Gladys Knight

Gladys Knight is an American singer and actress with a career spanning over six decades, known for her contributions to soul, R&B, pop, and gospel music, and she is often referred to as the ‘Empress of Soul’. After winning the grand prize on Ted Mack’s ‘The Original Amateur Hour’ TV show in 1952, Gladys Knight embarked on a legendary career in soul, R&B, pop, and gospel music. She formed The Pips in 1953, releasing their debut album in 1960. Joining Motown Records in 1966, Gladys Knight & the Pips achieved significant chart success, including the number one hit ‘I Heard It Through the Grapevine’ (1967), and the Grammy Award-winning ‘Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)’ (1972).

The Gold-certified ‘Just for You’ (1994) received a Grammy nomination in 1995. She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (1995) and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1996). Her fifth solo album, ‘At Last’ (2000), earned her first solo Grammy for Best Traditional R&B Album, followed by the Grammy-winning CD One Voice (2005). Knight performed at Michael Jackson’s funeral (2009) and competed on Dancing with the Stars (2012).

Her album Where My Heart Belongs (2014) marked her 30th top-40 R&B album. She performed the national anthem at Super Bowl LIII (2019) and competed as ‘Bee’ on The Masked Singer, placing third (2019). Knight’s unparalleled contributions have been recognized with the National Medal of Arts (2021), the Kennedy Center Honors (2022), and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (2023).