*Legendary soul singer Gladys Knight is still taking the stage despite recently announcing plans to reduce her touring schedule, prompting her son, Shanga Hankerson, to escalate his public accusations against her husband and manager, William McDowell.
Hankerson now says he fears McDowell will continue booking his mother until the demands of performing become catastrophic.
“My belief and fear is that he intends to literally try to work her until she passes away. And you can quote me on that,” Hankerson told The Detroit News.
The allegation is Hankerson’s characterization of McDowell’s intentions, not a fact. McDowell has maintained that Knight wants to perform and has said she has not been diagnosed with dementia.
Tulsa Was Supposed To Be A Turning Point
The latest family clash comes after Knight’s Sept. 5 concert at Hard Rock Live in Tulsa, Oklahoma — a performance that had taken on unusual importance.
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As EURweb previously reported, McDowell said before the show that he would watch how his wife performed and cancel her remaining dates if she had a rough night.
One attendee, Paul Gregory Richard, later claimed Knight struggled during the concert and that her portion of the show ended after about an hour because she could not continue.
“It was hard to watch, and we all cheered her on and loved on her just the same,” Richard said, in comments subsequently reported by The Detroit News.
Richard also claimed Knight had difficulty remembering lyrics. His observations have not been independently verified and cannot establish anything about Knight’s medical condition. Video posted by another attendee showed the seven-time Grammy winner performing “Midnight Train to Georgia.”
Whatever McDowell concluded after Tulsa, the concert did not bring Knight’s touring schedule to an immediate halt.
Knight Returned To The Stage Four Days Later
Knight performed again Sept. 9 at Hatfield Hall in Terre Haute, Indiana. Additional dates were scheduled for Cincinnati and Shipshewana, Indiana, with more performances listed for October.
That continuation is what Hankerson says convinced him that McDowell never intended to stop the tour.
“He never intended to stop any tour dates, as you can see for yourself,” Hankerson told The Detroit News.
The situation follows Knight’s Aug. 27 announcement that she planned to reduce her workload.
“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 said.
Knight did not announce her retirement from performing.
EURweb reported at the time that McDowell said his wife continued to want to sing despite concerns surrounding some of her recent appearances. He also said she would undergo a medical evaluation and floated the possibility of creating a performance venue near their North Carolina home, potentially allowing her to sing without the demands of conventional touring.
Son And Husband Remain Deeply Divided
Hankerson’s latest comments are part of a family dispute that has been public for more than a year.
He previously accused McDowell of mentally and financially abusing Knight and alleged that his mother had experienced memory problems and other signs of cognitive decline. Hankerson said he filed a complaint with North Carolina authorities.
Knight has firmly rejected her son’s claims.
“I’m sorry that my health and performances have been misrepresented,” Knight said in a previous statement. “I want my fans and those concerned to rest assured I am doing very well.”
She also described herself as “healthy and happy,” while representatives characterized Hankerson’s allegations as unfounded. EURweb covered Knight’s response and the family dispute as concerns about her performances resurfaced this summer.
McDowell has likewise rejected the suggestion that Knight has a confirmed dementia diagnosis.
The Question Now Is How Much Knight Wants To Perform
The competing accounts leave one critical distinction intact: observations from relatives, employees, concertgoers or fans cannot establish a medical diagnosis.
They also leave an unresolved question about Knight’s touring future.
Knight herself has said she is moving toward fewer performances, not disappearing from the stage altogether. McDowell maintains that singing is something his wife wants to continue doing. Hankerson, meanwhile, believes continuing the tour places his mother at risk and has now expressed that concern in his starkest terms yet.
For an artist whose career has stretched across more than six decades, stepping back does not necessarily mean walking away. But with Knight still performing after Tulsa, the disagreement over who should decide when enough is enough has clearly not left the stage.
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: Gladys Knight Cutting Back on Touring as Concerns Grow Over Performances
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