Dates

• Existence: Born 28 May 1944

Biography

Singer, songwriter, actress, businesswoman, and author Gladys Maria Knight was born on 28 May 1944 in Atlanta, USA. She started her singing career as a child in the local church choir in the 1940s and achieved fame by winning Ted Mack’s The original Amateur Hour TV show in 1952. That same year Gladys started performing with her siblings and cousins as The Pips and won multiple talent shows, which eventually gained the band a contract with Brunswick Records in 1957.

In the early 1960s they were signed by Fury Records and changed their name to Gladys Knight & the Pips. By 1966 they had joined Motown Records and were touring as the opening act for Diana Ross and The Supremes. In 1973 the band broke into the European market after signing with Buddah Records. They continued achieving international success until Gladys decided to pursue a solo career in 1988 and the band was dissolved. The following year Gladys recorded the theme song for the 1989 James Bond film Licence to Kill and in 1991 she released her third most successful solo LP, which reached No. 1 on the R&B album chart. This was followed by her fourth album, which went Gold and was nominated for the 1995 Grammy Award for Best R&B Album.

In 1976, Gladys debuted as an actress and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year. Since then she has appeared in numerous films and television programmes.

Over the expand of her career Gladys has won seven Grammys, four as a solo artist and three with the Pips. She continues making television appearances and singing in the twenty first century.

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