When The Queens: 4 Legends, 1 Stage Tour featuring Gladys Knight, Stephanie Mills, Patti LaBelle and Chaka Khan, touched down in Fort Worth over the weekend, the four groundbreaking singers’ showmanship on the Dickies Arena stage proved why they’ll continue to reign supreme for generations to come.
Each headliner shattered glass ceilings for women and Black musicians by disrupting the music industry and achieving mainstream success throughout their respective careers. The nostalgic tour was originally scheduled to come through town in February, but the night of soul, R&B, fun, disco, pop and rock was well worth the wait for patient fans. The way they transported the crowd back to the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s, through their classics, was enough to make up for lost time.
A Good Night for Gladys Knight
The show opened with Motown pioneer Gladys Knight, who delivered the shortest set of the evening. The Atlanta native’s band kicked off the night, warming up the crowd before she came out in a pantsuit and rocking a mullet.
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The 81-year-old was escorted by her three background singers to her position onstage, where she remained for her entire performance. Knight quickly moved into early cuts, including “Love Overboard,” “Taste of Bitter Love,” “Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me” and “I’ve Got to Use My Imagination,” before easing into “Neither One of Us.” The performance built to a soulful ending, with attendees cheering her on. That connection continued during a cover of Dionne Warwick’s “That’s What Friends Are For,” which drew another warm response from the crowd. But the energy shifted when a cover of Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” began, and she hit a few shoulder bounces and knee dips, bringing playful movement to the stage. Soon, the audience began to stand, grooving with the Empress of Soul.
Knight took the crowd to church, leading them into gospel singer Donnie McClurkin’s “Stand” while briefly weaving in gospel singer and pianist Richard Smallwood’s “Total Praise.” By the time she closed with “Midnight Train to Georgia,” the set had moved through the soul genre. As she left the stage, she mouthed, “I love you all so much,” a small and personal gesture. Her set carried the calm command of an artist who does not need to prove her legendary status.
Stephanie Mills isn’t in Oz anymore
Next up was Mills, who proved that greatness doesn’t require much space. The Brooklyn-born icon, who made a name for herself as the original Dorothy in the Tony-winning musical “The Wiz”, arrived in an oversized yellow coat, and when she shed it to reveal a sequined strapless bodycon dress, the stage transformed, and she was the embodiment of pure sunshine. The presentation matched her energy from the jump. A live band and background singers, dressed in gold shimmer jackets, primed the audience ahead of the Broadway royalty’s entrance. She opened with “What Cha Gonna Do With My Lovin’,” then shifted into “(You’re Puttin’) A Rush on Me,” keeping the momentum rolling through the rest of the set. But it was her 1985 R&B hit, “I Have Learned to Respect the Power of Love,” that drew the most instinctive reaction from the crowd…