Sunday Diva / Three From the Hip: Gladys Knight

Sunday Diva / Three From the Hip: Gladys Knight

In my own personal big gay church, there is a wing devoted to the sainted known as The Working Girls. Typically, these women have had long, varied careers; hosting shows, acting in movies and on television, doing variety shows, Vegas and working for a cause. They are legends because they have earned it.

One such diva? Why it's 'The Empress of Soul'.

Gladys Knight.

A voice as powerfully soulful as the center of this earth. I don't know where it all comes from, but the woman is truly and deeply connected. Like butter melting on a biscuit while you are nice and cozy, wrapped up in your favorite blanket.

There are very few performers whose career has five acts. 

But you can count 'em.

The Soul (Motown) Years (1966-1972) 

16 Top 40 Hits (4 Top Ten), 20 Top 40 R&B Hits (15 Top Ten, 4 #1's)

The Buddha Years (1973-1978)

9 Top 40 Hits (4 Top Ten, 1 #1), 16 Top 40 R&B (11 Top Ten, 4 #1's), 2 Grammys

The Columbia/MCA Years (1979-1985)

1 Top 40 Hit, 10 Top 40 R&B Hits (5 Top Ten, 1 #1), 1 Grammy

The Solo Years (1986-1998)

2 Top 40 Hits (1 #1 - w/Dionne Warwick, Elton John, and Stevie Wonder), 6 Top Ten R&B Hits (1 #1 w/Dionne Warwick, Elton John, and Stevie Wonder), 5 Top 40 A/C Hits ((1 #1 w/Dionne Warwick, Elton John, and Stevie Wonder), 1 Grammy

The Gospel Years (1998-Present)

3 Grammys

So that's a total of 7 Grammys, plus 6 #1 R&B Albums, and 7 American Music Awards! 

When you have spent as much time as she has in the industry, you would think one has to get pretty tough with other people.... but not this lady. I don't think there is a living soul with something bad to say about dear Gladys.

The gospel according to her?

Well, here are three from the hip, dropping from her lips.

The topic: Life

"That's part of your life lesson to be afraid. The bigger question is how you deal with being afraid. Do you have to summon courage or something else to live with that fear without letting it take you over?"

"I know those challenges that come up from time to time in life are our little learning tools, our little steppingstones. If we didn't have those things in our life, how would we learn anything? We would just be walking around like nothing. We need those obstacles in our life because I know one thing - I'm a much better person for them."

"Love is what makes the world go around. I know it's a big cliché to use, but it is the absolute truth. There is nothing else like it. I know that is what everybody is striving to feel: in relationships, in brother- and sisterhood, and in all of the things that we aspire to have in our lives."

 "Hits Medley" on The Ed Sullivan Show

Gladys Knight & The Pips

Medley: (You Have Got To Use Your) Imagination, 

Midnight Train to Georgia, I Feel A Song (In My Heart) 

- Gladys Knight and the Pips

Men - Gladys Knight

And one last parting shot:

"Nobody has a perfect anything. We don't have perfect lives. 

We're not perfect beings."