FOLLOWING on from her sell-out shows last year, The Empress of Soul, Gladys Knight, is heading to Bournemouth as part of her new five-date tour.

The seven-time Grammy Award winning icon will be playing prestigious venues including the Royal Albert Hall and Birmingham’s Symphony Hall, as well as a date at the BIC on Saturday, July 1.

Knight began her music career in the 1950s when she performed alongside her brother, sister and cousins in The Pips. In 1959 the group took on a new name Gladys Knight and The Pips and secured their first big hit in America with a cover version of Every Beat of My Heart, receiving international recognition when they signed up to the world famous Motown record label.

The award-winning singer, author, restaurateur and spokeswoman has recorded more than 40 albums and enjoyed No.1 hits on the Pop, Gospel, R&B and Contemporary charts.

She has been honoured with the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame, has a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame and has dozens of TV, film and theatre credits.

Knight will be performing all her classic hits during her latest tour, including Midnight Train to Georgia – which remains one of the most famous Motown records to date and was honoured as one of The Greatest Songs Of All Time by Rolling Stones Magazine – Help Me Make It Through The Night; Licence To Kill (the official theme song to the James Bond film); The Way We Were; Baby Don’t’ Change Your Mind and You’re The Best Thing (that ever happened to me) – plus tracks from her latest album Where My Heart Belongs.

Tickets for the show are on sale now, priced from £45. Visit bic.co.uk or 0844 576 3000.