Knight’s tribute performance included appearances by Garth Brooks (“Midnight Train to Georgia”), Mickey Guyton (“Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me”) and Ariana DeBose (“I Heard It Through the Grapevine”). A post shared by Gladys Knight her 55-year music career, legendary singer and America’s beloved ‘Empress of Soul’ Gladys Knight went from the Pips of Georgia to GRAMMY royalty, showcasing a boundless vocal range and soulfulness that has stood the test of time,” said Kennedy Center Chairman David M.