Key Takeaways
- Gladys Knight continues to tour after announcing plans to scale back, performing several dates after a concertgoer claimed she struggled through her Sept. 5 Tulsa show.
- Her son, Shanga Hankerson, accused husband and manager William McDowell of trying to “work her until she passes away,” while McDowell maintains that Knight wants to perform and has not been diagnosed with dementia.
- Knight previously rejected her son’s claims of mental and financial abuse as unfounded and called herself “healthy and happy,” while her representatives declined to clarify her future touring plans.
Gladys Knight is still touring despite announcing plans to cut back—and despite her husband previously saying one difficult performance could bring her remaining shows to a halt. Now, the 82-year-old singer’s son is making his most alarming accusation yet, claiming he fears his mother is being “worked” toward her death.
Shanga Hankerson told The Detroit News that he never believed Knight’s husband and manager, William McDowell, actually intended to stop her tour.
“He never intended to stop any tour dates, as you can see for yourself,” Hankerson said. “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.”
The accusation comes after a Sept. 5 concert in Tulsa that McDowell had previously identified as a potential turning point. After reports of Knight appearing confused and exhausted during other performances, McDowell told TMZ that if she had a “rough night” in Tulsa, he would “pull the plug” on her remaining dates.
At least one attendee says Tulsa was exactly that.
“It was hard to watch, and we all cheered her on and loved on her just the same,” concertgoer Paul Gregory Richard said, per the outlet.
He claimed Knight’s portion of the concert was stopped after about an hour because “she just could not continue.”
Richard also alleged Knight began struggling to remember lyrics midway through the performance. His account has not been independently verified, while video shared by another attendee showed Knight performing “Midnight Train to Georgia.”
Whatever happened in Tulsa, it did not immediately stop the tour.
Knight returned to the stage four days later in Terre Haute, Indiana. Cincinnati and Shipshewana dates remained on the schedule, with additional concerts listed for October.
That continuation is particularly notable after Knight announced Aug. 27 that she planned to pull back from performing.
“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,” Knight said at the time.
The dispute over Gladys Knight’s touring schedule has been building for more than a year. Hankerson previously accused McDowell of mentally and financially abusing his mother and said he filed a complaint with North Carolina authorities. He has alleged Knight experiences memory lapses and other episodes of confusion.
Knight rejected those claims last year, declaring herself “healthy and happy,” while her representatives called Hankerson’s allegations “unfounded.” McDowell has maintained that his wife wants to perform and has not been diagnosed with dementia, though he acknowledged she experiences good and bad days.
Hankerson now argues that continuing to put Knight onstage despite those concerns makes McDowell’s intentions clear.
“The fact Mr. McDowell would even make a statement that further evaluation is necessary to stop my mother from working at this point, considering all of the blatant visual evidence the public is now seeing, should tell you everything you need to know about him and his motives,” he said.
Knight’s representatives declined to answer The Detroit News’ questions about her future touring plans.
