladys Knight & Ron Winans' Chicken & Waffles currently have three locations - two in the Atlanta area and one in Largo, Maryland, near Washington, D.C., in The Boulevard at the Capital Centre.
She was Aaliyah's aunt.
Awards, Honors and AchievementsGladys Knight & the Pips
- Grammy Awards
- 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
- 1995 Gladys Knight was awarded a www.hollywoodusa.co.uk/walkoffamestarlocations.htm" class="PageLink" target="_blank">star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles.
- 2005: Gladys Knight received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the BET cable network.
- 2006: Gladys Knight received a Legendary Award from the Las Vegas Music 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 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.
Solo discography seealso Gladys Knight & the Pips discography
Singles - 1978: "It's A Better Than Good Time"
- 1979: "Am I Too Late"
- 1979: "I Just Want To Be With You"
- 1985: "That's What Friends Are For" (with Dionne Warwick, Elton John & Stevie Wonder) (US #1 Pop, R&B and AC, UK #16)
- 1989: "License to Kill" (#6 UK, #18 US AC)
- 1990: "If I Knew Then What I Know Now" (with Kenny Rogers) (#9 US AC)
- 1991: "Meet Me in the Middle"
- 1991: "Men" (R&B #2)
- 1991: "Superwoman" (with Dionne Warwick and Patti LaBelle): airplay-only
- 1992: "Where Would I Be"
- 1994: "End of the Road" Medley: "If You Don't Know Me by Now"/"Love Don't Love Nobody"
- 1994: "I Don't Want to Know" (R&B #32)
- 1995: "Next Time" (R&B #30)
- 2003: "Vacilon" ("Feelin' Good") (Jazz/Salsa/R&B)
Albums - 1978: Miss Gladys Knight
- 1979: Gladys Knight
- 1991: Good Woman
- 1994: Just For You
- 1998: Many Different Roads
- 2001: At Last
- 2005: One Voice (with Saints Unified Voices)
- 2006: Before Me
- 2006: A Christmas Celebration (with Saints Unified Voices)
Filmography - 1990s
1980s
1970s
Holidaze: The Christmas That Almost Didn't Happen (2006) (V) .... Candie
Unbeatable Harold (2006) .... Phyllis
"JAG" .... Etta (1 episode, 2005)
... aka JAG: Judge Advocate General (Australia)
Hollywood Homicide (2003) .... Olivia Robidoux
"The Jamie Foxx Show" .... Janice King (2 episodes, 1997-2001)
"Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child" .... Chocolate (1 episode, 1999)
"Living Single" .... Odelle Jones (2 episodes, 1997)
... aka My Girls
"New York Undercover" .... Natalie (4 episodes, 1994)
... aka Uptown Undercover
Twenty Bucks (1993) .... Mrs. McCormac
"CBS Schoolbreak Special" .... Dr. Donna Robinson (1 episode, 1987)
Desperado (1987) (TV) .... Mona Lisa
"Charlie & Co." (1985) TV series .... Diana Richmond (unknown episodes)
Pipe Dreams (1976) .... Maria Wilson
Soundtrack:
2000s
1990s
1980s
"Hoge bomen: Pioniers" (1 episode, 2007)
"Las Vegas" (1 episode, 2005)
Kevin & Perry Go Large (2000) (performer: "The Look Of Love")
"Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child" (1 episode, 1999)
A Life Less Ordinary (1997) (performer: "IF I WERE YOUR WOMAN")
Set It Off (1996) (performer: "I'll Be Missing You")
"Melrose Place" (1 episode, 1993)
True Identity (1991) (performer: "Walk the Line")
Ghost Dad (1990) (performer: "Strong As Steel")
Licence to Kill (1989) (performer: "Licence to Kill")
Sesame Street, Special (1988) (TV) (performer: "Put Down the Duckie (Reprise)")
... aka Put Down the Duckie: A Sesame Street Special (USA: video title)
... aka Sesame Street: Put Down the Duckie - An All-Star Musical Special (USA: video box title)
... aka The Sesame Street Special (USA: informal title)
Cobra (1986) (performer: "Loving On Borrowed Time" (Love Theme from Cobra))
Rocky IV (1985) (performer: "Double or Nothing")
Producer:
Sisters in the Name of Love (1986) (TV) (producer)
Self:
2000s
1990s
1980s
1970s
1960s
"Entertainment Tonight" .... Herself (3 episodes, 2006-2008)
... aka E.T. (USA: informal title)
... aka ET Weekend (Australia: weekend title)
... aka Entertainment This Week (weekend title)
... aka This Week in Entertainment (USA: weekend title)
"30 Rock" .... Herself (1 episode, 2008)
BET Awards 2007 (2007) (TV)
