Gladys Knight is taking the midnight train to a well-deserved relaxed schedule

“I’d like to take a moment, in advance, to thank all my fans over this last three quarters of a century for making a little girl’s dream come true and supporting her every step of the way,” she writes. “I am immensely grateful to all of you and send my eternal love back to you.” 

Like many within the music industry, this wouldn’t be Knight’s first time announcing her retirement. She staged a farewell tour of the UK in 2009, only to return six times in the last decade. However, Knight’s concertgoers have noticed some concerning behavior on stage, including appearing dazed and confused. During a July performance at the Hollywood Bowl, Knight reportedly turned her back to the crowd and began walking off stage in the middle of “Midnight Train To Georgia,” leading to concerns about her mental acuity. Husband and manager William McDowell tells TMZ she has not been diagnosed with dementia. “No one is ever gonna make me say, ‘My wife is well,'” he says, “but all she wants to do is sing.”