Gladys Knight Today: What The ‘Empress Of Soul’ Is Doing At 82

At 82, Gladys Knight is still riding the “Midnight Train,” traveling the world and performing for generations of devoted fans. But on Sept. 17, the legendary singer announced that she plans to slow down her touring schedule, completing a handful of remaining performances before stepping away from the road to spend more time with her family.

“After heartfelt discussions with my team, I recognize that no matter how much I love lifting spirits in song, it’s time for the midnight train to make just a few more stops. I’m finishing the year strong with my remaining performances,” the seven-time Grammy Award winner said in her Instagram post in September. “Looking forward to new ventures next year. Again, I am so very grateful for all the love and support over the years. God bless all of you.”

This came several weeks after the singer shared an Aug. 28 statement announcing that she would be taking time to step away from the spotlight to spend time with her family and children.

“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,” the statement read in part. “I’ll be spending more time on projects with my husband and visiting with my grandbabies and am looking forward to this new era.”