Gladys Knight's rendition of the Star Spangled Banner last night was, in my mind, up there with WHITNEY'S inspiration from the 1991 Super Bowl. I realize that may sound like a "reach" but please, allow me to explain.
For starters, I am NOT saying that Gladys is as good a VOCALIST as Whitney Houston was.
No one is.
However, Gladys Knight performed TERRIFICLY last night under extreme pressure, even HATRED from many (mostly black, but some whites also) who called her "sellout" because she even agreed to SING at the event in her hometown.
Here's one example.
A website called blackamericaweb.com posted an open letter to Gladys to "Stop 'Buck Dancing and Cooning' " on January 22nd, urging her to decline the Super Bowl invite and show solidarity with Colin Kaepernick. The open letter was written by Najee Ali, Director of "Project Islamic HOPE" (which tells you something right there.) In her statement, Gladys said she wanted to sing "that historic choice of words" which "unites us" but that didn't sit well with Ali. She compared Kaepernick to ROSA PARKS (who, by the way, would have been 106 today and was FAR braver than Mr. One-Knee ever was or could be.) Ali then basically urged Knight to stupidly flush HER career like he did in, order to oppose "racist white people." (It's interesting that Colin, himself did not write the open letter but let's face it, football players aren't usually the most articulate guys in the world, are they. With few exceptions.)
Several other black performers either declined, or said they WOULD decline, an invite to sing at the Super Bowl if they WERE invited, so Gladys seemingly stood alone as far as I know. SHE was more like Rosa Parks than Colin could EVER be, only difference was that Gladys defied BLACK racists.
Yes, Gladys Knight went out there last night thinking for herself and singing for her country...and I admire that. She LOOKED and sounded GREAT, too but I won't be surprised if some racist black person or Liberal white person accuses Gladys of catering to whites because she wore a white dress (Lol). That's the screwball world we live in today!
Which brings me back full circle to my Whitney Houston / Gladys Knight comparison.
1n 1991, Whitney Houston's performance was preceded by a decade of two Presidents who UNITED us, Ronald Reagan and George Bush 41 (Reagan was re-elected in 49 of 50 states in 1984 and "Bush 41" assembled an amazing coalition of nations to fight the Gulf War, in 1990. Whitney's performance at the Super Bowl came DURING that war when we were united ANYway.)
GLADYS performed last night in front of a nation divided by eight years of the OBAMA Presidency and now TRUMP for the last two years, (though Trump is TRYING to heal the black / white divisions which Obama nurtured, nursed and agitated.) WHITNEY was not singing in 1991 knowing many of those who formerly supported her now hated her....but last night, Gladys WAS.
Gladys Knight bravely went out to sing last night in the midst of a verbal, CIVIL War in America......or maybe UNcivil War is a better description.
Talk about pressure!!
And I give her my utmost respect for that. Whitney could have sang it BETTER and probably would have shown the same guts GLADYS did, if she were alive and called upon to sing last night....but she isn't, and she wasn't.
Last night, it was GLADYS'S turn to shine, and shine she did. I only hope that the reproach she gets won't cause her to walk it all back and conform to those who want to divide us.
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