Gladys Knight, the legendary singer and songwriter who was known as the Empress of Soul, passed away recently at the age of 95. She was a founding member of Gladys Knight and the Pips, one of the most successful vocal groups in music history. She also had a remarkable solo career, winning seven Grammy Awards and earning a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In this article, we will look back at her life and legacy, and pay tribute to her amazing talent and influence.
Early Life and Career with The Pips
Gladys Knight was born on February 3, 1927, in Mt. Pleasant, Texas, to George Washington Elrod and Sally Elrod. She was the youngest and last survivor of four children. She began singing at the age of four in her church choir, and soon formed a musical group with her brother Merald “Bubba” Knight and cousins William Guest and Edward Patten. They called themselves The Pips, after their cousin James “Pip” Woods, who was their manager.
The Pips started performing in local shows and radio stations, and eventually signed with Brunswick Records in 1952. They had their first hit with “Every Beat of My Heart” in 1961, which reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. They then moved to Motown Records in 1966, where they achieved greater success and fame. They collaborated with producers and songwriters such as Norman Whitfield, Smokey Robinson, Ashford & Simpson, and Stevie Wonder. Some of their most popular songs from this period include “I Heard It Through the Grapevine”, “If I Were Your Woman”, “Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)”, and “Midnight Train to Georgia”. The latter song won them a Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group in 1974.
Solo Career and Achievements
Gladys Knight left The Pips in 1989 to pursue a solo career. She signed with MCA Records and released her first solo album, Good Woman, in 1991. The album was well-received by critics and fans alike, and spawned two top ten R&B singles: “Men” and “Superwoman”. She continued to record and perform throughout the 1990s and 2000s, releasing albums such as Just for You (1994), Many Different Roads (1999), One Voice (2005), and Before Me (2006). She also ventured into other genres such as gospel, jazz, pop, and country. She won three more Grammy Awards for her solo work: Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for “That’s What Friends Are For” (1987), Best Gospel Choir or Chorus Album for One Voice (2006), and Best Gospel Performance for “Heaven Help Us All” (2006).
Gladys Knight was also active in other fields besides music. She appeared in several movies and TV shows, such as Pipe Dreams (1976), The Jeffersons (1985), Benson (1986), A Different World (1988), Living Single (1997), Hollywood Homicide (2003), Tyler Perry’s I Can Do Bad All by Myself (2009), Dancing with the Stars (2012), Empire (2015), The Masked Singer (2019), and Coming 2 America (2021). She also wrote two autobiographies: Between Each Line of Pain and Glory: My Life Story (1997) and At Last: My Story (2015). She was involved in various humanitarian causes, such as AIDS awareness, diabetes research, hunger relief, education, and civil rights. She was awarded the BET Lifetime Achievement Award in 2005, the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Jazz Artist in 2009, and the Soul Train Music Award for Legend Award in 2011.
Death and Legacy
Gladys Knight passed away on June 16, 2022, in Livingston, Texas, surrounded by love. She was 95 years old. She is survived by her daughter Monique Guest, her son Shanga Hankerson, her grandchildren, her great-grandchildren, and her extended family. She was preceded in death by her parents, her siblings, her cousins William Guest and Edward Patten, her former husband Les Brown Jr., and her son Jimmy Newman.
Gladys Knight’s death was mourned by millions of fans around the world, as well as by many celebrities and fellow artists who expressed their condolences and admiration for her. Some of them include Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin, Smokey Robinson, Lionel Richie, Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Alicia Keys, John Legend, Mariah Carey, Jennifer Hudson, Usher Raymond IV, Kelly Rowland, Michelle Williams, Oprah Winfrey, Tyler Perry, and Barack Obama.
Gladys Knight’s legacy lives on through her music, which has influenced and inspired generations of singers and musicians. She is widely regarded as one of the greatest vocalists of all time, and one of the most influential figures in soul, R&B, and pop music. She is also remembered as a trailblazer, a humanitarian, a role model, and a legend. She is the Empress of Soul, and she will be dearly missed.
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