A resurfaced video of Gladys Knight performing in New York is going viral, as TikTok users thought the 82-year-old singer appeared “lost” and “confused” and kept “turning her back to the crowd” during the clip, causing them to say they were “worried” about her health and well-being.
Some fans also questioned whether she is being forced to perform as her husband and manager, William McDowell, previously faced accusations that he was pushing her to continue touring despite concerns about her health. Knight and McDowell have denied the claims, while questions have also been raised following some of her previous performances.
The clip, which was filmed in June, has resurfaced following Knight’s recent announcement at the end of last month that she will be “easing into fewer performances.” Keep reading for more information…
@jaycee1233 Gladys Knight was a little lost during a performance of Midnight Train To Georgia in a recent show in Rochester, NY. #gladysknight ♬ original sound – jay
Gladys Knight Performs In Viral Clip That Has Fans ‘Worried,’ Before Announcing She Is ‘Easing Into Fewer Performances’
The resurfaced clip was filmed during Knight’s June 26th performance at Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre in Rochester, New York. Knight briefly appeared to lose her place during “Midnight Train to Georgia” before regaining her composure and continuing the performance.
It is going viral again after the “Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me” hitmaker took to Instagram on August 28th to announce that she plans to scale back her live performances.
“After much soul searching I’ve decided that I will be easing into fewer performances while focusing on transitioning into the next stage of my career and life moving forward,” she wrote.
“I’ll be spending more time on projects with my husband and visiting with my grandbabies and am looking forward to this new era,” she added.
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Gladys Knight’s Son Previously Raised Concerns About Her Health And Husband
Knight’s son, Shanga Hankerson, previously claimed that continuing to tour was “detrimental” to his mother’s well-being. Per ABC News, he also accused McDowell of elder abuse, including mental and financial abuse, and claimed that he was encouraging Knight to continue performing despite concerns about her cognitive health and overall health.
Knight denied her son’s allegations, saying that her health and performances had been “misrepresented” and insisting that she was “healthy and happy.” Her publicist also called Hankerson’s allegations “unfounded.”
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Questions were raised again following Knight's Queens Tour performance with Patti LaBelle, Chaka Khan and Stephanie Mills in Atlanta last September. Knight reportedly didn't fully sing some lyrics, while her background singers took over much of her cover of "Stand." One was also reportedly seen pulling her away at the end of "Midnight Train to Georgia" as she continued performing the final riffs.
McDowell has denied forcing his wife to perform, telling TMZ: "No one is ever gonna make me say, 'My wife is well,' but all she wants to do is sing."
He also said Knight has not been diagnosed with dementia and is expected to undergo a medical evaluation, while acknowledging that she has "good days and bad."
Fans Say The Viral Footage Is 'So Sad' And Question Why Gladys Knight Is Still Performing
"Take her husband to court!" one person exclaimed on TikTok, as a second asked: "Is he making her perform?" "He's doing this for the coin. It's sick! He's exploiting her. I feel so badly for Gladys," a third alleged.
"So sad she's still having to perform. Clearly there's health concerns," a fourth commented, as a fifth echoed: "This is sad to see. WHY do they still got her performing? Let her take her well deserved rest!" "This is actually infuriating. Who is responsible for this? That poor woman," a sixth added.
"She's 82 and has been working for 65 years, it's ok to retire," a seventh wrote, as an eighth agreed: "It is time for her to sit down and relax. She is a legend. She has done her time." "They should have stopped this performance. Mental Health comes before money. I cannot stop crying," a ninth emotional fan wrote.
A tenth said Knight seemed "confused," while an eleventh concurred: "She sounds great but I don't think she should be touring. Maybe she can record something. She definitely had times of confusion when we saw her. I think it's cruel and not in her best interest to have her perform."
"Man this hurts to see. She still got the voice tho. Can't take it from her," wrote a twelfth. "This is very sad to watch. She doesn't deserve this at all," said a thirteenth, as a fourteenth said: "This breaks my heart, this was sad to see." "This is so sad to witness," declared a fifteenth. "Ummmm she needs to be done. Poor lady," concluded a sixteenth.
