Gladys Knight has always been one of my favorite singers, and last night I had the honor of seeing her perform with the Birmingham Symphony. She did not disappoint! Her rich, throaty, visceral voice is still in unbelievable shape. She sounded exactly the same as she did 20 or 30 years ago - even until the shows end! I was amazed. "How is it possible?" I asked myself. I can just make it through a show myself! I believe she's actually better. Yes, I said it. The way she interprets songs now comes from a wiser, more mature place. She sings with even more emotion than before without ever being showy or over-blown. And THAT is saying alot. There were no gimmicks to distract - no acrobats swinging down from the concert hall ceiling, no half-naked dancers, no pyrotechnics. There was no light show, unless you include a Gobo light that made a pretty design on the back wall. There wasn't even a follow spot! She slayed us with nothing but her voice and personality.
Gladys had us on our feet the moment she walked out onto the stage. She had cat callers, name screamers, and in a quiet moment a request from the upper tier balcony for "Love Overboard", which she replied, "Are you too much in love, girl? I do that, too!" She promised she would add it to the show, and, she "always keeps a promise." Symphony Hall surely has never held so much unbridled joy - and open chatting with the star on stage!
I would have to guess that she's in her early 60's, having been in the business since, well, the early 1960's. Gladys may have sang these songs and spoken the lines five thousand times, but the songs were familiar friends and the lines felt new to us. She was relaxed, personable, and sincere. She said she was glad to be back in the south with us after all these years away. Who else could possibly understand how she grew up and where she came from? I felt a mysterious sense of pride having also grown up Georgia. It sounds silly to me now as I write it.
Of course she (with our help) performed "Midnight Train To Georgia", and it was fun, but the highlight of the evening was her performance of "Neither One of Us." She brought down the house. Upon the last beautiful long held note, everyone stood and screamed. The applause was deafening. We cried, she cried and was as gracious and humble as any performer i've ever seen. Through the tears (and laughter) this fellow Georgia girl secretly hoped that when I grow up, I want to be one-tenth as gracious, resilient and compelling as Gladys Knight.
