![]() Adored the world over, Knight then toured across the UK, performing at packed arenas that included a sold-out performance at Wembley Stadium. In February 2011, Knight reunited with Elton John, Dionne Warwick, and Stevie Wonder for the first time in 25 years to perform their Grammy-winning song, “That’s What Friends Are For” at an AIDS research benefit at the downtown Cipriani in New York. Knight, known as the “Empress of Soul,” a longtime Las Vegas resident, returned to the Stripin the late-2000s to the famed Tropicana Hotel for a special engagement that ran in the newly named Gladys Knight Theater, making her the first African-American performer to have a venue named after her in Las Vegas.This followed a successful four-year show run at The Flamingo, which the Las Vegas Review-Journal praised as “the number-one show on the Strip.”A tireless humanitarian, Knight is an iconic supporter of the Boys & Girls Club of America, to which she donated a Randy Jackson-produced song, “The Dream.”As the celebrated singer of the timeless song “Midnight Train to Georgia,” Knight was a natural fit as national spokesperson and host of Amtrak’s National Train Day, the celebration of which took place Washington, DC’s famed Union Station. At the Millenium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, Knight joined such performers asJennifer Hudson, Beyonce, and Smokey Robinson in a tribute to the legendary King of Pop in a concert event called “Michael Forever.”Following that, Knight was honored with a “Legend Award” alongside fellow recipients Earth, Wind & Fire on the BET broadcast of the 3rdannual Soul Train Awards, hosted by Cedric the Entertainer. The year of 2011 was a year of much recognition as Knight was both honoring and being honored, first at a Michael Jackson tribute concert, and then at the 2011 Soul Train Awards. She joined the cast of ABC’s hit reality competition “Dancing with the Stars” for season 14, partnering with Tristan MacManus. No stranger to performing and light choreography over the course of her career,Knight raised the stakes when she put on her dancing shoes in thespring of 2012. Henson.Īlso on the small screen, Knight recently shared her musical expertise onthe second season of Centric’s original series “Apollo Live.”Joining judges Doug E.Fresh and Michael Bivins, the legendary songstress gave guidance to contestants as they took the stage with the hope to jump start their career in the entertainment industry. In the New Year she will guest on Lee Daniels and FOX TV’s new series “Empire” opposite Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson and fellow Grammy winner Cliff “Method Man” Smith. In the story about two lovers as they journey through life, love and family, Knight stars alongside Oscar-nominee Taraji P. Last month, Knight returned to the small screen in the Lifetime original movie “Seasons of Love”. “Another Journey” enjoyed success from the hit “I Who Have Nothing” as well as the up-tempo track “Settle,” produced by Randy Jackson, with whom she previously collaborated with on her Grammy-winning album, “At Last.” Knight also enjoyed the success of her song “You and I Ain’t Nothin’ No More” which appeared over the end credits of the critically-acclaimed Lee Daniels film THE BUTLER. Knight is a two-time Grammy winner in the gospel category, and “Where My Heart Belongs” dropped on September 9th from Deseret Book, and recently won an NAACP Image Award for “Outstanding Gospel Album.” In her first effort since 2013’s “Another Journey”–Knight’s 8thsolo effort–this summer marked the release of “Where My Heart Belongs”, a new inspiration gospel album. This seven-time Grammy winner has enjoyed #1 hits in Pop, Gospel, R&B and Adult Contemporary, and has triumphed in film, television and live performance. Very few singers over the last fifty years have matched her unassailable artistry. Knight married motivational speaker Les Brown in 1995, but they separated and divorced in 1997.The great ones endure, and Gladys Knight has long been one of the greatest. (The Pips, however, remained in Detroit.) The couple had one son, Shanga Hankerson, and divorced in 1981. In 1974, Knight married producer and Blackground Records founder Barry Hankerson, who is the uncle of the late R&B singer Aaliyah, in Detroit. Her children attended Gesu Catholic Grade School. ![]() Knight and her family lived on Sherbourne in Sherwood Forest, an upscale neighborhood on Detroit's West Side. In the early 1960s, Gladys, James, and the Pips moved to Detroit, Michigan. In 1963, after having her only daughter, Kenya, Knight returned to recording with the Pips in order to support her family. ![]() She retired from the road to raise their child while the Pips toured on their own. They had one son, James "Jimmy" Newman (1962–1999). In 1960, she married her high school sweetheart, James Newman. Knight has been married four times and has three children.
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