Soul singer Gladys Knight (82) to step back from performing.

Gladys Knight has decided to take things easier. The 82-year-old singer announced on Instagram that she is cutting back on her performances to focus “on the next phase of my career and the rest of my life.” Knight has been active in the music industry for more than 75 years.

“I will be spending more time working on projects with my husband and visiting my grandchildren, and I am deeply looking forward to this new chapter,” the Midnight Train to Georgia singer writes in her statement. Knight and her fourth husband, William McDowell, share seventeen grandchildren.

“I want to take a moment to thank all my fans from the past three-quarters of a century for making a little girl’s dream come true and supporting her every step of the way.” Knight hopes to see her fans many more times, she concludes in her post.

Fans have been speculating for some time that the singer’s health is declining. Footage shows Knight often appearing confused and absent during her recent shows. According to TMZ, people working on her tour have described her situation as “tragic.” For now, seven shows are still scheduled in the United States this year as part of her ongoing tour.

Source: Nu.nl en Parool