Gladys Knight & the Pips Knight & the Pips embarked on their final tour in 1988 and disbanded upon its conclusion, as Gladys Knight decided she wanted to pursue a solo career, ending a 37-year tenure. Following the group's amicable disbandment in 1989, Edward Patten and William Guest formed their own production company in Detroit, titled Guest and Patten Productions, later renamed the Crew Entertainment Company. Patten was diagnosed with diabetes, which led to amputations on his legs and being confined to a wheelchair. He later died of complications from the disease on February 25, 2005 in Livonia, Michigan. William Guest continued to lead the
Pearl's a Singer Pearl's a Singer "Pearl's a Singer" is a song made famous by the British singer Elkie Brooks, as taken from her 1977 album "Two Days Away" which was produced by the song's co-writers Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. The original version of "Pearl's a Singer" had been introduced by the duo Dino and Sembello - also the song's co-writers - on their 1974 self-titled album which Leiber and Stoller had produced. The song is a ballad, telling the story of a failed singer who still dreams of the success she might have had. "Pearl's a Singer" afforded Elkie Brooks her