"American Idol: The Search for a Superstar" .... Herself / ... (3 episodes, 2003-2007)
... aka American Idol (USA: new title)
... aka American Idol 2 (USA: promotional title)
... aka American Idol 3 (USA)
... aka American Idol 4 (USA: fourth season title)
2007 Trumpet Awards (2007) (TV) .... Herself
"The View" .... Herself (1 episode, 2006)
"Celebrity Duets" .... Herself - Musical Guest (3 episodes, 2006)
"Tavis Smiley" .... Herself (1 episode, 2006)
Legends Ball (2006) (TV) .... Herself
Chris Botti Live: With Orchestra and Special Guests (2006) (V) .... Herself
Nobel Peace Prize Concert (2005) (TV) .... Herself
BET Awards 2005 (2005) (TV) .... Herself
2005 Trumpet Awards (2005) (TV) .... Herself
"Las Vegas" .... Herself (1 episode, 2005)
"Good Day Live" .... Herself (1 episode, 2005)
The 10th Annual Walk of Fame Honoring Smokey Robinson (2004) (TV) .... Herself
Bridge to Havana (2004) (V) .... Herself
AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs (2004) (TV) .... Herself
Motown 45 (2004) (TV) .... Herself
VH1 Divas 2004 (2004) (TV) .... Herself/Performer
"Intimate Portrait" .... Herself (3 episodes, 1999-2004)
"Pyramid" .... Herself (2 episodes, 2003)
... aka The $100,000 Pyramid (USA: alternative title)
"When I Was a Girl" .... Herself (1 episode, 2003)
"American Juniors" .... Herself (1 episode, 2003)
Divas on Ice (2001/II) (TV) .... Herself
Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration (2001) (TV) .... Herself
"E! True Hollywood Story" .... Herself (2 episodes, 1998-2001)
"Say It Loud: A Celebration of Black Music in America" (2001) TV mini-series .... Herself
"Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" .... Herself (1 episode, 2001)
Essence Awards (2001) (TV) .... Herself
"The Rosie O'Donnell Show" .... Herself (2 episodes, 1997-2001)
An Evening of Stars: A Celebration of Educational Excellence (2001) (TV) .... Herself
The Messiah XXI (2000) .... Herself - Soloist
"The Roseanne Show" .... Herself (1 episode, 1998)
League of Legends (1998) (TV) .... Herself
"Behind the Music" .... Herself (1 episode, 1998)
... aka VH1's Behind the Music (USA)
"Baywatch" .... Herself (1 episode, 1995)
... aka Baywatch Hawaii (USA: new title)
The History of Rock 'N' Roll, Vol. 5 (1995) (TV) .... Herself
... aka The Sounds of Soul
The History of Rock 'N' Roll, Vol. 3 (1995) (TV) .... Herself
... aka Britain Invades, America Fights Back
The Jackson Family Honors (1994) (TV) .... Herself
The 8th Annual Soul Train Music Awards (1994) (TV) .... Herself - Host
"The Les Brown Show" .... Herself (1 episode, 1993)
"Out All Night" .... Herself (1 episode, 1992)
The 19th Annual American Music Awards (1992) (TV) .... Herself
Ray Charles: 50 Years in Music (1991) (TV) .... Herself
"The Oprah Winfrey Show" .... Herself (1 episode, 1991)
... aka Oprah (USA: short title)
The 5th Annual Soul Train Music Awards (1991) (TV) .... Herself/performer
"Golden Age of Rock'n'Roll" (1991) TV series .... Herself (unknown episodes)
Motown 30: What's Goin' On! (1990) (TV) .... Herself
"Dionne and Friends" .... Herself (1 episode, 1990)
All-Star Tribute to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1989) (TV) .... Herself
Diet America Challenge (1989) (TV) .... Herself
"Family Feud" .... Herself (1 episode, 1989)
... aka Family Feud Challenge (USA: new title)
... aka The New Family Feud (USA: new syndication title)
The 10th Annual Black Achievement Awards (1989) (TV) .... Herself
"A Different World" .... Herself (1 episode, 1988)
Sesame Street, Special (1988) (TV) .... Herself
... aka Put Down the Duckie: A Sesame Street Special (USA: video title)
... aka Sesame Street: Put Down the Duckie - An All-Star Musical Special (USA: video box title)
... aka The Sesame Street Special (USA: informal title)
"The New Hollywood Squares" .... Guest Appearance (4 episodes, 1986-1988)
The 2nd Annual Soul Train Music Awards (1988) (TV) .... Herself
WrestleMania IV (1988) (V) .... Herself
"Soul Train" .... Herself / ... (6 episodes, 1971-1988)
Uptown Comedy Express (1987) (TV) (uncredited) .... Herself
