Knight, Gladys (1944–)

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Knight, Gladys (1944–)

African-American rhythm-and-blues singer. Born Gladys Maria Knight, May 28, 1944, in Atlanta, GA; m. James Newman, 1960 (div. 1964); m. Barry Hankerson, 1974 (div. 1979); Les Brown, 1995 (div. 1997); m. William McDowell, 2001; children: (1st m.) 2; (2nd m.) 1.

Toured with Morris Brown choir before she was 5; won 1st prize on Ted Mack Amateur Hour at 7; formed The Pips with siblings Merald and Brenda, and cousins William and Eleanor Guest (1952); released unsuccessful debut album (1957); sang lead vocals on group's 1st hit "Every Beat of My Heart" (1961); joined Motown (mid—1960s) and began scoring hits, beginning with "I Heard it Through the Grapevine" (1967) and ending with "Neither One of Us" (1973); moved with Pips to Buddah records, singing vocals on "Midnight Train to Georgia" (1973), "I've Got to Use My Imagination" (1974), and "Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me" (1974); collaborated with Curtis Mayfield on soundtrack to film Claudine (1974); made acting debut in film Pipe Dreams (1976) and co-starred on tv series "Charlie and Co." (1985); had more hits with "Landlord" (1980), "Save the Overtime (for Me)" (1983), and "Love Overboard" (1987); became a Mormon (late 1990s).

See also autobiography Between Each Line of Pain and Glory: My Life Story (1997).

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Knight, Gladys (1944–)

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