Gladys Knight is denying her son’s allegations that the singer’s husband has subjected her to “mental and financial” abuse.
A representative for the “Midnight Train to Georgia” crooner told People she’s “healthy and happy,” and that the claims made by her son Shanga Hankerson are entirely “unfounded.”
Rather, Hankerson has allegedly had “no substantial contact” with the 81-year-old Grammy winner, who’s “greatly saddened” by his claims against her fourth husband, William McDowell, to whom she’s been married for 24 years.
Hankerson, a behavior therapist, alleged to the outlet that McDowell has pushed his mother to tour, claiming the demand of the schedule is “detrimental” to her health. Hankerson also said he’s been purposefully allowed only “minimal access” to Knight, whose “deterioration has occurred over a period of years, and is very evident.”
Hankerson made similar claims earlier this week to The Shade Room, accusing McDowell of manipulating people into believing his mother is fit to perform. Instead, Hankerson said, she’s been showing signs of cognitive decline and is “being made to think that she needs to work.”
In response to the accusations, Knight’s publicist said the music legend “has not been on tour since June 1 [but] can’t wait to begin touring again in September,” referring to The Queens Tour, which brings Knight together with Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle and Stephanie Mills.
“At this time our lawyers have no choice but to explore any and all legal remedies due to Shanga’s defamatory comments,” the statement continued.
This isn’t the first time Knight has needed to consider legal action against her son, whom she shares with her second husband, music executive Barry Hankerson. They were married from 1974 to 1979.
In 2017, Knight successfully ordered Shanga to stop using her name, likeness and memorabilia as part of the Gladys Knight’s Chicken and Waffles restaurant chain he opened in Atlanta and Washington, D.C.
Four years later, Shanga pleaded guilty to neglecting to withhold payroll taxes from the restaurants’ employees.
He was ordered to serve two years behind bars and a year of supervised release, in addition to paying over $1 million in restitution.
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