Gladys Knight & The Pips: Untold Stories, Motown Secrets & Legacy with Dr. Dhyana Ziegler

The Mike Litton Experience

Mike Litton

Business, Kids & Family, Parenting, Careers

5.0 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 3 October 2025

⏱️ 66 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this exclusive episode of The Mike Litton Experience, we sit down with the award-winning author, Emmy-nominated journalist, and cultural historian Dr. Dhyana Ziegler for an unforgettable conversation about one of music’s most legendary groups: Gladys Knight & The Pips.

From humble beginnings in Atlanta church choirs to the glitz of Motown and Buddha Records, Dr. Ziegler takes us behind the curtain of a 37-year music legacy — revealing personal, never-before-heard stories about the group’s rise, the people who shaped them, and the challenges they faced in an industry that often exploited Black talent.

Dr. Ziegler, a professor, Presidential appointee, and decorated storyteller, shares not only the group’s powerful journey but also how family, faith, and cultural excellence drove their success. This isn’t just about music — it’s about legacy, resilience, and the harmony of spirit.

Whether you’re a lifelong fan of soul and Motown, a music history buff, or simply love inspiring stories — this is an episode you can’t afford to miss.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE:

The real story behind Gladys Knight & The Pips’ beginnings
How Marguerite Mays, Charlie Atkins & Bobby Robinson shaped the group’s path
Motown’s inner workings and why Gladys Knight was hesitant to join
How Dr. Ziegler preserved their legacy through award-winning storytelling
The cultural power of music in bridging divides — from America to South Africa
And why this story deserves its place alongside The Temptations & Jackson 5

Don’t miss this powerful journey through Black music history — told by someone who lived it.

SUBSCRIBE to The Mike Litton Experience for more deep-dive interviews, legacy stories, and timeless insights from the world’s most impactful voices.
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Transcript

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0:00.0	Bobby Robinson, just like the people in Atlanta, ripped them off.
0:05.3	So even though they got a chance to do the Apollo, they had the Hotel Teresa, all that stuff, when it came to money, they would say the royalties, well, you know, those suits you have on and those hotels and stuff.
0:17.8	So they didn't get paid, but they're supposed to get paid.
0:22.8	Gladys never wanted to go to Motam.
0:23.6	Oh, really?
0:32.8	But they did everything as a group, the four of them. They voted so the best votes win.
0:41.1	She thought that she would get lost. You had the Supremes, the Marvellettes, the Chorales, all the female groups. So she thought that she was going to get lost in the sauce. So I did that. And I also
0:47.6	worked for Metro Media, Channel 5. They had black news there. So I had two different internships going.
0:56.0	Again, I was sort of crazy with a lot of energy
0:59.0	and I was doing a lot of things.
1:00.0	And I tell people, back in those days,
1:04.0	I couldn't even touch a camera, you know, all the union rules.
1:09.0	What was it that made you decide to take the step to do this?
1:14.9	And what's the single most important thing you learned writing the book?
1:19.4	Well, you know, I'm a journalist, so I've written academic books. I've written over, you know, 50 or 60 articles published. So, you know, it's a process for me.
1:30.8	This was different, though, right?
1:32.2	It was different. Yeah, it was more. And what made it even challenging because it was family.
1:39.3	Yeah.
1:39.7	You know, I had to get it right.
1:42.5	Your heart. Did you know there's a technology that's actually an app on your phone that uses sound
1:47.8	waves to tell your brain what you want your brain to do?
1:51.3	We had a young man that was a guest on our podcast, the Michael Lidding experience, who had
	...

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