Why be a queen when you can be an empress?
Gladys Knight, known as the "Empress of Soul" — a distinction bestowed upon the 77-year-old icon when she received the Society of Singers ELLA Award in 2007 — is hopping off her "Midnight Train to Georgia" to bless Detroit with a sultry wintertime performance, and she's not doing it alone.
The seven-time Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, and actress who has landed No. 1 hits across multiple genres, was un-bee-lievable as a bee on The Masked Singer, and was featured in Questlove's directorial debut Summer of Soul (where a young Knight swipes tears away on stage before belting it out), will take the stage — sans bee costume — at the Fox Theatre on Dec. 17.
Joining the empress are hitmakers the Isley Brothers, featuring two of the current surviving and/or non-retired six members Ronald, 80, and Ernie Isley, 69. The group, since forming in 1954, has released 31 albums, earned spots in the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame, Grammy Hall of Fame, Vocal Group Hall of Fame, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and a square on the Hollywood Rockwalk.
Not only does their catalog stand on its own, but several of their most beloved tracks have gone on to take new lives. The late Notorious B.I.G. sampled the Isley Brothers' "Between the Sheets" for his hit single "Big Poppa" in 1994, not to be outdone by the late singer Aaliyah, who covered a haunting version of the group's "(At Your Best) You Are Love" on her debut record. No Doubt's Gwen Stefani also snagged some vibes from "Between the Sheets" for her early aughts single "Luxurious," too.
Tickets ($59.50) go on sale Friday, Sep. 17 at 10 a.m. via 313presents.com or ticketmaster.com. Tickets are also available for in-person purchase at the Little Caesars Arena box office.
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