Gladys Knight has certainly earned her moniker as the Empress of Soul, she a seven time Grammy winner, the voice behind many memorable hits and even recorded a Bond theme.

But the song LGBTIQA+ audiences love her for is That’s What’s Friends Are For, her 1985 charity single alongside Dionne Warwick, Elton John and Stevie Wonder raised millions for AIDS research.

Next week Knight will begin her final ever Australian tour and Perth is the first stop on her itinerary with a show at the Riverside Theatre on Tuesday 19th March.

Final tickets for the Perth show are on sale now.

After that she’ll head to Adelaide, Brisbane, The Gold Coast, Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney, before delivering two show in New Zealand in Wellington and Auckland.

The show will include many of her classic hits, and the singer has a lot to choose from, she recorded 38 albums during her long career with began with backing band The Pips.

Knight is remembered for much loved songs including I Heard it Through the Grapevine, Midnight Train to Georgia, Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me, I Don’t Want to Know, and the James Bond theme License to Kill. 

In the 1960s, Gladys Knight & The Pips signed with Motown Records and delivered a string of hit singles, including I Heard It Through the Grapevine and Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye).

The group’s success continued into the 1970s with chart-toppers like Midnight Train to Georgia, which won them a Grammy Award. Beyond her success with The Pips, Gladys Knight pursued a solo career that further showcased her vocal prowess. She continued to experiment with various genres, from pop to gospel.

In the 1970’s she collaborated with Curtis Mayfield, and in the early 1980’s she teamed up with Johnny Mathis, and then worked with writers Valerie Simpson and Nick Ashford. Many of the songs Knight recorded during this period have become DJ favourites.

Gladys Knight has continued to record and receive high praise for her work.  Her 1994 album Just for You saw her working with producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis famed for their work with Janet Jackson. She also collaborated with George Duke and Babyface.

Her 2006 album Before Me was released on the prestigious Verve jazz label and saw her paying homage to many female singers of the past.

OIP Staff

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