At 81, Gladys Knight Admits How Much She Truly HATED Her | HO

DETROIT, MI — For decades, Gladys Knight and Diana Ross were two pillars of American soul and pop music, each carving a legacy that shaped the sound of generations. But behind the glittering stages and Motown harmonies, a simmering feud between the “Empress of Soul” and the “Queen of Motown” cast a shadow over their celebrated careers.

Now, at 81, Gladys Knight is breaking her silence—revealing the wounds, the rivalry, and the resentment that defined her relationship with Diana Ross for nearly forty years.

The Feud That Shaped Motown’s Golden Era

Gladys Knight’s voice—rich, powerful, and unmistakably soulful—has carried her through more than six decades in the music industry. With Gladys Knight & the Pips, she delivered classics like “Midnight Train to Georgia” and “Neither One of Us,” earning seven Grammy Awards and a place in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Diana Ross, meanwhile, rose from Detroit’s Brewster-Douglass housing projects to international superstardom as the lead singer of The Supremes, then as a solo artist with more than 100 million records sold.

But as Knight finally admits, their shared Motown history was anything but harmonious.

“I’m not a liar,” Knight said in a recent interview. “I know that she wasn’t the happiest with me. Let me put it like that.” What followed was an unvarnished account of rivalry, rejection, and the lengths Diana Ross went to protect her spotlight—even if it meant sidelining other talented artists.

Kicked Off Tour: The Night Diana Ross Drew the Line

The story begins in the late 1960s, when Gladys Knight & the Pips joined Motown Records and were invited to open for The Supremes on tour. It was a dream opportunity for any rising act—sharing the stage with Diana Ross, Florence Ballard, and Mary Wilson, who were already icons of sophistication and style.

But from the start, Knight sensed trouble. “We were on tour with the Supremes doing colleges and venues like that,” she recalled. “We opened for them. One night after a really good show, I got on the phone and Mr. Gordy said, ‘I hear you guys are doing great out there.’ I said, ‘I hope so, Mr. Gordy.’ Then he said, ‘But you’re giving my star act a little bit of trouble. What’s up with that?’”

Knight was stunned. She and the Pips were simply performing their best, not trying to upstage anyone. But Berry Gordy’s message was clear: Diana Ross felt threatened, and Gladys Knight & the Pips were going home.

“I remember him saying, ‘Well, I think you guys are coming home.’ I said, ‘What?’ And he repeated it. ‘I think you guys are coming home.’”

The next day, Gladys Knight and the Pips were off the tour. Knight later realized just how far Ross was willing to go to protect her place at the top. “That did happen. That’s true,” Knight confirmed. “She kicked us off the tour.”

Behind the Scenes: Tension, Control, and Betrayal

The friction backstage was palpable. According to Knight, everyone—Gladys, the Pips, the band—shared a single dressing room, while Ross and the Supremes had their own, lined up and waiting. There was constant tension whenever anyone tried to move out to make room for Ross’s crew.

Even among the Supremes, Ross’s dominance was evident. “People stopped addressing Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson, directing everything to Diana,” Knight said. Later, she learned they’d been instructed to do so. “We were taught at home never to air your laundry in public,” Knight recalled, but behind the scenes, the hierarchy was clear.

Former band members and colleagues have also spoken about Ross’s controlling nature, her tendency to micromanage, and a relentless drive that sometimes crossed the line. Allegedly, Ross’s ambition led her to sideline her own bandmates, believing she deserved to stand above the rest.

The Cost of Stardom: Florence Ballard’s Fall

Ross’s rise to solo stardom came at a cost—most tragically for Florence Ballard. As Berry Gordy began to favor Ross, Ballard struggled with the growing imbalance. By 1967, when the Supremes were set to headline at the Flamingo in Las Vegas, tensions reached a breaking point. Ballard saw the marquee reading “Diana Ross and the Supremes”—a crushing blow. Not long after, Ballard was fired and replaced by Cindy Birdsong.

