Gladys Knight has issued a statement after recent concern over her recent erratic performances, saying she will cut back from doing live shows and move into the next phase of her career.
“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,” the 82-year-old soul legend shared on Instagram, adding that she intends to spend more time on projects with her husband and “visiting with my grandbabies.”
Knight continued by thanking her fans from “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 concluded the statement by saying, “I hope to see your smiling faces out and about and on the road.”
A few months ago, fans on reddit shared their concerns about Knight’s performances, saying that “she still sounds incredible,” but had issues remembering her lyrics and also exhibited other signs of cognitive decline.
In a July review of Knight’s show at the Hollywood Bowl with Smokey Robinson, Billboard editor Paul Grein wrote: “She barely got through this show, and only by leaning heavily on her backup singers. Artists need to know when it’s time to bow out gracefully.”
Last August, Knight’s son, Shanga Hankerson, raised his own concerns about his mother’s cognitive health. He even filed a complaint of elder abuse against Knight’s husband, William McDowell.
However, Knight and her publicist pushed back against what they called “unfounded allegations,” saying she was “doing very well for someone who has been on stage for three quarters of a century.”
Earlier this week, McDowell told TMZ that Knight has her ups and downs, but has currently not been diagnosed with dementia. “No one is ever gonna make me say, ‘My wife is well,’ but all she wants to do is sing,” he said.
McDowell added that he is building a facility near their home in North Carolina so she can continue performing without being on the road.
@michelleshimohara We saw the legendary Gladys Knight with Smokey Robinson. Poor thing, she seems like she is not well. When she did sing 🎤 , she sounded amazing. Big hugs and prayers to Gladys Knight
