Who Is Gladys Knight’s Husband, William McDowell?
William McDowell is the husband of Gladys Knight, also known as the “Empress of Soul”. William’s wife Gladys is a singer, songwriter, and actress. She is well-known for her work with her family group Gladys Knight & the Pips and as a solo artist. She recorded the theme song for the 1989 James Bond film Licence to Kill.
William McDowell: Bio Summary
| Name | William McDowell |
| Famous as | husband of Gladys Knight |
| Date of birth | December 15, 1957 |
| Place of birth | United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | African American |
| Marital status | Married |
| Spouse | Gladys Knight |
| Parents | N/A |
William McDowell Is The Fourth Husband Of Gladys Knight
Gladys Knight has been married four times to four different men. Her fourth and current husband is William McDowell. William was reportedly born on December 15, 1957. He hasn’t shared much about his early life and family. He rose to fame because of his romantic relationship with seven-time Grammy Award-winner Gladys Knight.
William McDowell fell in love with Gladys Knight. He was able to win her over to the point where they both got convinced that they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together. They walk down the aisle in a beautiful ceremony. William and his beloved wife Gladys Knight have been married since April 12, 2001. They have been married for 22 years as of 2023.
The happy couple is still together something that didn’t happen in Gladys’ previous marriages. Before Gladys Knight married William McDowell, Gladys had been divorced three times. She was first married to Atlanta musician and classmate James “Jimmy” Newman, in 1960. She got married to her first husband Jimmy at the time she was 16 years old.
They decided to get married after Gladys became pregnant. However, Gladys lost the baby after she had a miscarriage. This happened while she was in a hotel and had been on tour with her band, the “Pips”. Gladys’ first husband was addicted to drugs which created problems in their marriage. She and Jimmy had two children.
When Gladys was 20 years old, her husband Jimmy abandoned the family. Gladys and Jimmy separated for several years before getting divorced in 1973. Gladys got married to her second husband record producer, music label owner, and manager, Barry Hankerson. Her second marriage lasted from October 12, 1974 until they divorced in 1979.
ALSO, READ: James Newman: What Happened To Gladys Knight’s Ex-husband?
The couple had one son. Gladys didn’t give up after her second marriage. Gladys Knight got married for the third time. She married Les Brown, a politician and motivational speaker. They were married from August 29, 1995 to 1997. They didn’t have any children together. It was after her third marriage ended that she married her current husband William McDowell.
There isn’t any sign of a divorce between the couple. In 2020, William shared a photo of himself and his wife and wrote the caption: “Living happy”. William is the stepfather of Gladys’ children from her previous marriages. He is the stepfather of James “Jimmy” Gaston Newman III (b. August 13, 1962) and Kenya Maria Newman (b. November 1963) from Gladys’ first marriage.
William is the stepfather of Shanga Ali Hankerson (b. August 1, 1976) from Gladys’ second marriage. William and Gladys do not have any children together but they are still enjoying a blissful married life. Gladys has shared the secret of her long-lasting marriage to William. “You have to always know that the Lord is going to make a way,” she told Closer in 2022.
“We put him first. If you’ve got a problem and don’t know how to do something, you have to look up. That’s how we get through.” Gladys also said: “When I’m home, I have a houseful of kids. And they’re all over William, my husband. He is all about the kids, and they just love him to death. They love him the best! And he’ll do anything to keep them on the right track.”
Gladys once shared that her life is “so much better” with her husband William McDowell in it. She disclosed that William is “the best thing that ever happened to” her.
William McDowell is said to be a musician. He says, “Music is in my soul, management of any business in my head. All together with talent and sweat anything is possible.” He is said to be a retired business consultant. He is known for his philanthropic work. He is involved in the National Museum of African American Music in Nashville, Tennessee.
William McDowell was the owner of jewelry stores and he had worked in real estate. He helps run an artist development company with his wife Gladys Knight. He used to be a student at Reynolds High School in Asheville, North Carolina. He planned to transform the Reynolds School property in Canton, North Carolina into a vibrant community center.
“When I left this small town, I had the confidence to do anything that I wanted to do,” William who grew up in the Canton community said. “I was just at the White House for Michele (Obama’s) birthday party, and I looked around thought, how did I come from this town and get here? How did I get the confidence to do that? The confidence came from that place.”
ALSO, READ: James Newman III: What Happened To Gladys Knight’s Son?
William McDowell and Gladys Knight bought the abandoned Reynolds High School in Canton in an auction for $80k, per Daily Mail. The couple hopes to provide services for the youth of the town, including a music center, a kitchen, a computer lab, exercise rooms, and counseling for drug and alcohol addiction.
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