Gladys Maria Knight (born May 28, 1944), known as the "Empress of Soul", is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. A seven-time Grammy Award-winner, Knight is best known for the hits she recorded during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, for both the Motown and Buddah Records labels, with her group Gladys Knight & the Pips, which included her brother Merald "Bubba" Knight and her cousins Edward Patten and William Guest.