Was There Ever a Female Pip?

[daviddesper]

My cable music channel was playing a Gladys song tonight and during the songs they always show fun facts about the artists. However, my partner and I have often caught mistakes in the things they post.

Tonight they said that Gladys' Pips included her sister Brenda. I have never once seen a performance or an album jacket or anything showing anyone other than the three guys backing Gladys. So was her sister ever a Pip?

[milven]

During the fifties, the group, then known as THE PIPS, had siblings Gladys, Bubba and Brenda along with their cousins William Guest and Elanore Guest. They did record a few records for Brunswick, but none were hits.

[milven]

[luckyluckyme]

Tonight they said that Gladys' Pips included her sister Brenda. I have never once seen a performance or an album jacket or anything showing anyone other than the three guys backing Gladys. So was her sister ever a Pip?

In her autobiography, Between Each Line of Pain and Glory, Gladys says that in the early days her sister, Brenda & her cousin, Eleanor, were Pips along with Gladys' brother, Bubba & cousin,William. Through Gladys' mother's acquaintance with Maurice King, a deal was made to record, 'Whistle My Love' for the Brunswick label, a subsidiary of Decca Records. When the record went nowhere, Brenda & Eleanor quit, paving the way for the addition of cousin, Edward Patten to the group.

[mysterysinger]

Seems that Gladys was also a Pip.

[luke]

Where did the name Pip come from?

[milven]

Seems that Gladys was also a Pip.

Yes, she was. After the Pips left their old label and signed with Fury, their old label sold a master of Every Beat of My Heart to Vee-Jay. The song started to go up the charts. So the Pips re-recorded the song for their new label, Fury, and changed their name to Gladys Knight & the Pips. Both the Fury and Vee-Jay versions of the song competed with each other and both went up the charts.

[milven]

Where did the name Pip come from?

The nickname of one of their cousins was Pip. They took his nickname as their name. Not sure, but he may have also been their manager in the beginning of their career. Gladys book BETWEEEN EACH LINE OF PAIN AND GLORY has much of this info in it, but my book is tucked away somewhere. If you are a GK&P fan, try to find this book. It is interesting and a good read

[PeaceNHarmony]

During the fifties, the group, then known as THE PIPS, had siblings Gladys, Bubba and Brenda along with their cousins William Guest and Elanore Guest. They did record a few records for Brunswick, but none were hits.

Great find; never heard this one before. Thanks

[reese]

In her autobiography, Between Each Line of Pain and Glory, Gladys says that in the early days her sister, Brenda & her cousin, Eleanor, were Pips along with Gladys' brother, Bubba & cousin,William. Through Gladys' mother's acquaintance with Maurice King, a deal was made to record, 'Whistle My Love' for the Brunswick label, a subsidiary of Decca Records. When the record went nowhere, Brenda & Eleanor quit, paving the way for the addition of cousin, Edward Patten to the group.

There was also another Pip, Langston George, but I can't remember when he joined. I know he was a member when they had their first few hits, and there are photos of them as a quintet.

But Gladys wrote that he was also singing with other groups. At one point, they had a meeting to see where his commitment lay. He called them "a bunch of losers," and that was the end of his membership.

[midnightman]

^ Langston joined them with Edward Patton in 1959 and all five are on Every Beat of My Heart. By the time of "Beat's" release in 1961, Langston left and that's how the lineup became the "classic 4" of Gladys, Bubba, William and Edward. Shortly after that, they changed their name to Gladys Knight & the Pips.

Not surprised there WOULD probably be some drama with Langston though.

[reese]

^ Langston joined them with Edward Patton in 1959 and all five are on Every Beat of My Heart. By the time of "Beat's" release in 1961, Langston left and that's how the lineup became the "classic 4" of Gladys, Bubba, William and Edward. Shortly after that, they changed their name to Gladys Knight & the Pips.

Not surprised there WOULD probably be some drama with Langston though.

I think Langston is on their Fury album. I've seen photos of him with producer Bobby Robinson and the rest of the group in the studio. I've also seen photos of him onstage and backstage with the group at the Apollo.

When Gladys was honored with a BET lifetime achievement award, the tribute montage mistook Langston for William Guest or vice versa. Gladys made a point of correcting the mistake, citing all of the years shared with William, Bubba, and Edward.

[milven]

Langston in a photo with "a bunch of losers"

[RanRan79]

Gladys book BETWEEEN EACH LINE OF PAIN AND GLORY has much of this info in it, but my book is tucked away somewhere. If you are a GK&P fan, try to find this book. It is interesting and a good read

Same here. My copy is in a box in Philadelphia. I haven't read it in eons, but it was a great read. An excellent source of history for fans of Gladys and the Pips.

[milven]

And this interview with Bubba is another excellent source of the history of the group. It covers everything including its beginnings

[luke]

Thanks Milven.

[midnightman]

I think Langston is on their Fury album. I've seen photos of him with producer Bobby Robinson and the rest of the group in the studio. I've also seen photos of him onstage and backstage with the group at the Apollo.

When Gladys was honored with a BET lifetime achievement award, the tribute montage mistook Langston for William Guest or vice versa. Gladys made a point of correcting the mistake, citing all of the years shared with William, Bubba, and Edward.

I REMEMBERED THAT!

You don't want Gladys to check ya lmao

[midnightman]

And this interview with Bubba is another excellent source of the history of the group. It covers everything including its beginnings

Loved that interview. Seriously GK&TP's have had a very rich history. It's almost amazing that even before they signed with Motown, they already had a deep Detroit connection.