Gladys Knight facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gladys Knight
Knight in 1997
Background information
Birth name	Gladys Maria Knight
Also known as	The Empress of Soul
Born	(1944-05-28) May 28, 1944 (age 81) Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Genres	R&B soul pop gospel
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter actress
Years active	1948–present
Labels	Vee-Jay Motown Buddah Columbia MCA Verve

Gladys Maria Knight (born May 28, 1944) is an American singer. She is famous for her powerful voice. Many people call her the "Empress of Soul."

Gladys Knight recorded many hit songs. She sang through the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. She performed with her family group, Gladys Knight & the Pips. This group included her brother Merald "Bubba" Knight and cousins William Guest and Edward Patten.

Knight has won seven Grammy Awards. Four of these were as a solo artist. Three were with The Pips. Two of her songs, "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" and "Midnight Train to Georgia", are in the Grammy Hall of Fame. This means they are very important songs.

She also sang the theme song for the James Bond movie Licence to Kill in 1989. Gladys Knight is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She is also in the Vocal Group Hall of Fame with The Pips. Rolling Stone magazine named her one of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. She has received the National Medal of Arts and Kennedy Center Honors.

Knight performing at the White House, 2024

Gladys Knight's Early Life and Music Beginnings

Gladys Knight was born in Atlanta, Georgia. Her father was a postal worker. Her mother's name was Sarah Elizabeth. She has an older sister, Brenda, and a brother, Merald "Bubba" Jr.

Gladys started singing in her church choir. She was very young. At age eight, in 1952, she won a TV show contest. It was called The Original Amateur Hour.

That same year, Gladys and her family formed a group. It included her brother Bubba, sister Brenda, and cousins Eleanor and William Guest. They started singing together at Bubba's tenth birthday party. Gladys's mother encouraged them to form a group. They decided to call themselves The Pips. This name came from their cousin James "Pip" Woods.

By 1955, the group performed in talent shows in Atlanta. They won every show they entered. This success helped them get a record deal. They signed with Brunswick Records in 1957. They released two songs, but they did not become hits. Still, they opened for famous singers like Jackie Wilson and Sam Cooke.

In 1959, Brenda Knight and Eleanor Guest left the group. They wanted to start families. Other cousins, Edward Patten, and a friend, Langston George, joined.

In 1961, they recorded "Every Beat of My Heart". This song became a hit. It reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Around this time, the group changed its name. They became Gladys Knight & the Pips.

Later in 1961, they released "Letter Full of Tears". This song also became a top-40 hit. Langston George left the group in 1962. Gladys also left for a short time to start her own family. She returned in 1964. The group then signed with the Maxx label. They released several songs, including "Giving Up".

Success with The Pips and Big Hits

Gladys Knight & the Pips joined Motown Records in 1966. At first, Motown saw them as a smaller act. But they soon had many big hit songs. These included "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" in 1967. This song was later released by Marvin Gaye. Other hits were "The Nitty Gritty" (1969) and "If I Were Your Woman" (1970). They also had the Grammy-winning song "Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)" (1972).

Knight in 1974

In their early Motown days, they toured with Diana Ross and the Supremes. Gladys Knight became very popular with audiences.

The group left Motown in 1973 for Buddah Records. There, they became even more famous. They had huge hits like the Grammy-winning "Midnight Train to Georgia". This song reached number one on both pop and R&B charts. Other hits included "I've Got to Use My Imagination" and "Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me". In 1974, they recorded the soundtrack for the film Claudine.

Gladys Knight and the Pips were very popular in Europe. Many of their songs became hits in the UK years after their US release. For example, "Midnight Train to Georgia" was a UK Top 5 hit in 1976.

They continued to have hits until the late 1970s. Due to some business issues, Gladys recorded her first solo albums. These were Miss Gladys Knight (1978) and Gladys Knight (1979).

Knight and the Pips perform aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ranger in November 1981

In 1980, the group signed with Columbia Records. They started releasing new music together again. Their albums About Love (1980) and Touch (1981) had new hits.

In 1983, they had another number one R&B hit with "Save the Overtime (For Me)". The music video for this song was one of the first R&B videos to include hip hop elements.

In 1987, Knight decided to start a solo career. She and the Pips recorded their last album together, All Our Love. The song "Love Overboard" from this album was a number-one R&B hit. It also won another Grammy for the group. After a successful tour in 1988, The Pips retired. Gladys Knight then began her solo career.

Gladys Knight & the Pips were honored many times. They were inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 1989. They also joined the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996. In 2001, they entered the Vocal Group Hall of Fame.

Gladys Knight's Solo Career and Other Work

While still with The Pips, Gladys Knight joined other famous singers. She sang with Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder, and Elton John. They recorded the song "That's What Friends Are For" in 1985. This song was a huge hit and raised money for AIDS research. It won a Grammy for Best Pop Performance.

In 1986, Knight performed with Dionne Warwick and Patti LaBelle. This was for an HBO TV special called Sisters in the Name of Love. On March 27, 1988, Knight sang "America the Beautiful" at Wrestlemania 4. In 1989, she recorded "Licence to Kill". This was the theme song for the James Bond movie of the same name. It was a Top-10 hit in the UK and Germany.

