Gladys Knight & the Pips and the guys were like my own children!" The group was a touring standout during this period with Knight's contralto lead vocals and the Pips' impeccable choreography and characteristic background vocals becoming highlights. By the end of 1965, Berry Gordy was scouting to get the group signed to his fabled Motown Records label. Though the three Pips wanted to sign with the label, Gladys Knight initially refused, due to her fears that the label would overlook them over the more popular artists on his roster. They would sign with Motown in 1966, being assigned to Motown's Soul Records label, a
Pips Pride to his start career as a breeding stallion but died at the age of six. Pips Pride was a chestnut horse with a small white star bred in England by Ronald Popely. As a yearling he was put up for auction and sold for 15,000 guineas. During his racing career he was owned by Mrs V S Grant and trained by Richard Hannon, Sr. at East Everleigh in Wiltshire. He was sired by Efisio, who won seven races including the Horris Hill Stakes, Challenge Stakes and Premio Emilio Turati. Efisio, who was also owned by Popely for part of his