Gladys Knight Albums (36)
'A Christmas Celebration'
Release Date 10/3/2006
Tracks 12
Label Many Roads
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What The Critics Say
At a time when most of her contemporaries are satisfied reliving their glory years to appreciative audiences in casinos and theaters, Gladys Knight continues her refusal to be pigeonholed as a soul singer. With 2000's At Last, she returned to the mainstream R&B circuit with a session of adult contemporary R&B that was equally accessible and refreshing, and with 2005's One Voice she collaborated with the Saints Unified Voices for a fiery gospel and praise record. So this time around, Knight recruited legendary producer Phil Ramone and an impressive lineup of jazz musicians to record an album of jazz ballads and standards that influenced her during the formative years of her singing career. At first, the prospect of Knight's soulful, gritty vocal styles taking on some of jazz's greatest moments may be a questionable proposal for jazz purists, but all hesitation can be safely swept aside during the album's opening moments, a fantastic rendition of the Ellington classic "Do Nothing Till You Hear from Me." Gone are the grit and raspy nature of Knight's voice, and in their place is a smooth, sultry set of vocal cords safely in control of the delivery of the material. Every single song here is already a bona fide hit, and Knight does them all justice in a way few soul singers could. Wonderfully relaxing, classy, and pleasantly void of vocal histrionics, Before Me is another important chapter and highlight in a career that is chock-full of them. ~ Rob Theakston, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
At Last, Gladys Knight's first studio album since 1995, offers a much-welcomed return by the gifted vocalist who easily adapts to contemporary music without compromising her signature sweet tones. The 13 tracks featured on At Last are a blend of mid-tempo R&B fare and ballads. Because Knight seamlessly incorporates a 2001 music sensibility to this recording, At Last can comfortably sit alongside works by Destiny's Child, Toni Braxton, Faith Evans, and other younger musical counterparts. Single releases from this album will be right at home on R&B and urban radio stations. Being out of the studio for six years has had no effect on Knight, as she is in top form. Her voice is rich, soulful, and silky as she grooves on such tracks as "If I Were Your Woman II" and "Greatest Love of All." "Grandma's Hands" takes a more soulful, gospel-like turn, with words reminiscent of Southern ragtime blues. References to fried bacon, Sunday morning, and church imagine a Southern lifestyle deeply rooted in family and religion. "Love Hurts" sees Knight's voice full of emotion as she offers a nurturing and sage perspective on matters of the heart. Actor Jamie Foxx takes a turn on the mic with Knight on "I Wanna Be Loved." It's the album's one mildly uncomfortable moment because Foxx lacks the power and presence to hold his own alongside Knight. His voice just disappears on this duet. At Last marks a refreshing return by Gladys Knight, who doesn't miss a beat. ~ Liana Jonas, All Music Guide
'Many Different Roads'
Release Date 11/3/1998
Tracks 13
Label Many Roads
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What The Critics Say
Incredibly gifted and prolific soloist Gladys Knight released her first inspirational album in 1998. While many of her past albums carried music of significance, rightfully earning her a place in the Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, this is the first album which she focused entirely on the spiritual side of music. And yes, this is the same Gladys Knight as Gladys Knight & the Pips. As one would expect from a seasoned artist like Gladys Knight, the entire album is musically sound from a critic's standpoint, and the messages of the lyrics leave an indelible impression on the listener. One song stands out for its danceable music, but deeply important message -- "Everybody." She relates an experience of chatting with an ignored homeless man and sings the reminder: Everybody needs someone to hold on to/Everybody needs someone to love them true/Everybody needs someone to treat them right/How about you/How about you. The music on this album cannot be neatly confined to any one genre. It has a little bit of soul, a bit of rock and a bit of gospel. And the result is an album that has a huge amount of appeal for not only her longtime fans, but for the new audience she entered in 1997 when she joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It's representative of a new focus at this time of her life, but is not representative of her entire body of work. For a Christian seeking something a little less stodgy, this album will be a welcome addition in their collection. ~ Dacia A. Blodgett-Williams, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
On Just for You, Gladys Knight is joined by some of the most successful producers in the urban contemporary field, including George Duke, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Babyface (who had parted company with L.A. Reid) and Attala Zane Giles. The result is a decent R&B/pop effort that, although not in a class with Knight's classic Motown and Buddha recordings with the Pips, has more strengths than weaknesses. The singer's voice had held up impressively well over the years, and she uses it advantageously on a superb cover of the Impressions' 1969 classic "Choice of Colors" (clearly the highlight of the CD), as well as such memorable offerings as the gospel-influenced "Guilty" (a commentary on racism and sexism that makes its point without preaching) and the stirring ballad "Home Alone." The CD isn't essential, but it's generally honest, well-executed and satisfying. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
A good anthology of early tracks by Gladys Knight & the Pips, these were recorded for the Fury label in the early '60s. They were far from a polished act at the time, and didn't get the caliber of material or production they'd receive later at Motown. But the potential was shown on several tracks, notably the title cut, which the group did when Knight was only 12 years old. They later made another version of the song for Motown. This has better sound than some earlier Collectables titles. ~ Ron Wynn, All Music Guide
'The Christmas Album'
Release Date 8/26/1992
Tracks 9
Label Special Music
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What The Critics Say
Gladys Knight & the Pips' The Christmas Album was recorded for Buddah in 1975, just as they were coming down from their peak popularity. They were still in fine form, and The Christmas Album is an excellent example of a good '70s soul holiday album. There are a few weak moments here, and "Jesus Is Just All Right With Me" doesn't really belong on a Christmas record, but it's still a pretty good Christmas record that is very reminiscent of its era. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
After performing with the Pips since 1952, Gladys Knight parted company with them in the late '80s and became a full-time solo artist. Good Woman wasn't Knight's first solo album (she'd recorded a neglected solo album in 1978), but it was the first to do anything commercially. Like her final recordings with the Pips, Good Woman found Knight taking an urban contemporary-oriented approach without sacrificing her artistic integrity. The highly infectious single "Men" is an absolute gem, and cuts ranging from the smooth "This Is Love" to the gritty new jack swing number "Meet Me In the Middle" (which contains a sample of Public Enemy's Flavor Flav) are definitely the work of an artist being true to herself. Some may find it hard to imagine Knight embracing new jack swing, but in fact, she does so convincingly. Though a few of the cuts aren't very memorable, this is a CD that the veteran singer can, for the most part, be proud of. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
