Their breakthrough hit Stateside came later that same year with their original recording of "I Heard It Through The Grapevine", which became a million seller and a crossover smash that reached #2 on the Hot 100. Massive amounts of air play on pirate radio helped provide the group with their first UK chart hit, "Take Me In Your Arms And Love Me" in 1967. The audience response led to their being signed to Soul, one of Motown's subsidiary labels, where they charted again with "Everybody Needs Love" (#39) in the Fall of 1967. Live work continued, notably a spot on the Motown touring revue in 1966. The others spent this time in session work, re-emerging on the Maxx label in 1964 with "Giving It Up" (#38) before the label folded. Langston George quit, leaving the group with its permanent line-up, but Gladys left the group for two years in order to get married and start a family. It reached #6 on the Hot 100, while British rocker Billy Fury had a minor UK hit with a cover of it. R&B chart.ĭemand for live performances rose sharply as 1962's "Letter Full Of Tears" was the first single credited to Gladys Knight & The Pips. As Vee Jay re-issued the single, The Pips, now signed to the Fury label, had released a re-recording of the same song, and by mid-1961 both recordings were in the U.S. The following year, "Every Beat Of My Heart", originally written for Jackie Wilson, became their first minor hit on the Atlanta label Huntom, before the master tape was sold to the Vee Jay label in Chicago. Their replacements were Edward Patten, yet another cousin, and Langston George. King and Jackie Wilson, both Brenda Knight and Elenor Guest left the group in 1959 to get married. In later years the group would say that Pips stood for "Perfection In Performance." The Pips won a local talent contest and soon afterwards they were offered nightclub engagements, club appearances, and Gospel performances on Sundays.īy 1957, The Pips had made their recording debut for the Brunswick label, with the single "Whistle My Love". Taking his advice, they hired him as their manager and called themselves The Pips in his honor. Another cousin present, James 'Pip' Woods, suggested they sing together professionally. It was at Merald's tenth birthday party that Gladys, now eight, Merald, their sister Brenda, and two cousins, William and Elenor Guest, first sang together as a quintet. Gladys made her public singing debut at the Mount Mariah Baptist Church when she was only four, and had toured Florida and Alabama with The Morris Brown Choir before her fifth birthday. Their parents, Merald and Elizabeth, had both been members of Wings Over Jordan, one of Atlanta's foremost Gospel choirs. Gladys Knight and her brother Merald 'Bubba' Knight were born into a family rooted in singing.
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