Gladys Knight & the Pips’ epic song, Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye), was their last release before leaving Motown for Buddah Records in February 1973.
One of the greatest break-up songs in soul music was originally written and first recorded by fledgling country singer-songwriter Jim Weatherly.
Jim Wetherly gave up a football career to pursue a career in music. The singer, songwriter wrote mostly pop and country songs. The success of Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye) lead Gladys Knight & The Pips to record several more of Jim Weatherly’s songs including Midnight Train To Georgia and Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me.
Shortly after Producer Joe Porter suggested the song to the group, Gladys Knight recorded her lead vocal in one take at MoWest Studios.
But when the group traveled by car back from Los Angeles to Detroit, they decided to return to the studio to add more background vocals and re-record Gladys’s lead vocals.
Motown issued the song for promotional use in December 1972. Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)steadily began climbing the charts on both the pop and R&B charts. It became the group’s biggest hit since “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” roughly six years before.
On March 17, 1973, the song reached number one on the Hot Soul Singles chart, staying there for four consecutive weeks.
We’re talking about nighttime diabetes management with musical inspiration from Gladys Knight & The Pips courtesy of SONY Music.
Gladys Knight doesn’t have diabetes, but the disease is as close to her heart as the memories of her mother, Elizabeth Knight, who died of complications from the disease in 1997. A five-time Grammy award winner, Knight is as busy as ever gracing the entertainment world with her exceptional voice. Yet she never misses an opportunity to voice the message of early detection and treatment of diabetes.
Gladys shares her final words of wisdom: ” Do something about diabetes … Know more, do more!” Knight feels nearly as passionate about spreading that message as she does about the incredible singing career her mom helped her launch some 54 years ago.
Guests include Stacey Harris aka ‘The Diabetic Pastry Chef’, Mary Ann Hodorowicz, RD, LDN, MBA, CDE, CEC, the Charlie’s Angels of Outreach, SleepyHead Central founder Tamara Sellman RPSGT, CCSH, Poet Lorraine Brooks and Mama Rose Marie.
Did you know that women are at a much higher risk to have a silent heart attack and be unaware that it’s happening or confuse it with something else?
The symptoms of a heart attack can come on like a quiet storm.
Studies have shown that women who have had a heart attack often did not experience chest pain — the most telling sign of a heart problem. Instead, women have a set of symptoms that come on slowly and progress gradually, including:
Unusual fatigue Sleep disturbance Flu-like discomfort Paleness or clammy skin Inability to sleep
Men are much more likely to experience the most common symptoms suddenly and with more severity. They can have cold sweats, dizziness or a feeling that they’re going to pass out.
Most fans we’re shocked to learn that Peabo Bryson suffered a mild heart attack last year. He credits his wife’s quick thinking and fast response for his his speedy recovery. In honor of this Quiet Storm icon we’re encourage you to learn the common warning signs of heart attack.
Memorize the common heart attack warning signs like the words to your favorite love song:
Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes – or it may go away and then return. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain
Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
Shortness of breath. This can occur with or without chest discomfort.
Other signs. Other possible signs include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.
If you can spot them early, you can limit the damage from the heart attack. Keep your house a home and learn the signs for heart attack, and remember: Even if you’re not sure it’s a heart attack, have it checked out.
Minutes matter. Fast action can save lives – maybe your own. Call 911 if you experience heart attack warning signs. Calling 911 is almost always the fastest way to get lifesaving treatment. Learn more at heart.org
Join us for Quiet Storm Fans’ Peabo Bryson Listening Partywith Leon Petrossian on Saturday, July 18, 8 – 10 PM. We will sharing heart health and heart attack information between Peabo Bryson’s most beloved songs.
Divabetic was inspired by the late music legend, Luther Vandross and created in 2005 by Max ‘Mr. Divabetic’ Szadek, who, as Vandross’ assistant of 14 years, witnessed his boss, mentor, and friend struggle in silence and solitude with the diabetes and its related complications. Since its inception, Divabetic has presented outreach programs in 15 major U.S. cities, reaching hundreds of thousands of women, their families and health care professionals.
Experience more of our GLAM MORE, FEAR LESS philosophy at divabetic.org
Can you identify the artist and the song of this popular Quiet Storm ballad just by looking at the lyrics from the 2nd verse? Good Luck!
After all this time
Slip on your nightgown
Step into our bedroom
First I want to take sometime
I just want to look at you
Girl you are so fine
I can’t believe you’re mine
And all I want to do
I want to make love to you
Tonight will be a special night
A minute more to come
And I’m so proud to be with you
So proud to share you’re love
Watch this video to see the answer
The smooth R&B programming nicknamed ‘the Quiet Storm’ starting in 1976 and came to prominence in the mid-80s, breaking artists including Luther Vandross, Anita Baker, and Sade, and establishing hit-makers like Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and LA Reid and Babyface. It was an alternative to funk, disco, and boogie that also gifted “old-school” R&B artists with the extended careers that classic rock artists enjoyed.
An urban alternative to soft rock or easy listening, Quiet Storm ignores most of the programming rules of commercial radio. Songs can be current or decades old, deep cuts or singles, and are more likely to be a live version or extended length than a radio edit. Instrumentals also get burn; jazz fusion is a favorite.
The Quiet Storm was and is multipurpose mood music; perfect for everything from sexy-time to just general wind-down.
Excerpts from Naima Cochrane’s Vibe magazine article, May 2019
The Quiet Storm Fans page is moderated by Luther Vandross’s former assistant, Max “Mr. Divabetic” Szadek.
“My aim is to empower quiet storm music fans to learn more about the health conditions affecting their favorite artists and apply it to their own lives,” says Max Szadek. “For example, Quiet Storm legend, Barry White suffered from chronic hypertension, like many of his fans, which caused severe kidney damage before his death. In fact, the prevalence of high blood pressure (HBP or hypertension) in African-Americans in the United States is among the highest in the world. More than 40 percent of non-Hispanic African-American men and women have high blood pressure. For African-Americans, high blood pressure also develops earlier in life and is usually more severe according to the American Heart Association.
