“Midnight Train To Georgia” — Gladys Knight and the Pips
I heard Gladys Knight described as “Motown’s greatest ever female vocalist” the other day. There have arguably been more famous Motown female singers, but have there been any better ones?
I like Gladys Knight’s voice very much, but I’m not sure I’m qualified to judge. However, Trevor Nelson, the BBC’s all-round expert in things R&B, said she was on a TV programme I watched the other evening, and I’m prepared to accept his option is more likely to be on the money than mine.
“Midnight Train To Georgia” is Gladys Knight’s signature song and whoever you think Motown’s greatest female vocalist might be, I’m sure we can all agree her vocal work on this song, alongside The Pips, more than deserved to win the Grammy for Best R&B Performance back in 1974.
“Midnight Train To Georgia” was a Billboard Number One and a UK Top 10 song, so it was commercially successful as well as critically acclaimed.
But it started out as a very different song to the more famous chart-topping version.
It was originally a Country song called “Midnight Plane To Houston”, recorded by its songwriter Jim Weatherly (here if you’d like a listen… https://youtu.be/J3_JQr6RqWs ).
And it didn’t become “Midnight Train To Georgia” until Cissy Houston (mother of…
