October 22, 2007
By Lesego Madumo
THE legendary Gladys Knight will be on South African shores for a four-concert tour at the end of the month.
The seven-times Grammy Award winning R&B singer kicks off her tour in Johannesburg at Northgate's Coca-Cola Dome on Friday, 26 October. From there, she heads off to the Superbowl in Sun City on Saturday, 27 October and the Grand West in Cape Town on Tuesday, 30 and Wednesday, 31 October.
Soul, jazz and gospel artist Swazi Dlamini, winner of a South African Music Award (Sama) for best female artist, is the support act. Dlamini has also won a Kora Award for the most promising female artist.
Organisers have described Knight as an "unassailable" musician whose artistry has had no match over the past five decades. Her South Africa tour is presented by Sponono Entertainment, SABC3 and Metro FM.
Knight was born in Atlanta, in the US state of Georgia, on 28 May 1944. She has reached number one status worldwide with hits in the pop, R&B, and adult contemporary categories, and is recognised as one of the greatest female singers of her time.
She started performing when she was four years old, singing gospel music at the Mount Mariah Baptist Church in her hometown. At seven, she won a grand prize on Ted Mark's Amateur Hour, a US television talent search show. Later Knight, her brother, sister and cousins formed The Pips.
After seven years, some members of The Pips left the group, which was later renamed Gladys Knight and The Pips. On the group's debut album, 16-year-old Knight was lead vocalist. Gladys Knight and The Pips went on to achieve iconic status, with songs that defined romantic music in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s.
In South Africa, Knight is expected to perform the all-time classics I Heard It Through The Grapevine and her smash hit Midnight Train to Georgia. These songs catapulted Knight and the Pips to stardom; making them the biggest R&B vocal group in the world.
Today, Knight is the R&B queen, with more than 10 albums and over 13 hit songs to her name, one of which was the song That's What Friends Are For she performed with fellow legends Stevie Wonder and Dionne Warwick. It was used as the theme song of the James Bond movie Licence to Kill.
Gladys Knight is playing at the Coca-Cola Dome in Northgate on 26 October; the concert is seating only. Ticket prices range from R360 to R495 each and are available at Computicket outlets, on 083 915 8000, or on the Computicket website. For more information call Sponono Entertainment on 011 884 1613.
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