The drama surrounding R&B icon Gladys Knight is reaching a fever pitch. Her son, Shanga Hankerson, is speaking out with some truly alarming accusations, claiming that his mother’s husband and manager, William McDowell, is pushing her to the brink.
The tension comes just after the 82-year-old legend announced she would be scaling back her live performances following growing concern from her fanbase. But according to her son, those promises of a lighter schedule are just talk. Shanga told The Detroit News that the touring hasn’t slowed down, stating: “He never intended to stop any tour dates, as you can see for yourself.”
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Shanga didn’t stop there, dropping a bombshell allegation: “My belief and fear is that he intends to literally try to work her until she passes away. And you can quote me on that.” He went as far as to allege that his mother is a victim of elder abuse at the hands of her husband.
Gladys has been spotted looking visibly exhausted during recent shows, with one fan even noting on social media that she ended a performance early. While McDowell had previously told TMZ that the September 5 Tulsa show would be the deciding factor on whether to pull the plug, Gladys has since hit the stage in Terre Haute, Cincinnati, and Shipshewana.
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Shanga remains unconvinced of McDowell’s intentions, adding: “The fact Mr. McDowell would even make a statement that further evaluation is necessary to stop my mother from working at this point, considering all of the blatant visual evidence the public is now seeing, should tell you everything you need to know about him and his motives.”
On Monday, Gladys finally addressed the situation directly in a statement: “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,” she said. “I’m finishing the year strong with my remaining performances. Looking forward to new ventures next year.”
Gladys is slated for three more shows next month before officially wrapping her tour in California this November.