The 2024 Grammy Awards will honor some of the biggest music industry icons with special merit awards, including the one and only Gladys Knight.
According to the Grammy’s press release (Jan. 5), Gladys Knight is slated to receive a 2024 Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award, giving a grand nod at her artistry and influence across multiple genres, from rock and soul to R&B.
Knight acknowledged the newest accolade on her Instagram account, writing, “See you soon. What an honor!”
The seven-time Grammy winner is known for her top Billboard Hot 100 hits like “Midnight Train to Georgia” (1973) and “That’s What Friends Are For” (1985) (featuring Sir Elton John, Dionne Warwick, and Stevie Wonder). She’s topped the charts with “If I Were Your Woman” (1970) and “I Feel A Song (In My Heart)/Don’t Burn Down The Bridge” (1974).
The 79-year-old vocal powerhouse has recorded over 38 albums, including four solo records.
She appeared on season 14 of Dancing With The Stars (2012), performed on the inaugural season of The Masked Singer as the bee and performed the National Anthem at the Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta in 2019. In 2021, President Joe Biden bestowed the National Medal of Arts award on her, and she received a Kennedy Center Honor for Lifetime Artistic Achievements in 2022.
Knight’s first Grammy came at the 1974 Grammys when her soul-funk band Gladys Knight and the Pips won in the Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo, Group or Chorus category for “Midnight Train to Georgia.
In an interview with Grammy, Knight explained how the band didn’t expect to win and were caught off guard when they were announced the winners.
“Never in a million years did we dream we would win two GRAMMYs in one night. Never in a million years. And we dream a lot,” Knight said.
“The Academy is honored to pay tribute to this year’s Special Merit Award recipients — a remarkable group of creators and industry professionals whose impact resonates with generations worldwide,” Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy, said. “Their contributions to music span genres, backgrounds and crafts, reflecting the rich diversity that fuels our creative community. We look forward to honoring these music industry trailblazers next month as part of our week-long celebration leading up to Music’s Biggest Night®.”
Other recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award are gospel group The Clark Sisters, rap group N.W.A and singer Donna Summer (posthumously).
The Grammys will occur on Saturday, Feb. 3, at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles.
