Gladys Knight Net Worth: Biography Career and Many More
Gladys Knight Net Worth
$8 Million
What is Gladys Knight Net Worth?
Gladys Knight net worth the “Empress of Soul,” is a $8 million-net-worth American singer, songwriter, actor, and businesswoman. Her music career began at 8 when she sang with her siblings in ‘The Pips.’ The quartet became famous for opening for Jackie Wilson and Sam Cooke. After Motown, they moved to Buddah Records in 1973 and succeeded in mainstream music.
Gladys Knight and the Pips released “Midnight Train to Georgia.” in 1973. In 1975, the trio hosted a TV special and Knight appeared in “Pipe Dreams” in 1976, for which they created the music.
The trio released their final album, “All Our Love,” on MCA Records in 1988, containing the Grammy-winning “Love Overboard.” As a solo artist, Gladys Knight recorded the title theme for the 1989 James Bond film “Licence to Kill” with Dionne Warwick and Patti Labelle.
Gladys Knight’s personal life includes marriages and struggles. At 16, she married Jimmy Newman and had two children. Poor drug addict Newman left the family and died. Her second marriage to Barry Hankerson dissolved in 1979 after a five-year custody struggle with Shanga. The 1995-1997) marriage of Knight and motivational speaker Les Brown ended in 1997. In 2001, she married corporate consultant William McDowell.
Earnings & Financial Data
| Date | Category | Description | Amount |
| 1993 | Record Sales | Just for You (certified gold by RIAA) | $500,000 |
| 1989 | Record Sales | Greatest Hits (certified gold by RIAA) | $500,000 |
| 1988 | Record Sales | The Singles Album (certified gold by BPI) | $100,000 |
| 1986 | Record Sales | All Our Love with Gladys Knight & the Pips (certified gold by RIAA) | $500,000 |
| 1982 | Record Sales | Visions with Gladys Knight & the Pips (certified gold by RIAA) | $500,000 |
| 1979 | Record Sales | The Touch of Love (certified silver by BPI) | $60,000 |
| 1976 | Record Sales | 30 Greatest Hits (certified platinum by BPI) | $300,000 |
| 1975 | Record Sales | The Best of Gladys Knight & the Pips (certified gold by BPI) | $100,000 |
| 1974 | Record Sales | 2nd Anniversary with Gladys Knight & the Pips (certified gold by RIAA) | $500,000 |
| 1973 | Record Sales | I Feel a Song with Gladys Knight & the Pips (certified gold by RIAA and silver by BPI) | $560,000 |
| 1973 | Record Sales | Claudine soundtrack album with Gladys Knight & the Pips (certified gold by RIAA) | $500,000 |
| 1972 | Record Sales | Neither One of Us with Gladys Knight & the Pips (over 2.5 million copies sold) | $2,500,000 |
| 1972 | Record Sales | Imagination with Gladys Knight & the Pips (certified gold by RIAA) | $500,000 |
Gladys Knight Early Life
Merald Woodlow Knight Sr. and Sarah Elizabeth had Gladys Knight on May 29, 1944, in Atlanta, Georgia. Her postal worker father. Knight grew up with her sister and two brothers, one of whom died. Knight was raised in the church choir in the 1940s and 1950s due to the family’s strong church commitment.
Gladys Knight formed the Pips in 1952 with one of her brothers, a sister, and their cousins. The group entered Atlanta talent shows and won every time. Gladys Knight and the Pips’ music career was shaped by this early success.
