After three quarters of a century under the spotlight, Gladys Knight is ready to take things a little slower.
Knight announced on Instagram on Thursday that she will be performing less, and will focus on other areas. The official statement reads: “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. I’ll be spending more time on projects with my husband and visiting with my grandbabies and am looking forward to this new era.”
For fans of the singer of hits like “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” and “Midnight Train to Georgia,” this decision does not come as too big a surprise. There have been reports over the last several months of her relying heavily on backup singers during performances, missing cues and wandering around the stage as if she’s lost. The iconic R&B singer has still been touring regularly at the age of 82.
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During her July 25 show at the Hollywood Bowl, she began to walk offstage in the middle of performing one of her biggest hits “Midnight Train to Georgia,” and handed off other lead parts to backup singers, Billboard reported.
Her husband, William McDowell, told TMZ that Knight wants to keep performing, but some days are better than others. “No one is ever gonna make me say, ‘My wife is well,’ but all she wants to do is sing,” he said. He added that she has not yet been diagnosed with dementia but they will be seeing a doctor soon for an evaluation.
Knight’s son Shanga Hankerson raised concerns both last year and back in 2016 that his mother was suffering from dementia, telling Good Morning America in 2025, “I don’t want my mom out on tour, on a tour bus, wondering where she’s at.”
Despite concerns, Knight’s social media statement assured fans this is not the end. “I hope to see your smiling faces out and about and on the road. God bless all of you and hope to see you soon,” she wrote.
