Gladys Knight & the Pips which became another top 40 hit in early 1962. After a string of single releases on Fury Records Langston George left the group in 1962. The group's success was halted by Gladys Knight's sudden departure in 1962 to start a family with husband Jimmy Newman, a musician. Knight gave birth to the couple's son James Gaston Newman III in August. A daughter, Kenya Maria Newman, was born in November 1963. During this period, the Pips kept performing and recording to little fanfare and eventually each Pip took odd jobs while Gladys Knight began performing solo with Jimmy Newman being her
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