Gladys Knight Responds to Son’s Claims of Elder Abuse: “I Am Healthy and Happy”

Music legend Gladys Knight, 81, has addressed her son’s recent allegations that she is a victim of elder abuse at the hands of her husband, William McDowell. Shanga Hankerson, Knight’s son, has accused McDowell of mentally and financially abusing the legendary singer, claiming that she is being pushed to continue touring despite health concerns.

Knight, currently performing on The Queens Tour alongside fellow icons Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle, and Stephanie Mills, issued a statement through her publicist, Laura Herlovich, reassuring her fans that all is well.

“I’m sorry that my health and performances have been misrepresented,” Knight said in a statement to People. “I want my fans and those concerned to rest assured I am doing very well for someone who has been on stage for three quarters of a century.

I’m healthy and happy, visiting friends and family these last few months. I’m excited to get back on the road with my sisters on The Queens Tour. See you soon.”

The statement follows Hankerson’s recent comments criticizing Knight’s busy touring schedule, which he claims is “detrimental” to her health. He further alleged that she is experiencing memory lapses and, during New Year’s, did not recognize him.

Hankerson also shared an incident with The Shade Room where Knight allegedly wandered away from their hotel and ended up across town.

Hankerson holds McDowell responsible for allowing Knight to continue touring despite her supposed health issues, stating, “I did my best to give [McDowell] the space to play the role of husband and do what was in my mom’s best interest, and he has not done that. Why is she working? Why is she in this situation where she’s being made to believe she has to work like this?”

However, Knight’s publicist, Laura Herlovich, dismissed Hankerson’s claims, calling them “unfounded” and stating that the singer has had minimal contact with her son. Herlovich also added that Knight plans to take “any and all legal remedies due to Shanga’s defamatory comments.”

Hankerson remains firm in his stance, stating that his mother’s health has “deteriorated over a period of years” and expressing concern for her wellbeing. He also indicated that he is considering legal action against McDowell, whom Knight has been married to since 2001.

Hankerson added that his desire to intervene is not about money but about ensuring his mother stops working under what he perceives as harmful conditions.

Gladys Knight rose to fame in the 1960s and ‘70s as the lead singer of Gladys Knight & the Pips. She later enjoyed a successful solo career, winning three of her seven Grammy Awards as a solo artist. Knight is the mother of three sons: Shanga Hankerson, her only child with her ex-husband Barry Hankerson, and James III and Kenya, from her first marriage to James Newman.

Knight’s most recent marriage to McDowell, whom she wed in 2001, has now become the subject of this public dispute.