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
Barbara Jones (singer) Barbara Jones (singer) Barbara Nation ( – 19 December 2014), better known as Barbara Jones, was a Jamaican singer who had a UK hit single in 1981 with "Just When I Needed You Most". Born in Kingston and raised in Manchester, Jamaica, she began her career in 1971 with the single "Sad Movies". She had her greatest success in January 1981 with "Just When I Needed You Most", which reached number 31 on the UK Singles Chart. She toured as backing singer with Jimmy Cliff in the late 1970s and early 1980s; In 1991, she became a devout Christian and