The 29th Annual Grammy Awards (1987) (TV) .... Herself - Performer
Sisters in the Name of Love (1986) (TV) .... Herself
The 7th Annual Black Achievement Awards (1986) (TV) .... Herself - Host
The Twelfth Annual People's Choice Awards (1986) (TV) .... Herself - Performer
"Bandstand" .... Herself (2 episodes, 1970-1985)
... aka AB (USA: short title)
... aka American Bandstand (USA: new title)
... aka American Bandstand 1966 (USA: ninth season title)
... aka New American Bandstand 1965 (USA: new title)
... aka VH1's Best of American Bandstand (USA: rerun title)
"Solid Gold" .... Herself (1 episode, 1985)
... aka Solid Gold in Concert (USA: new title)
The 11th Annual American Music Awards (1984) (TV) .... Herself
"Benson" .... Herself (1 episode, 1984)
The 25th Annual Grammy Awards (1983) (TV) .... Herself
"The Jeffersons" .... Herself (1 episode, 1983)
The Suzanne Somers Special (1982) (TV) .... Herself
Marvin Hamlisch: They're Playing My Song (1981) (TV) .... Herself
"Top of the Pops" .... Herself (5 episodes, 1972-1980)
... aka All New Top of the Pops (UK)
... aka TOTP
"The Muppet Show" .... Herself (1 episode, 1980)
Uptown: A Tribute to the Apollo Theatre (1980) (TV) .... Herself
... aka Uptown: A Musical Comedy History of Harlem's Apollo Theatre (USA)
"The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" .... Herself - Musical Guest / ... (3 episodes, 1972-1980)
... aka The Best of Carson (USA: rerun title)
Rolling Stone Magazine: The 10th Anniversary (1977) (TV) .... Herself - Performer
The George Burns One-Man Show (1977) (TV) .... Herself
The 19th Annual Grammy Awards (1977) (TV) .... Herself
"Dinah!" .... Herself (1 episode, 1977)
... aka Dinah! & Friends
"The Merv Griffin Show" .... Herself (2 episodes, 1968-1976)
"The $10,000 Pyramid" .... Herself (1 episode, 1976)
... aka New $25,000 Pyramid (USA: new title)
... aka The $100,000 Pyramid (USA: syndication title)
... aka The $20,000 Pyramid (USA: new title)
... aka The $25,000 Pyramid (USA: syndication title)
... aka The $50,000 Pyramid (USA: new syndication title)
... aka The New $100,000 Pyramid (USA: new syndication title)
"The Gladys Knight & the Pips Show" (1975) TV series .... Herself
"Celebrity Sweepstakes" .... Herself (1 episode, 1975)
"The Mike Douglas Show" .... Herself (1 episode, 1975)
"The CBS Festival of Lively Arts for Young People" .... Herself - Host (1 episode, 1974)
"The Dean Martin Show" .... Herself (1 episode, 1974)
... aka The Dean Martin Comedy Hour (USA: new title)
"The Flip Wilson Show" .... Herself (2 episodes, 1972-1973)
Save the Children (1973) .... Herself
"The Midnight Special" .... Herself (1 episode, 1973)
"Toast of the Town" .... Herself - Singer (4 episodes, 1968-1971)
... aka The Ed Sullivan Show (USA: new title)
Kenny Rogers and the First Edition: Rollin' on the River (1971) (TV) .... Herself
"The Andy Williams Show" .... Herself (1 episode, 1970)
"Get It Together" .... Herself (1 episode, 1970)
"The Hollywood Palace" .... Herself - Singer (2 episodes, 1969)
Archive Footage:
"American Idol: The Search for a Superstar"
"I Love the '70s: Volume 2" (2006) .... Herself
American Bandstand's 50th Anniversary Celebration (2002) (TV) .... Herself
"Joe Bob's Drive-In Theater"
Marvin Gaye (1987) (TV) .... Herself
- 1973 - Save the Children (documentary)
- 1976 - Pipe Dreams
- 1983 - The Jeffersons (episode "The Good Life")
- 1985 - Charlie & Co.
- 1987 - Desperado
- 1993 - Twenty Bucks
- 1994 - Wheel of Fortune (celebrity contestant)
- 1999 - Ally McBeal (episode "Seeing Green")
- 2003 - Hollywood Homicide
- 2004 - Las Vegas
- 2005 - Unbeatable Harold
- 2006 - The Young Messiah - Messiah XXI (DVD)
- 2008 - 30 Rock (episode: "Episode 210")
Published works - Knight, Gladys. At Home With Gladys Knight, McGraw-Hill, 2001 - ISBN 1580400752
- Knight, Gladys. Between Each Line of Pain and Glory: My Life Story, Hyperion Press, 1998 - ISBN 0786883715
Copyright Citations
This article is licensed under the GNU License
Click here for original article: Gladys Knight
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