Ballard’s solo career never took off. She died in 1976 at just 32, her funeral drawing more than 5,000 mourners. Ross’s arrival at the funeral was theatrical—she was met with boos from the crowd and accusations of mock mourning. “She wouldn’t even allow Florence to be the star of her own funeral,” said one attendee.

Mary Wilson Speaks Out: “She Wants Everything Herself”

Mary Wilson, the third member of the Supremes, eventually experienced her own heartbreak at the hands of Diana Ross. In her 1986 memoir, Wilson reflected on how Ross slowly became the focal point of the group while the others were pushed further into the background. “That has always been the way she is. Period. Since I knew her at the age of 13, she wants everything herself.”

Wilson described Ross’s constant need for attention, her tendency to throw tantrums, and her bluntness that often hurt feelings. Adding to the tension was Ross’s romantic relationship with Berry Gordy, which both Wilson and Ballard felt widened the divide.

Despite Ross’s star status, Wilson believed much of Ross’s behavior stemmed from deep insecurity. “Her haughtiness was just a front,” Wilson wrote. “Deep down, she believed she wasn’t as pretty as the other girls.”

Gladys Knight’s Perspective: “I Deserved Respect”

For Gladys Knight, the experience was humbling and infuriating. “Like anyone else, I deserved respect,” she said. “I have standards. You have a way you want to run your business. I have mine, and I think it works.”

Knight’s resentment lingered for years, fueled by stories of Ross’s diva behavior and fierce competitiveness. Some argue that what’s been called diva behavior was perhaps just Ross’s drive to succeed—a quality that propelled her to the top but left many bruised feelings along the way.

But for Knight, the pain was personal. “I know that she wasn’t the happiest with me,” she said. “Let me put it like that.”

The Legacy of Rivalry

Despite the tension, both women continued to dominate the charts and the stage. Knight’s career spanned more than 40 years, a testament to her talent and resilience. Ross’s solo career proved her star power, but the shadow of her controversial choices followed close behind.

In September 2024, Knight finally opened up about the truth behind her decades-long feud with Ross—a rivalry that stretched from their early Motown days all the way to 2005. For decades, the tension between these two legendary women was kept out of the public eye. It wasn’t until Knight shared the details in her memoir that fans learned what had really gone on behind the scenes.

The roots of the feud, according to Knight, went back to when Gladys Knight & the Pips signed with Motown Records and were invited to open for the Supremes on tour. From the start, things felt off. Knight realized that Diana seemed to resent her, specifically her powerful voice. Knight was baffled, given that Diana already had all the attention in the world from Mr. Gordy and everyone else.

And it wasn’t long before Berry Gordy himself called Gladys. His message was clear: “Well, I hear you’re spoiling my act.” Surprised, Knight insisted, “That’s not what we’re about. We’re just doing our show.” But Gordy’s mind was made up. He told her, “I think you guys should just come on back home tomorrow.” And just like that, Gladys Knight & the Pips were removed from the tour.

Looking Back: Room for Peace?

When asked years later if Diana had ever been outright mean to her, Knight responded with grace. “Well, I’m not a liar. I know that she wasn’t the happiest with me. Let me put it like that.”

Some argue that Knight’s feelings were justified, that she deserved respect and fair treatment. Others believe Ross’s actions were the product of ambition, circumstance, and a fiercely competitive industry. As one observer put it, “Diana could be a drama queen for sure, and had preferred status from Berry, but she proved herself after she left the group.”

Today, Gladys Knight and Diana Ross are both celebrated as icons—legends whose music will always shine. But for Knight, the wounds of rivalry linger. “I truly hated what happened,” she admits. “It wasn’t right. But we moved on.”

In the end, Knight’s confession is not just about bitterness—it’s about honesty, survival, and the cost of greatness. At 81, Gladys Knight has nothing left to hide, and the world is finally ready to hear her side of the story.