Born Gladys Maria Knight, she is is an American singer-songwriter, actress, businesswoman and author, also known as the "Empress of Soul", title she gained in 2007 by the Society of Singers to celebrate her career. Knight's stunning career started with Gladys Knight & the Pips when they joined the Motown roster in 1966, and scored several hit singles, among them one of the most famous soul songs in history, "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", recorded later by Marvin Gaye.