Gladys Knight & the Pips

INCLUDES 10 BONUS TRACKS

Initially composed of siblings and cousins, Gladys Knight & The Pips was among the most popular rhythm and blues and soul groups of the 1960s and ’70s. The group was unusual at the time for having a female lead singer and male backup singers. Knight combined precise classic-pop elegance with pure R&B power and soul searching.

The group cut a number of singles and albums for different labels before signing with Berry Gordy at Motown. This essential release presents Gladys Knight & The Pips’ underrated debut long play, Letter Full of Tears, which was originally issued in 1962 by the small Fury label. It contains regional hits such as the title song (a reading of Don Covay's "Letter Full of Tears"), the stomping "Room in Your Heart," and their first smash – a cover of Johnny Otis' "Every Beat of My Heart." In addition to the original LP, this remastered collector’s release also contains 10 bonus tracks, consisting of hard-to-find sides issued by Fury, Brunswick or Vee Jay during the same period. Although the group eventually went on to greater commercial success in the mid- and late ‘60s, all of these wonderful songs form the building blocks of their musical legacy. This CD is truly an time-tested treasure, as well as an indispensable set for aficionados of early soul.

PERSONNEL:

GLADYS KNIGHT, lead vocals on all tracks, with

ON TRACKS [1-12]:
THE PIPS: Meral “Bubba” Knight, William Guest, and Edward Patten (backing vocals).
Orchestra arranged and conducted by Horace Ott.
Probably recorded in New York, 1961 & 1962.

ON TRACKS [13-17] & [19]:
THE PIPS: Meral “Bubba” Knight, William Guest, and Edward Patten (backing vocals).
Orchestra arranged and conducted by Horace Ott.
Probably recorded in New York, 1962.

ON TRACKS [18, 20-22]: THE PIPS: Gladys Knight (lead vocals),
Meral “Bubba” Knight, William Guest, Edward Patten, and Laston George (backing vocals).
Probably recorded in New York, 1960 & 1961.

INCLUDES 16-PAGE BOOKLET

TRACKS:

01 Letter Full of Tears
02 You Broke Your Promise
03 Operator
04 I’ll Trust in You
05 Morning, Noon & Night
06 I Really Didn’t Mean It
07 Every Beat of My Heart
08 Room in Your Heart
09 Guess Who
10 Stop Runnin’ Around
11 Darling
12 What Shall I Do?
BONUS TRACKS
13 Come See About Me
14 I Want that Kind of Love
15 A Love Like Mine
16 Queen of Tears
17 Before Now and After Then
18 Every Beat of My Heart [alternate take]
19 Go Away, Stay Away
20 Linda – The Pips
21 Ching Chong – The Pips
22 Whistle My Love – The Pips