Gladys Knight’s son fears her husband may work her to death as the 82-year-old singer continues with her remaining tour dates. The Gladys Knight’s Son Fears Her Husband Will ‘Work Her To Death’ first appeared on The Blast

R&B legend Gladys Knight’s son, Shanga Hankerson, has said her younger husband and manager, William McDowell, will “work her until she passes away” as her tour continues.

At 82, the “Midnight Train to Georgia” singer has shown no signs of slowing down despite concerns from fans and those around the tour. One concertgoer even described a recent performance as “tragic,” claiming Knight appeared disoriented.

Meanwhile, McDowell has denied the accusations, while Knight vowed in a statement to complete her remaining tour dates this year before turning her attention to new ventures.

Gladys Knight’s Son Accuses Her Husband Of Overworking Her

Concerns continue to mount over Gladys Knight’s health at the age of 82, although the singer has not stopped working.

The Empress of Soul has been on The Queens Tour since May and still has four scheduled performances remaining. These include stops in Glenside, Pennsylvania; Portsmouth, Virginia; and Atlantic City in October before the tour wraps up in mid-November in Highland, California.

However, her son, Shanga Hankerson, has alleged that she is a victim of adult abuse. He claims her husband and manager, William McDowell, is forcing her to maintain the schedule even though she is not fully fit for it.

Hankerson expressed fears that the tour itinerary could adversely affect his mother’s health and potentially lead to her death.

“He never intended to stop any tour dates, as you can see for yourself,” he told The Detroit News. “My belief and fear is that he intends to literally try to work her until she passes away. And you can quote me on that.”

Shanga Hankerson Recounts His Mother’s Concerning Episodes

Hankerson has been raising concerns for some time and previously revealed that he filed a complaint with authorities in North Carolina over his mother’s care.

In an August interview with PEOPLE, he described Knight’s work schedule as “detrimental” to her health. He also said he believed she was operating on “cruise control,” although she had not explicitly told him that she wanted to stop.

According to the news outlet, Hankerson recounted an incident on New Year’s Day when Knight allegedly didn’t recognize him for about 45 minutes.

During an earlier interview with The Shade Room, he described another incident in which the “That’s What Friends Are For” singer allegedly left the hotel where they were staying and wandered across town.

Hankerson accused McDowell of being “mentally and financially” abusive toward his mother, questioning why “she’s being made to believe that she has to work like this?”

• Knight called BS on Hankerson’s elder abuse allegations against her husband.
• Her rep once clarified that she doesn’t have pancreatic cancer after Aretha Franklin’s comment.
• Lionel Richie’s kids are “crazy scared they could lose him” after health crisis.
• TLC’s T-Boz was hospitalized after a recent medical emergency, causing her to miss out on their tour.
• Rod Stewart’s wife Penny Lancaster assured fans he’ll “come back stronger” in a recent health update.
• Billy Porter opened up about his health issue after his life-threatening battle with sepsis.

Gladys Knight Insists She Is ‘Healthy And Happy’

At the time, Knight rejected her son’s claims and said she was “healthy and happy.” She went further, saying the concerns surrounding her health had been “misrepresented” and insisting that she enjoyed being on tour.

“I’m sorry that my health and performances have been misrepresented. I want my fans and those concerned to rest assured I am doing very well for someone who has been on stage for three quarters of a century, hard to believe, right?” she said, per PEOPLE.

“I’m healthy and happy and visiting friends and family these last few months. I’m excited to get back on the road with my sisters and on stage with The Queens Tour. See you soon,” she added.

Her publicist, Laura Herlovich, also shared an update with the news outlet. She said the singer and her team were “greatly saddened by Shanga’s unfounded allegations,” claiming he “has had no substantial contact with her.”

Gladys Knight Vows To Complete Her Remaining Tour Dates

Amid concerns about her health, Knight has vowed to continue the tour before finally bringing it to a close.

In a statement posted to her Instagram account on Monday, September 14, the “Neither One of Us” singer said she had only a few dates remaining and wanted to complete them.

“After heartfelt discussions with my team, I recognize that no matter how much I love lifting spirits in song, it’s time for the midnight train to make just a few more stops,” the statement read.

She added, “I’m finishing the year strong with my remaining performances. Looking forward to new ventures next year. Again, I am so very grateful for all the love and support over the years.”

Gladys Knight Allegedly Appeared Disoriented During Recent Show

Concerns about Knight’s health intensified after her September 5 show in Tulsa, which McDowell had previously identified as a test to see whether she could continue touring.

He told TMZ that if the singer had “a rough night” during the show, he would “pull the plug on her remaining dates.”

However, concertgoer Paul Gregory Richard claimed that the show ended early after Knight struggled during her set.

“It was hard to watch, and we all cheered her on and loved on her just the same,” he wrote on Facebook, adding that “she just could not continue.”

The incident did not prevent Knight from returning to the stage. She performed again at a September 9 concert in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Reviewing that show for The Detroit News, freelance writer Tiffany Judkins acknowledged that “there were moments when her age was apparent.” However, she added that “there were also moments when the voice was undeniable.”

The Gladys Knight’s Son Fears Her Husband Will ‘Work Her To Death’ first appeared on The Blast