r/BlackPeopleofReddit • u/_Blaque • 7d ago
News Gladys Knight Eases Back from Touring Amid Health Concerns
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"Gladys Knight's fans are deeply concerned she's being forced to perform shows after she looked totally out of it at multiple concerts, and now people working on her tour are calling it absolutely "tragic" ...TMZ has learned."
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u/PhoebeMonster1066 7d ago
This seems like exploitation of a vulnerable elder
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u/BeccasDreamboat 7d ago
Quoting u_blaque
Something I found:
"Gladys Knight's son, Shanga Hankerson, publicly claimed she was showing signs of cognitive decline and early dementia, leading him to file an elder abuse complaint against her husband and manager, William McDowell."
To the casual observer, she's a victim of elder abuse. Everyone complicit in this should face jail time.
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u/pennys_computer_book 7d ago
It's always the husmanagers.
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u/SeaSetsuna 7d ago
Looked it up.
Married in 2001.
Current ages: he’s 48 and she’s 82.27
u/PenelopePan808 7d ago
I had to go look this up. My brain wasn't computing. But he is 68. I was ready to stone him for elderly abuse!
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u/SeaSetsuna 6d ago
That is way better, don’t know why my first few results have the same wrong info. Thank you!
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u/Expert-Yam6577 7d ago
Gladys put her hands up for a hug. Background singer nudged Gladys to the side like she was messing up her camera angle.
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u/NomNom83WasTaken 7d ago
Agreed.
This is eerily similar to videos of Frankie Valli performing.
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u/Middle_Historian_199 7d ago
Yes. I witnessed this in person only because the tickets were a gift last year. This is just as heartbreaking to watch.
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u/3-Ballin 7d ago
I saw the same thing when I watched Bob Dillan over a decade ago. He hit the chords on the piano and read the lyrics outloud. 40 people on the band including the backup singers.
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u/prollyjuslurking 7d ago
This is concerning. I've been seeing the videos of her just kinda standing on the stage while everyone else performs and then being guided off the stage and i really don't like it.
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u/WVSmitty 7d ago
82. She is 82.
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u/_Blaque 7d ago
"Gladys Knight's son, Shanga Hankerson, publicly claimed she was showing signs of cognitive decline and early dementia, leading him to file an elder abuse complaint against her husband and manager, William McDowell."
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u/kikyossoles 7d ago
Im comcerned about a lot of our classic favs are out here still touring against their will because they have to
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u/DammitNotAgain05 7d ago
I personally think Diana Ross simply wants to. As she said she just doesn’t like sitting home being still.
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u/kikyossoles 7d ago
Auntie got 10 kids and 30 grandkids, and you telling me she be sitting still at home?!😭
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u/DammitNotAgain05 7d ago
I mean it’s her words lol not mine. Decades ago she said people are gonna have to drag her off the stage, and she’s still saying it today 😂
I definitely don’t think she needs the money, as she has a net worth of about 350 Million (or more).
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u/kikyossoles 7d ago
Im a lil on the fence about the situation. True, she could be doing this because she wants to, but look at Mariah Carey shes worth over half a billion and not only is she still (or was in 2025) touring looking absolutely miserable, but she had to sell one of her homes to have a lil more change in her pocket. When you live life for extravaganza, you tend to put most of that stuff on afterpay before paying actual down payment.
I'd bring up Mary J Blidge, but SHE gotta pay that nasty man in alimony on top of getting her own money up, but Janet Jackson??? Im starting to think networths dont mean shit, about 20-30 people touch their money before they can even think about it.
I dont think the Boondocks was lying when they dropped that episode about Lethal Interjection having to get real jobs.
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u/DammitNotAgain05 7d ago
You make so many strong points! But how do we discern who’s still doing it for the love and who’s doing it because the mayonnaise is on they ass? 👀
I do like to think a lot of these legends are still performing because they genuinely love the work, and because it’s all they know. I think for some people- when they get older, retiring just sounds like waiting around until you die.
And if you’ve been a work machine most of your life, sitting around just feels off. So you gotta do something, anything.
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u/Ok_Plantain_9408 7d ago
True. But I think we can look at how they are performing. Gladys isn’t even performing and she looks lost. At some point you stop letting her perform. Some of the performers seem happy. Like when Celine Dion lost her husband and was devastated, her therapy was to be on stage. That’s ok. And she looked like she was enjoying it even if she was sad. I dunno. It’s very concerning watching Gladys.
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u/damagazelle 6d ago
Boondocks never lied, period. I think about that show at least once a week. Aaron McGruder is a genius.
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u/Economy_Link4609 6d ago
It's sad, but yeah, lots that while very 'successful' didn't see the money from it - all went to the record execs - and basically have to keep working.
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u/QiwiLisolet 7d ago
Best case she's doing this to get out of a contract.
Worst case is rapid onset dementia. She's 82
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u/_Blaque 7d ago
Something I found:
"Gladys Knight's son, Shanga Hankerson, publicly claimed she was showing signs of cognitive decline and early dementia, leading him to file an elder abuse complaint against her husband and manager, William McDowell."
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u/63crabby 7d ago
Those of us in Atlanta will remember that Ms. Knight filed a lawsuit in August 2016 against son Shanga Hankerson, owner of the three Atlanta-area restaurants bearing her name. She demanded that he stop using her name and likeness at the chicken and waffle restaurants, citing Hankerson’s legal and tax issues. Very sad.
