Gladys Knight & the Pips were an American R&B/soul/funk family music group from Atlanta, Georgia, that remained active on the music charts and performing circuit for over three decades.
Starting out as simply The Pips in 1952, derived from a cousin’s nickname, the founding members were Gladys Knight, brother Merald “Bubba” Knight, sister Brenda Knight and cousins Eleanor Guest and William Guest. After a couple of years performing in talent shows, the group signed with Brunswick Records in 1957, recording a couple of singles that failed to chart. Brenda Knight and Eleanor Guest eventually left the group and were replaced by another cousin, Edward Patten, and a non-relative, Langston George in 1959. This lineup produced the group’s first hit single, “Every Beat of My Heart”. After the single was released on three different labels, they changed their name to Gladys Knight & the Pips in 1961. Langston George left the same year and Gladys Knight left in 1962 to start a family with musician Jimmy Newman. Knight rejoined in 1964 and this lineup continued until the group’s disbandment in 1989.
The group reached commercial success after signing with Motown Records in 1966. After a year and a half, the group recorded the first hit single version of “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” in 1967, which led to several hit singles for Motown’s Soul Records label, including “Nitty Gritty”, “Friendship Train”, “If I Were Your Woman”, “I Don’t Want to Do Wrong” and the Grammy-winning “Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)”, before leaving the label for Buddah Records in 1973. At Buddah, they recorded the hits “Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me”, “I’ve Got to Use My Imagination”, “I Feel a Song (In My Heart)” and their Grammy-winning and number-one hit single, “Midnight Train to Georgia”. In 1974, they recorded the soundtrack to the successful film Claudine with producer Curtis Mayfield, which included the songs “On and On”, “The Makings of You” and “Make Yours a Happy Home”. Contractual difficulties with their labels forced the group to record side projects from 1977 until 1980 when they signed with Columbia Records. Later hits included “Landlord”, “Save the Overtime (For Me)” and the Grammy-winning single “Love Overboard”. In 1989, the group disbanded with the Pips retiring and Knight embarking on a successful solo career.
Gladys Knight & the Pips are multiple Grammy and American Music Award winners and are inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 1996 and 2001 respectively.
| 1 | Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me | 1974 |
| 2 | Midnight Train to Georgia | 1973 |
| 3 | The Way We Were / “Try to Remember” | 1975 |
| 4 | Didn’t You Know (You’d Have to Cry Sometime) | 1969 |
| 5 | Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye) | 1972 |
| 6 | So Sad the Song | 1976 |
| 7 | Part Time Love | 1975 |
| 8 | I Wish It Would Rain | 1968 |
| 9 | Help Me Make It Through the Night | 1967 |
| 10 | Love Overboard | 1987 |
| 11 | I Feel a Song (In My Heart) | 1974 |
| 12 | Baby, Don’t Change Your Mind | 1977 |
| 13 | I Heard It Through the Grapevine | 1967 |
| 14 | If I Were Your Woman | 1970 |
| 15 | On and On | 1974 |
| 16 | I’ve Got to Use My Imagination | 1973 |
| 17 | Love Finds Its Own Way | 1975 |
| 18 | Guess Who | 1961 |
| 19 | Take Me in Your Arms and Love Me | 1967 |
| 20 | The Nitty Gritty | 1969 |
| 21 | Friendship Train | 1969 |
| 22 | The End of Our Road | 1968 |
| 23 | I Don’t Want to Do Wrong | 1971 |
| 24 | Where Peaceful Waters Flow | 1973 |
| 25 | Everybody Needs Love | 1967 |
| 26 | You Need Love Like I Do (Don’t You) | 1970 |
| 27 | Daddy Could Swear, I Declare | 1973 |
| 28 | It Should Have Been Me | 1968 |
| 29 | Make Me the Woman That You Go Home To | 1971 |
| 30 | Money | 1975 |
Yesterday was Valentine’s Day, but it’s still Valentine’s Weekend, therefore, on “Great Soul Performances” this evening all songs will have a variation “Love” in the title. Singing love songs will be: Gladys Knight & the Pips, Barbara Acklin, Luther Vandross, Charles Wright & the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band, Frankie Valli; with both editions of his of his group, the Four Lovers & the Four Seasons, Little Milton, Patti LaBelle, Joe Tex, Aretha Franklin, Eugene Pitt, the Shirelles, Jackie Wilson, Larry Chance & the Earls, the Pentagons, Larry Graham & Graham Central Station (live in concert) and others. The “Love Fest” begins at 7PM ET, 6PM CT, 5PM MT and 4PM PT.
