Gladys Knight and the Pips—brother Merald "Bubba" Knight and cousins Edward Patten and William Guest—are one of the most respected and longest-lived soul groups, with hits spanning four decades. Knight was born in Atlanta, Georgia, where she began singing at age four with her brother and cousins at Baptist church functions. The group first recorded for the Brunswick label in 1958 and dented the charts with "Every Beat of My Heart" (1961) and "Letter Full of Tears" (1962), both on Fury Records. After a few more singles and personnel changes, which cemented Gladys Knight and the Pips in their most enduring and best-known lineup, the group signed with Motown's Soul label in 1966. Motown founder Berry Gordy, who saw them perform at Harlem's Apollo Theater in 1966, made note of Knight's "class, artistry and stage presence.... She could talk to an audience and articulate what she wanted to say with just the right words."
