Motown legend Gladys Knight grew up in Atlanta and sang her first recital in church at age 4. Her professional career began in 1950s performing with The Pips and since them she's won seven Grammys, released more than 40 albums and cemented her status as the empress of soul with hits such as 1973's Midnight Train to Georgia and That's What Friends Are For with Dionne and Friends aka Dionne Warwick, Elton John, Gladys Knight, and Stevie Wonder.
Her band also released the first recording of Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong's I Heard It Through the Grapevine.
She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, is listed as one of Rolling Stone magazine's 100 Greatest Singers of All Time.and has been inducted into the Rock ’N’ Roll Hall of Fame
She will perform with a nine-piece band at a sold out show at the Civic Theatre in Auckland on Thursday 13 February, and at Christchurch's Town Hall on Saturday 15 February.
Gladys Knight Photo: supplied
