Gladys Maria Knight, an American singer-songwriter and actress, is regarded as the “Empress of Soul.” Gladys Knight, a seventy-one-year-old singer who goes by the stage name Gladys Knight, will cement her place in the industry by achieving massive success. She is a true legend whose career and achievements have inspired many people. She had a number of hits during the 1960s and 1970s, which helped her gain prominence.
Quick Facts of Gladys Knight
| Date of Birth | May 28, 1944 |
|---|---|
| Age | 76 Years |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Singer & Songwriter |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Husband/Spouse | William McDowell (m. 2001), Les Brown (m. 1995–1997), Barry Hankerson (1974-1979), James Newman (1960-1973) |
| Divorced | Yes (Thrice) |
| Gay/Lesbian | No |
| Net Worth | $28 million dollars (Estimated) |
| Ethnicity | African-American |
| Social Media | Facebook, Twitter, Instagram |
| Children/Kids | Shanga Hankerson & James Newman III (Sons), Kenya Newman (Daughter) |
| Height | 5 Feet 3½ Inches (161 cm) |
| Education | Shaw University |
| Parents | Merald Woodlow Knight, Sr. (Father), Sarah Elizabeth Woods (Mother) |
| Siblings | David Knight & Merald “Bubba” Knight (Brothers), Brenda Knight (Sister) |
Gladys Knights’ Net Worth and Career As a seven-time Grammy Award recipient, Knights earns a respectable living and has a staggering net worth of $28 million.
In February 2018, she and her husband sold their Las Vegas home for $720,000. Gladys and her husband purchased the house in 1997 for $695,000 after it was built in 1971. The home, which is situated on a half-acre of land and spans 6,500 square feet, features six bedrooms, four bathrooms, a recording studio, a sunken living room, cathedral wood ceilings, and several other amenities.
She discovered her singing abilities at a young age and was able to captivate people with her mesmerizing voice. Knight won Ted Mack’s Original Amateur Hour TV show contest when she was seven years old, which helped her gain modest success. Meanwhile, she and her sister Brenda, brother Merald, and cousins Elenor Guest and William founded the Pips, a musical group that began touring by the end of the decade.
She was also called “The Masked Singer.” She appeared in the show wearing a bee mask. Gladys performed Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me” in the finale.
Gladys’ Husband, Divorce, And Children!
In terms of her personal life, she has been married four times and is the mother of three children. The knight married James Newman, her high school partner, for the first time in 1960. James “Jimmy” Newman, her son, was born in the year 1962. Kenya, a daughter, was born in 1963. Her feelings for her high school sweetheart grew stronger by the day.
Unfortunately, she divorced her husband, James, in 1973. James was a musician who, according to reports, became addicted to drugs and abandoned his family. Within a few years of being divorced from Gladys, he died.
Gladys’ son, Jimmy, handled her career under his own company Newman Management Inc after her divorce from late husband James, but he died tragically in 1997 of heart failure. He was discovered dead in his Las Vegas home while sleeping.
She married Barry Hankerson, the founder of Background Records and a producer by trade, a year after she spilled with James. She has a son called Shanga Hankerson with her ex-husband Hankerson. Knight and Barry Hankerson divorced in 1981.
She married motivational speaker Les Brown for the second time in 1995, but they divorced in 1997 after two years of marriage. Gladys Knight married William McDowell in the year G2001, and they have sixteen grandchildren and six great-grandchildren together.
Biography of Gladys Knight
Gladys Knight was born in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1944, and her birthday is May 28. She is of Afro-American ancestry and is a citizen of the United States. She has a height of 5 feet and 3 inches.
Merald Woodlow Knight, Sr., a postal worker, and Sarah Elizabeth Knight gave birth to her.
