Gladys Knight, 82, said on Thursday night that she will ease into fewer performances as she moves into the next stage of her career and life. The change follows recent shows that raised questions about her health, and it arrives while she still has dates booked through November.
“After much soul searching I’ve decided that I will be easing into fewer performances while focusing on transitioning into the next stage of my career and life moving forward,” Knight said. She added, “I’ll be spending more time on projects with my husband and visiting with my grandbabies and am looking forward to this new era.”
75 years on the road
“I’d like to take a moment, in advance, to thank all my fans over this last three quarters of a century for making a little girl’s dream come true and supporting her every step of the way,” she said. Knight said her career began when she was 7 years old performing with the Pips, which is why this retreat is not a retirement notice so much as a measured reduction from a job that has stretched across generations.
Her next scheduled performance is Sept. 4 at the Riverfront Jazz Festival in Dallas. That gives ticket holders a clear marker for the transition: the pace is changing, but the public calendar still runs into November.
Hollywood Bowl and Fisher Theatre
The concern did not appear out of nowhere. At her July 25 concert at the Hollywood Bowl, Knight appeared to lose her place during “Midnight Train to Georgia,” turned her back to the crowd and began to walk offstage, and a backup singer reached for her arm before Knight shook off the attempt.
On Aug. 18, she took multiple breaks and appeared exhausted during a show at Detroit’s Fisher Theatre. Her April 25 performance with Smokey Robinson at Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas was described as more troubling, and tour staff became concerned that she was showing symptoms of dementia after that show.
William McDowell of
William McDowell said Knight has not been diagnosed with dementia and said she will see a doctor for an evaluation. He also said she wants to keep performing but has good days and bad, which lines up with the narrower message Knight put out on Thursday: fewer dates, not a full stop.
Last year, Shanga Hankerson accused McDowell of emotionally and financially abusing Knight and forcing her to perform, and Knight told The Post that her health and performances had been misrepresented. She said she was “healthy and happy.” The practical read now is simple: Knight is still working, but the schedule is being trimmed around health concerns that have already been visible onstage.
