Gladys Knight stepping back from performing for 'new era' of life

Gladys Knight is stepping back from performing to focus on a "new era" with her family.

The 82-year-old singer - who married fourth husband William McDowell in 2001 and the couple have 17 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren between them - is currently on tour but has announced she will be "easing into fewer performances" to allow her to move forward with the next stage of her "career and life".

She wrote in a statement shared to Instagram: “After much soul searching I’ve decided that I will be easing into fewer performances while focusing on transitioning into the next stage of my career and life moving forward.

“I’ll be spending more time on projects with my husband and visiting with my grandbabies and am looking forward to this new era.”

Gladys thanked fans for their support over the years and will always be "immensely grateful" to them for making her dreams come true.

She continued: "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.

“I am immensely grateful to all of you and send my eternal love back to you.

“I hope to see your smiling faces out and about and on the road. God bless all of you and hope to see you soon.”

During The Queens tour last year, which saw Gladys take to the stage alongside Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle, and Stephanie Mills, her son Shanka Hankerson expressed his concerns the Midnight Train to Georgia singer's busy schedule was "detrimental" to her health and accused her husband of mental and financial abuse.

But the veteran singer refuted his claims, insisting she enjoyed her life on the road and was doing well.

She said in a statement: "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?

"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.”

The Licence to Kill singer's publicist said her client was “greatly saddened by Shanga’s unfounded allegations" and claimed Gladys and her son had "no substantial contact" with one another.