Gladys Knight has announced that she’s begun “easing into fewer performances” following a string of erratic concerts that left fans concerned for the 82-year-old singer. When a backup singer attempted to reincorporate Knight back into the performance, Knight shook her off. Knight’s husband and manager William McDowell told TMZ that Knight insists on performing despite whatever health issues she’s facing.
However, in 2025, when Knight was on the Queens Tour with Chaka Khan and Patti LaBelle, Knight’s son Shanga Hankerson expressed concerned over his mother’s intense touring schedule, saying it was “detrimental” to her health and that McDowell was forcing her to perform, “unfounded allegations” that Knight denied in a statement at the time. Trending Stories Vin Diesel Proves There's No Wrong Way To Honor Dolly Parton Jelly Roll Finally Addresses His Political Views: 'Human Dignity Isn’t Republican or Democrat' Dolly Parton’s Sister Stella Honors Singer: ‘Dolly Loved the World and Everyone in It’ ‘Below Deck’ Star Nathan Gallagher Breaks Silence on Domestic Violence Arrest: ‘I Made Mistakes’ According to Knight’s website, the “Midnight Train to Georgia” singer has six more shows scheduled for 2026, the next being a September 11 concert in Cincinnati and the last one on November 14 in Highland, California. The status of the concerts is unclear given Knight’s statement Thursday, but the singer made it seem that while she’ll be “easing” her schedule, she still plans on performing.
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