Gladys Knight Calls BS On Son’s Elder Abuse Claims

The music legend is firing back after her son, Shanga Hankerson, accused her husband, William McDowell, of elder abuse. Knight calls the claims false, insisting she is healthy and in good hands, making it clear she isn’t anyone’s victim.

Gladys Knight has been married to William McDowell for over two decades since their private 2001 wedding. 

Knight wants fans to know she is doing just fine. In her own words, “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?”

Knight told The Post that reports about her health and her ability to perform have been blown out of proportion. Instead, she says she has been enjoying time with family and is eager to get back in front of audiences. 

“I’m excited to get back on the road with my sisters and on stage with The Queens Tour. See you soon,” she said. Her representatives also spoke up, pushing back on the accusations.

According to The Daily Mail, they stated that Hankerson has had “no substantial contact with her” and called his claims “unfounded.”

They explained that Knight has been off tour since June but is gearing up to hit the stage again in September. In the meantime, her team says they are weighing legal action over what they consider “defamatory comments.”

Knight’s statement came after Hankerson claimed he had been cut off from speaking to his mother, going as far as to contact the Department of Human Services for help.

According to The Shade Room, he alleges McDowell, who later became her manager, is exploiting her by keeping her on stage despite what Hankerson describes as signs of cognitive decline.

The 48-year-old told reporter Justin Carter that his relationship with Knight has grown strained over the years, accusing McDowell of interfering. Hankerson stated:

“Not knowing where she is, not knowing where William is, is a big [trigger] for her, and that’s my biggest issue because he manipulates that to the fullest and not in a good way… She’s being made to think that she needs to work.”

He pointed to changes in his mother’s personality and recalled one performance where she “zoned out” until a background singer stepped in, claiming that even the teleprompters had to be rewound to help her stay on track.

While he has been by her side, supporting both her personal life and her music career, William McDowell is not her husband. According to PEOPLE, Knight married McDowell in 2001 after three previous marriages.

She first wed James “Jimmy” Newman in 1960, with whom she had two children. In 1974, she married Barry Hankerson and welcomed a son two years later. Knight’s third marriage was to motivational speaker Les Brown in the 1990s, though it ended in 1997.

McDowell, raised in Canton, North Carolina, originally built a career as a corporate consultant before connecting with Knight. Their partnership eventually grew beyond marriage, as he began collaborating on her music and joining her on the road.

Apart from consulting, McDowell is a published author, co-writing the 2021 book “The One: How to Grow and Thrive as a One While Feeding Your Soul and Impacting Others.” He has also pursued his musical projects, releasing the albums “Bending of Trees” in 2011 and “Perfect Vision 2020” in 2021.

The couple has been married for more than two decades, and their bond remains as strong as ever. The two, who tied the knot in 2001, reportedly dated for just three months, though they had first crossed paths a decade earlier.

They have since built a marriage rooted in faith and commitment. Speaking to Closer in 2022, Knight shared that their relationship thrives because they put God at the center of everything. “You have to always know that the Lord is going to make a way… That’s how we get through,” she explained.

When they marked their 23rd anniversary in April 2024, McDowell posted a touching video collage on social media. “This train just keeps moving,” he wrote, reflecting on their journey together and crediting faith for carrying them through challenges.

Beyond their marriage, the lovebirds have made an impact in their community. They launched the Reynolds High School Foundation in Fairview, North Carolina.