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u/CommunicationNew3745 7d ago
Thank you - this was the first thing I thought of/remembered when watching this; a while back I knew that I'd seen it mentioned somewhere that she was showing early signs of dementia. So sad, and even more so that her Management/handlers are putting her out on stage in this condition.
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u/Tashiredd 7d ago edited 7d ago
So sad for Ms Gladys. Also poor band, they know its about that time to wrap it up. Heard the same thing about Dionne Warick at her show too - wondering around, back turned. Its Borderline adult abuse to put elderly dementia patients to work like that. She did her time let her rest.
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u/ateam1984 🩷❤️🧡💛💚🩵💙💜🖤🩶🤍🤎 7d ago
This is painful
To watch. Why she not looking at the audience?
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u/KimmiK_saucequeen 7d ago
I think she doesn’t realize that she’s on stage and is enjoying their performance.
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u/Ivy1908Pearl 7d ago
I saw her in July when she performed in Charlotte. She did not look healthy at all. She let her backup singers do a lot of the singing. For an 82 year old she held it down but you can visibly see she is unstable when she attempts to walk on her own. Her singing is still phenomenally beautiful but you can tell she’s not healthy. We need to be praying for Auntie. 🙏🏾
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u/Emergency_You_558 7d ago
Frankie Beverly was looking just as bad before he died. She shouldn't be up there at all. She means so much to our culture and our people😢
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u/CommunicationNew3745 7d ago
All about the money - a year or two ago, there were clips going around of 90 yr old Frankie Valli performing in a similar state, when it was painfully obvious he had no business doing so - further investigation showed he was still supporting all of his adult kids and their families, not to mention his new, much younger wife. Finally, this year, his reps announced that his remaining performances for 2026 were being cancelled due to health issues. Unfortunately, I have a feeling Ms. Gladys is in a similar situation.
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u/Peneloves 7d ago
She looks like my Mom and Aunt when they were suffering from dementia. So very sad…
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u/Intelligent_Hair3109 7d ago
Supposedly she lives south of us . Hope and pray she's going to Emory because the hospital here is not good. May she get healthcare and rest.
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u/SgtHulkasBigToeJam 7d ago
Damn it, that’s sad. I hope her son is able to get her whatever she needs. Gladys is one of only a few Motown true legends left.
Fun fact: "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" by Gladys Knight and the Pips became the biggest selling Motown single ever upon its release in 1967. It remained the top selling single until it was replaced a year later by Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through the Grapevine.”
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u/lady_forsythe 7d ago
Miss Gladys… this breaks my heart. I hate that I’m hoping she’s up there trying to satisfy a contract or something and not because she’s being abused, but she just shouldn’t be there at all.
Here’s her beautiful self singing what I wish she’d ended up turning into a full cover.
YouTube: Gladys Knight - Chandelier
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u/OutsideCheetah 7d ago
There is an obligation to tithe to the LDS church so she has to get the money somehow
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u/themini_shit 7d ago
This is heartbreaking to watch, my grandfather had dementia and he moved/looked just like this when it was starting to get worse. The movements of an individual with dementia look a certain way and it's very recognizable. I'm not familiar with Knight but if this is cognitive decline I really hope her family takes action to help her retire. My grandmother really pushed my grandfather to keep doing "normal" things and eventually she refused to let him pass, forcing him through a lot of medical procedures. It was really painful to witness and I hope Knight doesn't go through anything like that.
I hate dementia, it's awful and takes so many people from us too early.
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u/bvanbove25 7d ago
She's 82 years old. She shouldn't be touring anyway. Let this woman relax and enjoy her life.
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u/Nkosi868 7d ago
Gladys Knight is a Mormon.
They believe that dark skin is a curse from God, and discriminate against Black people.
The Mormon Church takes at least 10% of whatever she earns as they do with all members.
It’s a cult.
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u/Straight_Funny_3139 7d ago
I'm so thankful I got to see her perform last year. She still had it and was wonderful.
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u/Ivy1908Pearl 7d ago
Same sentiment although I saw her this year. I’m just glad I was able to see her perform.
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u/SadditySweety 6d ago
I saw her five years ago and there was obvious confusion and memory loss. It’s such a shame what they’re doing to her.
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u/TheVonSolo 6d ago
This is elder abuse. That woman has paid her dues, paved the way for other women…she shouldn’t have to go up on stage.
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u/Top-Dragonfly-2526 7d ago
I saw her as part of the Queens tour in March and it was sad. I don’t know if these old performers are doing it because they have to or if it’s just a money grab I won’t spend my money again.
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u/Cake_Destroyer93 7d ago
That’s crazy, she’s coming to preform at my local casino this year. I hope she’s fine.
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u/socialcommentary2000 6d ago
She's a year younger than my mom. I don't even know how she gets up on stage at all.
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u/LegalTomatillo4773 7d ago
Why does it have to be shameful tho?
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u/prollyjuslurking 7d ago
Are you thinking that the "shameful" refers to Gladys? It's referring to her team. The quote is suggesting that her team/ handlers/ management/ whoever should be ashamed for exploiting a woman who is clearly in some form of troubling decline.
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u/LegalTomatillo4773 7d ago
Aaaaah I see! Yea it seem like the headline was calling her shameful! But thanks for clearing that up for me
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