What a pip: Gladys Knight marks 80th birthday with reflective note on social media

Gladys Knight celebrated her 80th birthday on Tuesday with a reflective post on social media.

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The “Midnight Train to Georgia” singer, the longtime voice of Gladys Knight and the Pips, posted about her milestone birthday in an Instagram post.

“Eighty years of beautiful life, love, service, celebration, achievement, falling down, faith, fun, lessons, blessings, friendship, collaboration, soul sharing and more,” Knight wrote. “I am so grateful to celebrate another amazing birthday. I am honored to live this wonderful life.

“Thank you for all your love, support, celebration, prayers, well wishes, warm thoughts every day in each year. I truly love you!”

In addition to “Midnight Train to Georgia,” which shot to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in October 1973, Knight collaborated with Dionne Warwick, Elton John and Stevie Wonder in late 1985 on “That’s What Friends Are For,” another chart-topper.

With the Pips, the “Empress of Soul” had eight hits in the top 10 of Billboard’s Hot 100. That included a pair of songs that peaked at No. 2 -- “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” in 1967 and “Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)” in 1973.

The group also had a No. 3 hit in 1974, “Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me,” according to Billboard.

In March, Knight was presented with a Nation Medal of Arts award by President Joe Biden, People reported. She was honored along with Bruce Springsteen, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Mindy Kaling and Vera Wang.

The medal is awarded to artists, singers, authors and humanitarians for their contribution to the arts, according to the magazine.

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