Gladys Knight
photo credit: Getty Images
photo credit: Neilson Barnard/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images
Watch or buy on:

Aliases

Gladys Maria Knight

Genres

Subgenres

Submit Corrections

Gladys Knight

Active - 1973 - 2016  |   Born - May 28, 1944 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States  |   Genres - Music, Comedy, Drama, Action

Share on

Biography by Sandra Brennan

A soul singer of great power and sensitivity, best known for singing with the Pips, Gladys Knight has also appeared (in small roles) as an actress in two feature films, Pipe Dreams (1976) and Twenty Bucks (1993).

Movie Highlights

The Four Seasons
Pipe Dreams
Almost Christmas
See Full Filmography

Factsheet

  • Sang publicly for the first time at the age of 4 at the Mount Mariah Baptist Church in Atlanta.
  • Won the grand prize on Ted Mack's Original Amateur Hour at the age of 8. 
  • Formed the singing group the Pips, which included her brother, sister and cousins, in 1952; their first hit song was in 1960 with "Every Beat of My Heart." 
  • Had a gambling addiction for more than 10 years, but sought help in the late 1980s after losing $45,000 in one night.  
  • Costarred with Flip Wilson in the short-lived 1985 CBS comedy Charlie & Company.
  • Part owner of the Gladys Knight & Ron Winans' Chicken & Waffles restaurant chain.
  • Performed at the funeral services for Michael Jackson in 2009.
  • Was a contestant on the reality show Dancing With the Stars in 2012. Ironically, she was eliminated during the show's Motown Week performances.