It was the group’s biggest hit while at Motown, and one of their last. The record reached #1 on Billboard’s Soul Singles chart, and #2 on the Hot 100. The Weatherly song was produced by Joe Porter, and featured a staggeringly beautiful and heartbreaking vocal performance from Knight. In January, 1973, “Neither One of Us” was released on Soul Records. Weatherly’s beautiful songs were a perfect match for Knight’s soulful voice, and their collaboration was a perfect fusion of country and soul music. They hit the charts five times in 19 with Weatherly songs that included “Midnight Train To Georgia,” “The Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me,” and “Neither One of Us (Wants To Be the First To Say Goodbye)”. In the early ’70s, the Pips established a relationship with country songwriter Jim Weatherly, who authored some of their biggest hits. More hits followed for the Pips on the Soul label, a Motown imprint that was home to Motown’s more r&b flavored offerings.
as were three other Norman Whitfield-produced versions of “I Heard It Through the Grapevine.” Gaye’s version had actually been recorded earlier than the Pips version, but was initially rejected by Berry Gordy, Jr. The breakthrough for the group came in 1967 with their enormous smash hit, “I Heard It Through the Grapevine.” At the time it was Motown’s most successful single, but it was surpassed by Marvin Gaye’s version of the song one year later. After a brief retirement during which Knight gave birth to two children, she rejoined the Pips and they signed with Motown in 1966. Their first hit came in 1961 with “Every Beat of My Heart,” which was a cover of a Hank Ballard and the Midnighters song, written by Johnny Otis. Gladys Knight & the Pips formed back in 1959 in their hometown of Atlanta. She is one of the greatest voices that popular music has ever known, and one of those singers who could sing the phone book and I would listen. It’s another one of those things that I can’t explain, given the fact that I am a huge fan. Upon seeing Knight I realized that she has never been featured in this column before. So add another source to my never ending list of places from which this column draws inspiration. I’m no expert on dancing, but it seemed to me, as well as the studio audience and the judges, that she did great. I was fortunate enough to tune in just in time to see the dance performance by the legendary Gladys Knight and her partner. I don’t watch Dancing With the Stars as a rule, but I will admit to landing there for a few minutes when I’m channel surfing now and then.
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