Gladys Knight & the Pips cousin, Edward Patten and a non-relative, Langston George in 1959. This lineup produced the group's first hit single, "Every Beat of My Heart". After the single was released on three different labels, they changed their name to "Gladys Knight & the Pips" in 1961. Langston George left the same year and Gladys Knight left in 1962 to start a family with musician Jimmy Newman. Knight rejoined in 1964 and this lineup continued until the group's disbandment in 1989. The group reached commercial success after signing with Motown Records in 1966. After a year and a half, the group recorded the
Tommy Graham (singer) Tommy Graham (singer) Tommy Graham is a singer and record producer from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Graham joined his first band in 1958. He worked his way through the Toronto club scene with Kay Taylor And The Regents. He moved to Los Angeles in 1960 and returned to Canada three years later. He formed the group Big Town Boys, which gained prominence as backing musicians for vocalist Shirley Matthews. Big Town Boys split in 1968 and Graham went to journey around the world. In India, he met and studied under Ali Akbar Khan, Ravi Shankar's sarode player. In 1970, Graham returned