Tuesday, September 20, 2005

Gladys Knight 2005

Gladys Knight was born in Atlanta, Georgia on May 28, 1944.  She began singing professionally at the age of four, winning a talent show on television.  She is most famous for her work with the Pips including Midnight Train to Georgia and I Heard It Through the Grapevine.  She currently makes her home near Las Vegas, Nevada.  Gladys Knight loves to cook.  She has a large family, which includes 3 children and 11 grandchildren.

News and Gossip

20 Sep 2005: She appears on a second compilation CD from Ray Charles.  This second collection of duets is titled Genius and Friends. She sings "You Were There." In August 2004, she appeared on Ray Charles' Genius Loves Company.  She sang "Heaven Help Us All," and they won the Grammy for best duet. (Sources: Ray Charles eCard featuring "You Were There" and Listening Party also featuring "You Were There").

13 Feb 2005: She wins her sixth Grammy award for her duet with Ray Charles.  She sang "Heaven Help Us All" on Genius Loves Company, a collection of duets with Ray Charles.  But, on Grammy night, she was not present to receive her award.  "I was doing a fireside in Las Vegas," she said.  Her programs are so popular they have to be divided into two sessions, "and my bishop came up to me in between them and said, 'You won! You won!' I was so surprised." (Source: "Knight cherishes last duet with Charles" By Carma Wadley, Deseret Morning News, 15 Feb 2005)

04 Jan 2005: She released a new album titled One Voice.  It is her first album with the Saints Unified Voices, a choir she organized in 2002 "to provide an opportunity for people who wouldn't come otherwise to an LDS meeting, where they will hear a strong Christ-centered message of the restored gospel and feel the spirit that is present."  The choir is made up of more than 100 members from several stakes in the greater Las Vegas area.  They bring a new level of passion and cultural awareness to the traditionally reserved LDS hymns.  (Source: Deseret Book). See also "R&B legend still has passion for music" By Brian Balthazar, NBC News, 18 Jan 2005 and Gladys Knight & Saints Unified Voices @ LDS Music World

09 Dec 2004: Rolling Stone Magazine listed Midnight Train to Georgia as Number 492 in it's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. (Source: Rolling Stone)

Old News and Gossip

2004: She sings on on Ray Charles' LP Genius Loves Company.  (They are nominated for a Grammy award in February 2005.) (Source: Rock on the Net)

2003: She performed in the Salt Lake Tabernacle with her Saints Unified Voices Choir from Las Vegas in celebration of the 25th anniversary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' decision to allow blacks into the priesthood.  She sang a number of gospel versions of Mormon hymns.  She told the crowd she loves the music of The Church, but added: "I just think that some of it could use a little zip!"  She thanked President Hinckley and other church leaders for their encouragement and urged the audience to widen their embrace of the cultures, music and customs of all people. (Source: "Gladys Knight Teams with Tabernacle Choir," Associated Press, Salt Lake City, 09 Jun 2003)

2002: She made a public appearance at a Salt Lake department store to promote and autograph an Olympic commemorative CD titled "Light Up the Land."  She contributed to the torch ceremony with her performance of, "This Is Our Time" with a children's choir.  She appeared that evening on local television in both Salt Lake City and Las Vegas stating how"elated" she was to be there.  (Source: "Gladys Knight Promotes Olympic CD" by Carole Mikita, KSL TV, Salt Lake City, 12 Nov 2001)

2001: She married corporate consultant William McDowell.  Her son Shanga gave her away in a seaside ceremony attended by 80 relatives and friends.  Knight and McDowell met about 10 years ago but did not begin dating until January.(Source: "Music Legend Gladys Knight Weds William McDowell," Excite News, Santa Monica, California, 24 Apr 2001)

1999: She released Many Different Roads.  The inspiration to do this album was a burning desire that touched her heart once she became a member of The Church.  "In doing this album, I wanted to make sure that it touched people across the board...  We all have a responsibility, and since I've been so wonderfully blessed, I really want to share and to make life at least a little better.  So every chance I get to share the gospel or uplift people, I will take full advantage of that opportunity."(Source: a)

1998: She received her temple endowment.

1997: She embraced membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by being baptized.

1996: Gladys Knight and the Pips are inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at the eleventh annual induction dinner. (Source: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame)

1995: She married author and motivational speaker Les Brown (divorced, 1997).

More Info

Links

Page created 2001 @ geocities.com, updated 20 Sep 2005, moved to blogger.com 6 Aug 2009.
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