Biography
| Category | Information |
| Net Worth | $8M |
| Born | May 29, 1944, Atlanta, Georgia. |
| Early Life | From a musical family, sang in church choir in the 1940s and 1950s. Created “The Pips” in 1952. |
| Music Career | – Joined Brunswick Records in 1957. – Joined Motown in 1966. – Moved to Buddah Records in 1973. – Grammy-winning single “Midnight Train to Georgia” in 1973. – Successful solo career. |
| Personal Life | Marriages to Jimmy Newman, Barry Hankerson, Les Brown, and William McDowell. Recovered from gambling. Turned Mormon in 1997. |
| Real Estate | – 1997 Las Vegas home acquisition. Sold for $720,000 in 2018. – Henderson golf course homeowner. – Purchased a 20-acre Fairview, North Carolina farm in 2007. |
| Business Ventures | Converting Reynolds High School in Canton, North Carolina, into a community center. Owns Gladys Knight’s Chicken and Waffles in Atlanta (closed 2016). |
| Honours | – 7 Grammys. – Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 1995. – Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 1996. – Winner of 2007 ELLA Award. – “Empress of Soul.” |
| Film/TV Career | Starred in “Benson,” “The Jeffersons,” “A Different World,” and “The Masked Singer.” |
| Children | James Gaston Newman III (record label executive), Kenya Newman (Kenya’s Cakes owner), and Shanga Hankerson (former Gladys Knight’s Chicken and Waffles owner). |
| Philanthropy | Promotes diabetes awareness, child advocacy, and underprivileged community activities. |
| Career Highlights | Seven-year-old “Ted Mack’s Original Amateur Hour” grand prize. 1960s Motown Records triumph. Grammy winner “Midnight Train to Georgia.” Many top-charting albums. |
| Current Status | Active in music, real estate, and community development. Keeps giving to charities. |
The Pips
In 1957, Brunswick Records signed Gladys Knight & the Pips. Their 1959 exit from the label was due to their failure to chart. Gladys Knight & the Pips returned to the “Billboard” charts in 1961 with Fury Records’ “Every Beat of My Heart” single.
Gladys Knight left the ensemble to establish a family in the early 1960s but rejoined in 1964. The quartet signed with Motown Records in 1966 and had several singles in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1973, they left Motown for Buddah Records for a better contract.
They won a Grammy for “Midnight Train to Georgia,” a chart-topper. After many hits, the group split in the late 1970s due to legal concerns.
Solo Career
Gladys Knight released her first solo album, “Miss Gladys Knight,” on Buddah Records in 1978 and “Gladys Knight” on Columbia Records in 1979. Gladys Knight & the Pips recorded their last LP in 1987 after a brief revival in the early 1980s.
Watch Singer Gladys Knight on launching new album Share by CBS Mornings
The Pips’ success and “That’s What Friends Are For,” featuring Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder, and Elton John, boosted her solo career. She recorded the 1989 James Bond film “Licence to Kill.” theme.
Gladys Knight’s most successful solo album, “Good Woman,” topped the R&B chart in 1991. Her next album, “Just for You,” was a 1995 Grammy nominee for Best R&B Album. Her 2014 album, “Where My Heart Belongs,” was her 30th top-40 R&B album, including efforts with the Pips.
Film/TV/Awards
Gladys Knight has been in films and TV shows in addition to music. She guest-starred in “Benson,” “The Jeffersons,” “A Different World,” “Living Single,” and “New York Undercover.” She also appeared on “The Masked Singer” in 2019.
Her music business achievements have earned her many prizes. Knight received a Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 1995. Gladys Knight & the Pips into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame the next year. In 2007, the Society of Singers awarded her the ELLA Award and named her “Empress of Soul,” a designation that has suited her career. The “Rolling Stone” ranking includes her as a legendary singer. Knight received Kennedy Centre Honours in 2022.
She has won seven Grammys, four solo and three with Gladys Knight & the Pips.
Personal Life
Gladys Knight’s life is filled with love, hardship, and faith. She had four marriages, each adding to her rich life. She married Atlanta pianist James Newman at 16 and experienced a complicated relationship until 1973. They survived Newman’s addiction and custody battles.
Knight married Barry Hankerson, founder of Blackground Records, in 1974 and had a son in 1976. The union disbanded in 1979 after legal processes. Her 1995 marriage to motivational speaker Lee Brown ended in divorce in 1997. Since 2001, she has been with William McDowell and has raised seventeen grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. Fairview, North Carolina is their home.
After a big baccarat loss, Gladys Knight confronted her gambling problem. Gambler’s Anonymous helped me overcome this difficulty.
From Baptist to Catholic, her spiritual journey is varied. Knight became a Mormon in 1997. Her fun relationship with LDS president Gordon B. Hinckley inspired the Grammy-winning Saints Unified Voices gospel choir.
Real Estate
Gladys Knight’s real estate business shows her diversified lifestyle. Her $695,00 Las Vegas home purchase in 1997 was a major investment. This property, featuring a basement recording studio, was difficult to sell. Knight sold the house for $720,000 in 2018. The property sold despite its unique customisations.
Gladys Knight and her husband own a Henderson golf course home, demonstrating their Nevada connection.
