Glady's Knight & The Pips

Glady's Knight & The Pips - Bourgie, Bourgie (1980)
Sixties Motown group signed to Columbia Records in 1980 and restored to its familiar quartet form, Gladys Knight & the Pips began releasing new material.

The act enlisted former Motown producers Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson for their first two LPs--About Love (1980) and Touch (1981). During this period, Knight kicked a gambling addiction to the game baccarat.

In 1987, Knight decided to pursue a solo career, and she and the Pips recorded their final LP together, All Our Love (1987), for MCA Records. Its lead single, "Love Overboard", was a successful hit and won a second Grammy for the act as well. After a successful 1988 tour, the Pips retired and Knight began her solo career. Gladys Knight & the Pips were inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 1989 and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996. Glady's now concentrates on Gospel music.

Gladys Knight and the Pips

Gladys Knight And The Pips - I Heard It Through The Grapevine (1978)
This footage along with Freedom Train opened the doors to great guests on UK TV series the Muppet Show. Gladys wearing a gold larmay dress - looks great!

"I Heard It Through the Grapevine" is a landmark song in the history of Motown Records. Written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong in 1966, the single was first recorded by The Miracles.

A second, unreleased version was recorded by The Isley Brothers. Released on September 25, 1967 as Soul 35039 by Gladys Knight & the Pips, who recorded the fourth version of the song, it has since become a signature song, however, for singer Marvin Gaye, who recorded the third version of the song prior to the Pips' version but released the song after theirs on October 30, 1968 as Tamla 54176.

Gaye's version has since become a landmark in pop music. #80 on Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. Gaye's version also listed at #65 on Billboard's Greatest Songs of All Time. It was also inducted to the Grammy Hall of Fame for "historical, artistic and significant" value.