Legendary singer Gladys Knight is setting the record straight after her son, Shanga Hankerson, publicly accused her husband William McDowell of elder abuse.
In response to Hankerson’s claim that McDowell, who is 33 years younger than Knight, is taking advantage of his mother, the Midnight Train to Georgia hitmaker, 81, assured fans that she is just fine.
‘I want my fans and those concerned to rest assured I am doing very well for someone who has been on stage for three quarters of a century, hard to believe, right?’ she told The Post.
The seven-time Grammy winner continued: ‘I’m healthy and happy and visiting friends and family these last few months. I’m excited to get back on the road with my sisters and on stage with The Queens Tour. See you soon.’
She also noted that her ‘health and performances have been misrepresented.’
Her statement came after Hankerson, 49, filed a complaint with North Carolina’s Department of Human Services.
Legendary singer Gladys Knight is setting the record straight after her son, Shanga Hankerson, publicly accused her husband William McDowell of elder abuse; seen in 2015
Earlier this month, her son told The Shade Room that his mother’s demanding tour schedule was ‘detrimental’ to her health.
‘I don’t want my mom out on tour on a tour bus wondering where she’s at,’ Hankerson said.
In another recent interview, he told People: ‘I did my best to give [McDowell] the space to play the role of husband and do what was in my mom’s best interest, and he has not done that.’
‘Why is she working? Why is she in this situation where she’s being made to believe that she has to work like this? That’s really my issue with it,’ he explained.
The 49-year-old also alleged his mom shows signs of cognitive decline.
Knight’s reps, however, told the outlet that her team is ‘greatly saddened by Shanga’s unfounded allegations’ and that he has ‘had no substantial contact with her.’
‘She has not been on tour since June 1 and can’t wait to begin touring again in September,’ they continued. ‘At this time our lawyers have no choice but to explore any and all legal remedies due to Shanga’s defamatory comments.’
In response, Hankerson called the statement ‘inaccurate’ and claimed to have been ‘purposefully kept in a position of having minimal access’ to his mom.
Hankerson recently claimed that McDowell is taking advantage of his mother and filed a complaint with North Carolina’s Department of Human Services
‘I want my fans and those concerned to rest assured I am doing very well for someone who has been on stage for three quarters of a century, hard to believe, right?’ she told The Post; seen in 2018
‘This has nothing to do with money for me,’ he insisted. ‘I’m trying to get her to stop working.’
McDowell opted not to weigh in on the allegations while appearing on Good Morning America last week.
Knight and McDowell have been married for 24 years.
In 2017, Knight won a legal order requiring her son, Shanga, to stop using her name, image, and memorabilia in connection with the Gladys Knight’s Chicken and Waffles restaurants he had launched in Atlanta and Washington, D.C.
Four years later, Shanga admitted guilt in a case involving his failure to withhold payroll taxes from employees at the eateries.
As a result, he was sentenced to two years in prison and an additional year of supervised release, and was ordered to pay more than $1 million in restitution.
