Iconic: Gladys Knight Receives National Medal of Arts From President Biden

Soul icon and legendary singer Gladys Knight can now add a National Medal of Arts to her endless list of career achievements. On Tuesday afternoon, Knight along with Bruce Springsteen, José Feliciano, Mindy Kaling and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, was honored at the White House by President Biden to celebrate their contributions to the world of entertainment.

“The National Medal of Arts recipients have helped to define and enrich our nation’s cultural legacy through their lifelong passionate commitment,” said National Endowment for the Arts chair Maria Rosario Jackson. “We are a better nation because of their contributions. Their work helps us see the world in different ways. It inspires us to reach our full potential and recognize our common humanity. I join the President in congratulating and thanking them.”

This is the second time President Biden has put the spotlight on the “Midnight Train To Georgia” singer, as she was honored in 2021 at the 45th Kennedy Center Honors for lifetime artistic achievements. Her tribute was kicked off with a performance of her hit single “I Heard It Through The Grapevine,” by Academy Award winner, Ariana Debose.

“You could never have told me as a young girl starting my career that I would be honored on a stage such as this, with artists and humanitarians such as these — it just wouldn’t have seemed possible,” she said while accepting her award. “It would have been the dream of all dreams. I have been blessed with so much in my life, and this certainly stands with those achievements at the top of that list.”

Considered by many to be one of the greatest singers of all time, Gladys Knight, at 78 years old, is a 7-time Grammy-winner, has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and has six number-one R&B albums.