Gladys Knight will perform the National Anthem at the 2019 Super Bowl in Atlanta on Sunday.
Who is she?
Some of you may be screaming blasphemy, but judging by Google trends, there are some people who haven't yet heard the legendary singer.
Here are some quick facts:
* She was born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1944.
* She's a 7-time Grammy Award winner
* She's had two #1 songs, "Midnight Train to Georgia" (recorded with Gladys Knight and the Pips in 1973 and "That's What Friends Are For" (recorded with Dionne Warwick, Elton John and Stevie Wonder in 1985)
* According to her official bio, she starting performing when she was just 4.
* She's an accomplished actress, with roles on TV (including "Charlie and Company", "Benson", "The Jeffersons', and "New York Undercover"), film (including 1976's "Pipe Dreams", in which she was nominated for a Golden Globe and Tyler Perry's 2009 I Can Do Bad All By Myself).
* She appeared on Dancing with the Stars in 2012.
* Her name appeared on a restaurant, Gladys Knigh's Chicken and Waffles, that had several locations in Atlanta, although it was her son who owned them. They've since closed down.
* Gladys Knight and the Pips were inducted into the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.
* She published her autobiography, "Between Each Line of Pain and Glory", in 1997
* She currently lives in Las Vegas with her husband
* She can still sing. Check out this clip from 2018:
* She was criticized by some for taking part in the Super Bowl festivities. She responded on NBC's TODAY by saying everyone has an opinion, "but once we get into that love thing, it all comes together and goes wherever and we end up clapping and having a good time."
That's just the tip of the iceberg, but it should good enough to get you going for Sunday's game.
Gladys Knight in photos
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