Knight released her most successful solo album, Good Woman, in 1991. It reached number one on the R&B album chart. It also featured the hit song "Men". The album included "Superwoman". This song was written by Babyface and featured Dionne Warwick and Patti LaBelle. It was nominated for a Grammy. In 1991, Knight also sang the national anthem at Game 1 of the World Series.

Her fourth solo album, Just for You, sold very well and was nominated for a Grammy. Her fifth solo album, At Last, won her first solo Grammy Award in 2000.

Knight also created and leads a choir called Saints Unified Voices. This choir has released a Grammy-winning CD called One Voice.

Knight in concert, 2006

In 2004, Knight was a main performer at the VH1 concert Divas Live 2004. She performed with other stars like Ashanti and Patti LaBelle. This concert supported the Save the Music Foundation. In 2005, a duet between Knight and Ray Charles was released. The song was "You Were There".

In 2009, Knight sang at the funeral service for Michael Jackson. She sang "His Eye Is On The Sparrow" and "The Lord's Prayer". In 2013, she recorded "You And I Ain't Nothin' No More". This song was for the movie soundtrack of The Butler.

In 2019, Knight sang the national anthem at Super Bowl LIII. She faced some criticism for this. Some people felt she should not perform because of issues with the National Football League. Knight explained her decision, saying she understood the protests but felt it was important to sing.

In 2022, Knight received Kennedy Center Honors. This award is given to people who have greatly contributed to American culture. U.S. President Joe Biden presented her with the honor.

Farewell Tours

In October 2009, Knight started a farewell tour in the United Kingdom. However, she continued to tour the UK in later years. She also announced a farewell tour for Australia and New Zealand in 2024.

Gladys Knight's Acting Career

Films

In 1976, Knight made her acting debut in the film Pipe Dreams. She was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for this role. In 2003, she had a small part in the movie Hollywood Homicide. This film starred Harrison Ford. In 2009, Knight was in Tyler Perry's movie I Can Do Bad All by Myself. She also performed her song "The Need To Be" in the film.

Television

In 1975, Knight had her own variety show, The Gladys Knight and the Pips Show. She also appeared as a guest on many TV series. These included The Jeffersons, A Different World, and The Jamie Foxx Show. In 1985, she co-starred in the sitcom Charlie & Co. with comedian Flip Wilson.

In 2005, she played a singer in an episode of JAG. In 2009, she made a special guest appearance on Tyler Perry's House of Payne. She also had small roles on shows like Las Vegas and 30 Rock. From 2012, she had a recurring role in the sitcom The First Family.

In 2012, Knight competed on Dancing with the Stars. She was partnered with Tristan MacManus. In 2017, she appeared as herself in the TV series Star. In 2018, she played Ella Grover in an episode of Hawaii Five-0.

In February 2019, she was a contestant on The Masked Singer. She performed as "Bee" and finished in third place.

Gladys Knight's Personal Life

Gladys Knight has been married four times. She has two children from her first marriage: James "Jimmy" Gaston Newman III and Kenya Maria Newman. She also has a son, Shanga Ali Hankerson, from her second marriage.

In 1997, Knight was baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Her daughter and son had joined the church earlier. Knight helped create the Saints Unified Voices gospel choir.

Knight's son, Jimmy Newman III, managed her career. He passed away in 1999 at age 36. After his death, her daughter Kenya Jackson took over managing her career.

Gladys Knight married William McDowell in 2001. They have many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They live in Fairview, North Carolina. They also own a community center there.

In 2017, Knight helped raise $400,000 for children's learning centers.

Gladys Knight's Legacy and Honors

In 1996, Gladys Knight & the Pips were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. A year before, Knight received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2007, she was given the Society of Singers ELLA Award. At this event, she was officially called the "Empress of Soul."

Rolling Stone magazine lists her among the Greatest Singers of All Time. In 2022, Knight received the Kennedy Center Honors.

Discography

Studio albums

• Miss Gladys Knight (1978)
• Gladys Knight (1979)
• Good Woman (1991)
• Just for You (1994)
• Many Different Roads (1998)
• At Last (2000)
• One Voice (with Saints Unified Voices) (2005)
• Before Me (2006)
• Another Journey (2013)
• Where My Heart Belongs (2014)

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

Filmography

Films

Television

Awards and Honors

Grammy Awards

Gladys Knight has won ten Grammys and been nominated twenty-two times.

Other awards and honors

• 1992: Essence Award for Career Achievement
• 1995: Hollywood Walk of Fame
• 1996: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
• 1997: Trumpet Awards Foundation Pinnacle Award
• 2005: BET Lifetime Achievement Award
• 2007: NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Jazz Artist
• 2007: Society of Singers Ella Award, also declared the "Empress of Soul"
• 2008: BET Inaugural Best Living Legend Award
• 2008: National Black Arts Festival Honoree at Legends Celebration
• 2011: Soul Train Music Awards Lifetime Achievement Award
• 2017: National Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame
• 2019: Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement
• 2021: National Medal of Arts
• 2022: 45th Annual Kennedy Center Honors

Honorary degrees

• Honorary Doctorate in Performing Arts, Shaw University

Images for kids

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  Knight and Ron Winans' Chicken & Waffles in Atlanta

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  Knight in 2016

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  Knight receiving her Kennedy Center Honor (2022)

See also

In Spanish: Gladys Knight para niños