Gladys Knight Quick Info | |
---|---|
Height | 5 ft 4 in |
Weight | 58 kg |
Date of Birth | May 28, 1944 |
Zodiac Sign | Gemini |
Spouse | William McDowell |
Gladys Knight is an American singer, songwriter, actress, businesswoman, and author who is best known for her work with her family-based musical group Gladys Knight & the Pips in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. As of February 2021, she had won 7 Grammy Awards and had been inducted into both the ‘Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’ and the ‘Vocal Group Hall of Fame’. In 1995, she had received a star on the ‘Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Born Name
Gladys Maria Knight
Nick Name
The Empress of Soul
Sun Sign
Gemini
Born Place
Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Residence
North Carolina, United States
Nationality
Occupation
Singer, Songwriter, Actress, Businesswoman, Author
Family
- Father – Merald Woodlow Knight Sr. (Postal Worker)
- Mother – Sarah Elizabeth Knight (née Woods)
- Siblings – Brenda Knight (Older Sister), Merald Woodlow ‘Bubba’ Knight, Jr. (Older Brother) (Singer), David Knight (Brother) (Deceased)
- Others – Aaliyah (Ex-Niece-in-Law) (Singer, Actress, Model), Kathleen Knight (Sister-in-Law), Samuel Lee Knight (Paternal Grandfather), Sallie Merritt (Paternal Grandmother), Bee Woods (Maternal Grandfather), Susie Carlisle (Maternal Grandmother), Mamie Brown (Ex-Mother-in-Law) (Former Cafeteria Attendant), Wesley Brown (Ex-Brother-in-Law), William Guest (Cousin) (Singer) (d. December 24, 2015), Edward Patten (Cousin) (Singer) (d. February 25, 2005), Eleanor Guest (Cousin) (Musician)
Manager
She is represented by –
- Ken Ashley, Booking Agent, CAA (Creative Artists Agency), Los Angeles, California, United States
- Laura Herlovich, PR Agent, PR Plus, Las Vegas, Clark County, Nevada, United States
Genre
R&B, Soul, Pop, Gospel, Jazz
Instruments
Vocals, Piano
Labels
- Vee-Jay Records
- Motown Records
- Buddah Records
- Columbia Records
- MCA Records
- K-tel International
- Castle
- PolyGram N.V.
- Curb Records
- Rhino Entertainment Company
- Hip-O Records
- BMG Heritage Records
- Sony Music BMG Entertrainment
- Legacy Recordings
- Many Roads
- Verve Records
- Shadow Mountain
Build
Slim
Height
5 ft 4 in or 162.5 cm
Weight
58 kg or 128 lbs
Boyfriend / Spouse
Gladys has dated –
- James Newman (1958–1964) – Gladys had started dating musician James ‘Jimmy’ Newman in 1958 and they got married in 1960 when Gladys was just 16. They had 2 children together – a son named James ‘Jimmy’ Gaston Newman III (b. August 13, 1962) (d. July 10, 1999) and a daughter named Kenya Maria Newman (b. 1963) (Businessperson). James later became a drug addict and had abandoned the family in 1964.
- Barry Hankerson (1967-1979) – Gladys had started dating record producer and manager Barry Hankerson in 1967 and they got married in October 1974. They have a son together named Shanga Ali Hankerson (b. August 1, 1976) (Entrepreneur). They had parted ways in 1979, after more than 2 decades of relationship.
- Les Brown (1993–1997) – Gladys began dating motivational speaker and former TV host Leslie Calvin ‘Les’ Brown in 1993. They got married in August 1995 but got divorced in 1997.
- William McDowell (2000-Present) – Gladys had started dating William McDowell in 2000 and they got married on April 12, 2001.
Race / Ethnicity
Black
She is of African-American descent.
Hair Color
Black
Eye Color
Dark Brown
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
- Petite frame
- Neck-length, frizzy hair
- Radiant face
Religion
Christianity (Mormonism)
Gladys Knight Facts
- In 1952, aged 8, she had won The Original Amateur Hour, a contest-based TV show.
- As of February 2021, she had recorded 2 ‘No. 1’ ‘Billboard Hot 100′ singles, 11 ‘No. 1’ R&B singles, and 6 ‘No. 1’ R&B albums.
- 2 of her songs – I Heard It Through the Grapevine and Midnight Train to Georgia – have been inducted into the ‘Grammy Hall of Fame’.
- In 2017, she had helped raise USD 400k for the ‘Children’s Learning Centers’ of Fairfield County.
Featured Image by Gladys Knight / Instagram