Knight bought a 20-acre Fairview, North Carolina farm in 2007. This migration shows a desire for a peaceful and expansive lifestyle, which North Carolina’s natural beauty and tranquilly can provide. Her various interests and love of a pastoral lifestyle are reflected in the farm.
Reynolds High School Renovation
Gladys Knight and William McDowell bought a Canton, North Carolina high school in 2015. McDowell attended this high school, making it historic. It was one of North Carolina’s few African American schools at the time.
The pair wants to turn the property into a community centre for the locals. They created a $5 million foundation to fund this big effort. The project is ongoing, but it shows their dedication to community development and heritage preservation. Once completed, the community centre will be a hub for events and services, benefiting Canton.
Gladys Knight Is Also A Devoted Mother Of Three
The Georgia native began her musical career in the church before joining Motown Records as Gladys Knight and The Pips’ lead singer. With Sam Cooke and Jackie Wilson, the trio recorded singles like “Midnight Train to Georgia,” “Neither One of Us,” and “You’re The Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me.”
Besides singing, Knight acted in “Hawaii Five-O” and “Hollywood Homicide,” according to IMDb.
Knight’s compelling Verzuz duel with Patti Labelle has revived her appeal, especially among younger people.
With such a distinguished career, Gladys Knight, your favourite auntie’s favourite singer, has a $28 million net worth, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Knight is a loving mother and grandma beyond music. Details on Gladys Knight’s three children follow.
James Gaston Newman III
James Gaston Newman III, a 1962 University of San Diego graduate, became a record label executive and talent agent. He died tragically in 1999, according to The Las Vegas Sun. After his unexpected death, Micheline and his five children continue James Newman III’s legacy.
Kenya Newman
Kenya Newman, born in 1963, is one of Gladys Knight’s children who purposefully keeps a low profile. Kenya’s Cakes, a Las Vegas bakery, is her new venture. Kenya pursues her entrepreneurial dream, making a reputation for herself in the culinary world.
Shanga Hankerson
As owner of Gladys Knight’s Chicken and Waffles in Atlanta, Shanga Hankerson, Gladys Knight’s third child and second son, acquired fame. This culinary venture ended in 2016 when the restaurant closed. Shanga’s entrepreneurial ventures, albeit difficult, marked the family’s business history.
Five Interesting Facts about Gladys Knight
- Early Recognition: Gladys Knight’s extraordinary talent was evident from a young age, as she clinched the grand prize on the television show “Ted Mack’s Original Amateur Hour” at the age of seven, captivating audiences with her powerful voice.
- Motown Journey: A pivotal moment in Knight’s career occurred in 1966 when she signed with Motown Records. This collaboration resulted in a string of hits, solidifying her status as a prominent figure in the music industry.
- Versatile Performer: Beyond her musical achievements, Gladys Knight showcased her acting prowess in films such as “Pipe Dreams” and “Twenty Bucks.” She also had a recurring role on the popular TV series “The Jamie Foxx Show.”
- Compassionate Philanthropy: Knight extends her influence beyond the stage, actively supporting various charitable causes. Her philanthropic endeavors focus on issues such as diabetes awareness, child advocacy, and initiatives for underprivileged communities.
- Distinguished Recognition: Over the course of her illustrious career, Gladys Knight has garnered significant recognition, including seven Grammy Awards, induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Gladys Knight, the “Empress of Soul,” shaped the music industry and beyond. Her $8 million career as a singer, composer, actor, and businesswoman shows resilience, talent, and variety.
Gladys Knight’s contributions to Motown and Buddah Records, from her early days singing with “The Pips” to “Midnight Train to Georgia,” have made her a music legend. Her solo work, including the James Bond theme “Licence to Kill,” shows her longevity.
Gladys Knight navigates marriages, struggles, and victories off the stage with strength and faith. As a mother and grandma, she values family.
Gladys Knight’s real estate projects from Las Vegas to North Carolina, where she and her husband are refurbishing Reynolds High School into a community centre.
Knight’s diabetes awareness and child advocate philanthropy show her dedication to making a difference beyond music.
Gladys Knight’s three children, each successful in their careers, continue her legacy. The compelling Verzuz duel with Patti Labelle has revived her appeal, especially among younger audiences.
Gladys Knight’s career, accomplishments, and contributions to life demonstrate a wonderful woman whose influence extends beyond her deep lyrics. Gladys Knight is a music and entertainment star with a $8 million net worth and a decades-long history.
