Gladys Knight & the Pips Gladys Knight & the Pips Gladys Knight & the Pips were an R&B/soul family musical act from Atlanta, Georgia that remained active on the music charts and performing circuit for three decades. Starting out as simply The Pips in 1952, derived from a cousin's nickname, the founding members were Gladys Knight, brother Merald "Bubba" Knight, sister Brenda Knight and cousins Eleanor and William Guest. After a couple of years performing in talent shows, the group signed with Brunswick Records in 1957, recording a couple of singles that failed to chart. Brenda Knight and Eleanor Guest were eventually replaced by another
Gladys Knight & the Pips on a lone-standing microphone. The group still performed together during this period, which ended with the group signing with Columbia Records in 1980. In 1980, having signed with Columbia, the group reunited with their old Motown collaborators Ashford & Simpson, recording and releasing the album, "About Love", which included the charted singles "Taste of Bitter Love", "Bourgie, Bourgie" and "Landlord". They continued the collaboration with the duo on their 1981 follow-up, "Touch", which included the single "I Will Fight", and a cover of "I Will Survive". Also in 1981, the group provided prominent backing vocals for Kenny Rogers on his