As difficult as I’m sure it will be, this evening on “Great Soul Performances” we will be saluting and paying tribute to one of my childhood friends; the tallest kid in the neighborhood, the late Leroy Binns, who sang with the Charts, the Cadillacs, the Del Vikings and others.
On this last weekend before the holidays, would you believe, winter officially begins at 11:19 tonight, and this morning as we speak, I’m working feverishly with Santa to put together 2 holiday playlists of music to aid you in your last minute holiday shopping and tree trimming activities. You’ll most likely hear on “Great Soul Performances”: Jimmy Castor, Jose Feliciano, the Golden Gate Quartet, Nat “King” Cole, Luther Vandross, Chris Brown, and I think I’m going to be singing myself with the likes of the “Legendary” Teenagers, Joel & the Dymensions (in the guise of Santa’s Doo Wop Helpers) and with Kid Kyle & his Kool Kats, also you’ll hear Eartha Kitt, James Brown, Pearl Bailey, the Salsoul Orchestra and others. It will start at 7PM ET, 6PM CT, 5PM MT & 4PM PT.
This evening on “Great Soul Performances” we will pay tribute to and salute the late Herb Cox of the Cleftones, who passed away one week ago today, December 7th.
We give thanks this evening on “Great Soul Performances” since Thanksgiving Day is coming up on Thursday. All of our songs will be about “Thanks,” “Thankful,” “Thank You,” and “Thanksgiving.” Plus, since Thanksgiving is about eating, I’ll be playing music about food and desserts.
I’m gonna have some fantastic music for you when we get together later this evening for “Great Soul Performances.” You’ll hear: Lenny Welch, Peaches & Herb, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, the Jacksons, Jerry Butler, the South Shore Commission, Timothy Wilson, the O’Jays, the Spaniels, the Dells, the Chantels, B.B. King, Little Richard, Lou Rawls; live in concert, among others. It all begins at 7PM ET, 6PM CT, 5PM MT and 4PM PT.
We are wrapping up Christmas week, and heading into the new year of 2019 this evening on “Great Soul Performances,” with leftover Christmas songs and other songs of the season, with our “New Year’s Eve” show where you’ll hear from: Lou Rawls, Charles Brown, the Manhattan Transfer, Nat “King” Cole, the Manhattans, Aretha Franklin, Earth, Wind & Fire, Chuck Jackson, Aaron Neville, the Shirelles, the Glows (aka Joel & the Dymensions featuring Joel Katz, Eugene Pitt and yours truly), the Heartbeats, Darlene Love, Sonny Til & the Orioles, Bobby Darin and so much more. It starts at 7PM ET, 6PM CT, 5PM MT and 4PM PT.
“Great Soul Performances” this evening will be dedicated to my dear friend and singing buddy, the late Angel Rissoff; “The Bronx Bomber Of Soul,” who passed away last month. I was always in awe of Angel and his unlimited talent, be it singing with Little Isidore & the Inquisitors, Kenny Vance & the Planotones or with Phil Granito, Seth Glassman and myself as the Sons Of Saint Rocco, and of course his solo output which made him a star on the “Beach Music” circuit. You’ll hear Angel’s interpretations of songs by: The Manhattans, the Temptations, the Radiants, the Drifters, Marvin Gaye, Darrell Banks, the Rosalinde Block Party, and Eugene Pitt from his solo album “Steppin’ Out In Front; I Love Beach Music” and our tribute to one of our favorite Angel Rissoff songs, featuring Johnny Gale who co-wrote and played on the original as well as ours, and more. The tribute begins at 7PM ET, 6PM CT, 5PM MT & 4PM PT. I think you’re going to enjoy some great soul music from “The Bronx Bomber Of Soul,” the late Angel Rissoff. Immediately following will be “Great Soul Performances 2: The 80s” where on the playlist will be: Oran “Juice” Jones, Earth, Wind & Fire, Jimmy Ruffin, Manhattan Transfer, Richard “Dimples” Fields, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Cameo, the Gap Band, Patti LaBelle, Joe Cocker & Jennifer Warnes and many others. G.S.P. 2: The 80s starts at 9PM ET, 8PM CT, 7PM MT and 6PM PT. It’s gonna be a jam packed 4 hours of soul at the “Home Of The Hits,” RadioMaxMusic.Com.
