By December of 1967, however, the group released their major hit single, "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," which became a Motown standard, reaching number two on the Billboard charts, where it remained for three weeks. Knight's grainy alto vocals left them slightly out of the mainstream at first. They were teamed with producer/songwriter Norman Whitfield. The group's breakthrough began tentatively in 1966, when Gladys Knight and the Pips signed to Motown's subsidiary, Soul. Although the group signed a long-term deal with Fury Records, thus solidifying their R&B credentials, their success halted when they switched to the Maxx label in 1964. Once reunited as a quartet, the group was known mostly to R&B fans, with little connection to a mass audience until the mid-sixties. Gladys had periodically left the group, but firmly rejoined them in 1964. When Langston left the group, it became a quartet - Gladys Knight and the Pips. The group faltered somewhat in the early 1960s, as Gladys had two children and the Pips recorded as back up singers in the studio. George Langston retired from the group in the early 1960s after two more singles, including "Letter Full of Tears," a top 20 hit in 1962. In 1960, the group produced their first Rhythm and Blues (R&B) Top-20 hit in 1961 with a version of Johnny Otis's "Every Beat of My Heart," which attracted national attention and moved to number six on the R&B charts in July of 1961. By then, the group expanded to include cousins Edward Patten and Langston George along with Gladys, Bubba and William Guest Brenda Knight and Guest had left the group to be married. Gladys Knight and the Pips toured nationally with Jackie Wilson and Sam Cooke before Gladys was 13, but their 1957 recording debut with Brunswick went nowhere. They sang at supper clubs during the week and at church on Sundays. He lent the group his nickname to The Pips. Another cousin, James "Pip" Wood later suggested that they turn professional. In 1952, Gladys entertained her family by singing with ten-year-old brother Merald (known as "Bubba"), sister Brenda, and cousins William and Elenor Guest at Bubba's 10th birthday party. By age seven, with her mother's encouragement, Gladys appeared on Ted Mack's "The Original Amateur Hour" in 1952, where she won the first prize of $2,000 for singing Nat King Cole's "Too Young." Gladys then toured southern churches with the Morris Brown Choir of Atlanta, Georgia from 1950 through 1953, and she also performed in recitals at local churches and schools. She began singing gospel music at the Mount Moriah Baptist Church and had her first recital in 1948. Her parents were singers in the Wings Over Jordan gospel choir. Gladys Knight is a female vocalist best known for her work with the rhythm and blues group Gladys Knight and the Pips, but she has sustained her musical career through the course of more than four decades. Record company-MCA Records, Universal Music Group, 2220 Colorado Ave., Santa Monica, CA 90404. Addresses: Office-c/o Shakeji, Inc., 2700 East Sunset Rd., Ste. Education: Graduated from Shaw University with honors. and Elizabeth (Woods) married in 1960s (divorced) married Barry Hankerson, 1974, (divorced, 1979) married Les Brown, 1995 (divorced, circa 1997) married William McDowell, Apchildren: James (deceased), Kenya, Shanga-Ali. Born Gladys Maria Knight on May 28, 1944, in Atlanta, GA daughter of Merald, Sr.
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