Gladys Knight

Gladys Knight
Knight in 1997
Knight in 1997
Background information
Birth nameGladys Maria Knight
Also known asThe Empress of Soul
Born (1944-05-28) May 28, 1944 (age 80)
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • actress
Years active1948–present
Labels
Formerly ofGladys Knight & The Pips
Websitegladysknight.com

Gladys Maria Knight (born May 28, 1944) is an American singer. Knight recorded hits through the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s with her family group Gladys Knight & the Pips, which included her brother Merald "Bubba" Knight and cousins William Guest and Edward Patten. She has won seven Grammy Awards (four as a solo artist and three with the Pips),[1] and is often referred to as the "Empress of Soul".[2][3]

Knight has recorded two number-one Billboard Hot 100 singles ("Midnight Train to Georgia" and "That's What Friends Are For" which she did with Dionne Warwick, Sir Elton John and Stevie Wonder), eleven number-one R&B singles and six number-one R&B albums. In 1989, Knight recorded the theme song for the James Bond film Licence to Kill.

Knight performing at the White House, 2024

Two of her songs ("I Heard It Through the Grapevine" and "Midnight Train to Georgia") were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for "historical, artistic and significant" value.[4][5] She is an inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Vocal Group Hall of Fame along with The Pips. Rolling Stone magazine ranked Knight among the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time (2010).[6] She is also a recipient of the National Medal of Arts and Kennedy Center Honors.

  1. ^ "Gladys Knight | Artist | GRAMMY.com". grammy.com. Retrieved November 6, 2024.
  2. ^ "The Voice, Winter 2007, Society of Singer's 16th Ella Awards" (PDF). Singers.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 27, 2008. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  3. ^ ""Empress of Soul" Gladys Knight will be giving a special performance at Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa, November 7". Braintrustlv.com. September 22, 2010. Archived from the original on March 15, 2012. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  4. ^ "GRAMMY Awards: Here Are the 2018 GRAMMY Hall of Fame Inductees". 1077theend.com. January 16, 2018. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
  5. ^ "GRAMMY Living History Moments With Gladys Knight". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. November 19, 2010. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  6. ^ "100 Greatest Singers of All Time". Rolling Stone. December 3, 2010. Retrieved October 7, 2018.