I hope everyone treated their dads wonderfully yesterday on Father’s Day, and with that in mind, this evening on “Great Soul Performances” all songs are about “Daddy,” “Father,” and “Poppa.” On deck to render these songs will be: Luther Vandross, Horace Silver, Gladys Knight & the Pips, James Brown, the Students, the Chi-Lites, Sylvia Robinson, the Temptations, Joe Bataan, the Winstons, Etta James, Joel & the Dymensions; featuring Joel Katz, Johnny Maestro and yours truly, Usher, Soul II Soul with Isaac Hayes; live in concert, and several others. Be here for “Dad” at 6PM ET, 5PM CT, 4PM MT and 3PM PT. It’s all about our “Fathers” this evening with “Great Soul Performances” on RadioMaxMusic.Com.
It is sooo cold all up and down the east coast with even snow in some places, therefore we’ll try to warm things up this evening on “Great Soul Performances.” On the playist: The Contours, Curtis Mayfield, Aretha Franklin, the Jackson Five, Rufus & Chaka Khan, Ray Charles, War, Solomon Burke, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Arthur Prysock, the Temptations; once again, Johnny Maestro & the Brooklyn Bridge with your humble host live in concert at the Austin J. Tobin Plaza of the lamented World Trade Center in lower Manhattan and a whole lot more of many hits. Join me at 7PM ET, 6PM CT, 5PM MT and 4PM PT for a couple of hours of “Sweet Soul Music” on “Great Soul Performances” at RadioMaxMusic.
On this very cold Monday, I hope I can warm you up later this evening on “Great Soul Performances” with music from: Earth, Wind & Fire, Walter Jackson, Jackie Wilson, Gladys Knight & the Pips, the Dramatics, Al Green, the Soul Children, Baby Washington, Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band, Joss Stone, Clyde McPhatter, the Four Tops, Marvin Gaye (live in concert) and more. We kick it off at 7PM ET, 6PM CT, 5PM MT and 4PM PT. We’re at the home of the “Greatest Hits of the 60s, 70s & 80s,” with “Great Soul Performances” later on RadioMaxMusic.Com.
Today is the last Hump Day of 2016 and we are just a few days away from a brand new year, so this evening let’s have some fun on “Great Soul Performances 2: The 80s” with fabulous music from: Barry White, Boz Scaggs, Debbie Harry & Blondie, Major Harris, the Whispers, U2, the Beach Boys with Little Richard, Grandmaster Flash, George Duke, Diana Ross, Spoonie Gee, Gladys Knight & the Pips and many, many more hits. The songfest starts at 7PM ET, 6PM CT, 5PM MT & 4PM PT. Hump Day music on “Great Soul Performances 2: The 80s” this evening here with me and RadioMaxMusic.Com. Happy New Year.
When “Great Soul Performances 2: The 80s” comes your way this evening, you’ll be entertained by: Bobby Brown, New Edition, Anita Baker, Air Supply, the Bar-Kays, Barry & Glodean White, Bruce Springsteen, Atlantic Starr, Grandmaster Flash, Gladys Knight & the Pips and more. We kick it off at 7PM ET, 6PM CT, 5PM MT & 4PM PT. I’ll be looking for you later when “Great Soul Performances 2: The 80s” hits the air-ways on RadioMaxMusic.Com.
