By that time, Gladys and the guys were like my own children!' The group was a touring standout during this period with Knight's contralto lead vocals and the Pips' impeccable choreography and characteristic background vocals becoming highlights.īy the end of 1965, Berry Gordy was scouting to get the group signed to his fabled Motown Records label. To tell the truth, Gordy wasn't too happy about it at first, but this is something that I would not compromise under any circumstances. Choreographer Atkins designed 'fast-stepping' dance routines that became a signature of the Pips' stage presentation Atkins later described his working and personal relationship with the group in his autobiography, Class Act: The Jazz Life of Choreographer Cholly Atkins: 'The one thing that I was pleased about was a stipulation in my contract that allowed me to keep working with Gladys Knight & the Pips as personal clients even though I would be an employee of Motown Records. The group developed a reputation for exciting and polished live performances that enabled them to work even without the benefit of best-selling records.
After a string of single releases on Fury Records Langston George left the group in 1962. Later in 1961, the newly christened quartet released the single, 'Letter Full of Tears', which became another top 40 hit in early 1962. Prior to the re-release on Fury Records, the group changed their name to Gladys Knight & the Pips.
Both versions made the Billboard charts, with the Huntom/Vee-Jay version reaching number six on the Billboard Hot 100. Upon learning that 'Every Beat of My Heart' was already becoming a hit and cutting the group off of profits, Robinson had the group re-record the song and re-release it on Fury Records. During this time, the group moved to New York where they auditioned for Bobby Robinson's Fury Records. Because the group was without a record label, a local Atlanta label, Huntom Records, pushed the single and got a distribution deal with Vee-Jay Records to release the single. In 1961, they recorded their version of Johnny Otis' 'Every Beat of My Heart'. Patten and George were involved in another group before joining the Pips. They were replaced by another cousin, Edward Patten, and a friend, Langston George. By 1959, Brunswick dropped the group and both Brenda Knight and Eleanor Guest left the group to begin families.
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