Gladys Knight: The Empress of Soul

Check out the amazing career of The Empress of Soul.

Gladys Maria Knight was born May 28, 1944 in Atlanta, GA. - Photo:Federick M. Brown/Getty Images

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Gladys Maria Knight was born May 28, 1944 in Atlanta, GA. - Photo:Federick M. Brown/Getty Images

She gained fame at age 7 when Ted Mack's The Original Amateur Hour TV show contest. - Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

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She gained fame at age 7 when Ted Mack's The Original Amateur Hour TV show contest. - Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

It was that same year, at age 7, Gladys along with her family created the group “the Pips” which included her brother Merald "Bubba" Knight and her cousins Edward Patten and William Guest. - Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

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It was that same year, at age 7, Gladys along with her family created the group “the Pips” which included her brother Merald "Bubba" Knight and her cousins Edward Patten and William Guest. - Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

With no hit record, Gladys Knight & the Pips left Motown for Buddah Records in 1973. - Photo: Frank Carroll/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank

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With no hit record, Gladys Knight & the Pips left Motown for Buddah Records in 1973. - Photo: Frank Carroll/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank

That year, they achieved their 1st chart-topper with the Grammy-winning "Midnight Train to Georgia". - Photo: CBS via Getty Images

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That year, they achieved their 1st chart-topper with the Grammy-winning "Midnight Train to Georgia". - Photo: CBS via Getty Images

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Since that 1st hit in 1973, Gladys Knight has recorded two number-one Billboard Hot 100 singles ("Midnight Train to Georgia" and "That's What Friends Are For"), eleven number-one R&B singles, and six number-one R&B albums. - Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images For dcp

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Since that 1st hit in 1973, Gladys Knight has recorded two number-one Billboard Hot 100 singles ("Midnight Train to Georgia" and "That's What Friends Are For"), eleven number-one R&B singles, and six number-one R&B albums. - Photo: Kevin Winter/Getty Images For dcp

Gladys Knight has won seven Grammys and currently holds twenty-two nominations altogether. - Photo: Bettmann/Contributor

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Gladys Knight has won seven Grammys and currently holds twenty-two nominations altogether. - Photo: Bettmann/Contributor

In 2007, Gladys Knight was declared the "Empress of Soul" in 2007 by the Society of Singers. Rolling Stone also named her as one of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. We stan, a legend!! - Photo: JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images

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In 2007, Gladys Knight was declared the "Empress of Soul" in 2007 by the Society of Singers. Rolling Stone also named her as one of the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time. We stan, a legend!! - Photo: JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images