Gladys Knight is pushing back at her son’s claims that her husband, William McDowell, has inflicted “mental and financial” abuse on her.
Knight, 81, assured fans she is “healthy and happy” as she continues her Queens Tour alongside Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle and Stephanie Mills. Her statement comes after her son, Shanga Hankerson, expressed to People that he was concerned for her well-being on the tour, calling it “detrimental” to her health.
He added in an interview published Friday, August 15, that McDowell urged her to take on the endeavor.
“I’m sorry that my health and performances have been misrepresented,” Knight said in a statement shared with Us Weekly. “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? 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.”
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Hankerson, 49, said he fears his mother is operating on “cruise control.” He told The Shade Room earlier in the week that he was concerned about her memory, citing a time Knight allegedly wandered off from her hotel room before turning up “across town.”
“I don’t want my mom out on tour on a tour bus, wondering where she’s at,” Hankerson said in the Wednesday, August 13, story. “I don’t want that for her. That’s my mom, I truly love her and don’t care about her ever working a second longer while she’s alive. The direction that she’s going in is pushing her to her departure, and I don’t want to see that.”
Speaking to People, Hankerson accused McDowell of “mental and financial” abuse toward his mother.
“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,” Hankerson said. “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.”
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He told People that he filed a complaint with the Department of Human Services in Buncombe County, North Carolina, earlier this month and that case workers arrived at Knight’s home the next day. He said the investigation is ongoing.
Knight’s publicist, Laura Herlovich, pushed back at the claims, adding that Hankerson has had “no substantive contact” with Knight, calling his allegations “unfounded.”
“At this time our lawyers have no choice but to explore any and all legal remedies due to Shanga’s defamatory comments,” she added in a statement.
“They can say what they want,” Hankerson said in response. “If her health has been misrepresented then supply evidence of reliable and verifiable, expert medical opinion that will stake their practice and reputation on their claim to the contrary.”
