From the earliest days of Motown, Gladys Knight & The Pips were cranking out the classics, and even after stepping beyond the group for “That’s What Friends Are For” and beyond, the legendary frontwoman continues to flourish.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, who’s also dubbed “The Empress Of Soul,” may be 77-years-old, but she was downright ageless during a return to Ravinia for an immaculate overview, along with a few surprises.

With a wide smile and a soulful voice sent straight from the heavens, Knight strutted out to a snippet of Marvin Gaye’s “I Want You,” prior to a full version of her own “Love Overboard,” backed by a superb six-piece band and three background singers.

Though “Nitty Gritty” has surely stayed in the playlist for decades, she spiced it up with a slice of The Jacksons’ “Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground),” who she famously brought to the attention of Berry Gordy to permanently change the course of music history.

Knight will also go down in the books thanks to being associated with several other gems that were flawlessly presented, including “Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me,” “I’ve Got To Use My Imagination,” “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” and more throughout the 80-minute evening.

Ever the conversationalist, the headliner projected a message of love as she interacted with various audience members, who regularly shouted their praises and offered standing ovations.

She also slayed Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me,” Kris Kristofferson’s “Help Me Make It Through The Night,” Barbra Streisand’s “The Way We Were” and a spirited gospel medley, even as she pulled up a chair and fanned herself in the blazing heat.

Out of the ballads, “Neither One of Us (Wants To Be The First To Say Goodbye)” took the cake, while a figurative ride on the “Midnight Train To Georgia” was the embodiment of iconic as it sent an uplifted Ravinia towards the real-life rails.

For additional information on Gladys Knight, visit GladysKnight.com.

Upcoming concert highlights at Ravinia include Counting Crows (Aug. 19); The Infamous Stringdusters and Leftover Salmon (Aug. 20); The Beach Boys (Aug. 21-22); John Hiatt & The Jerry Douglas Band (Aug. 24); Marie Osmond (Aug. 25); Lake Street Dive (Aug. 26); Train and Vertical Horizon (Aug. 27-28); King Crimson and The Zappa Band (Aug. 29); Collective Soul, Better Than Ezra and Tonic (Sept. 1); Lady A (Sept. 3); The Roots (Sept. 4); John Legend (Sept. 5-6); Indigo Girls and Ani DiFranco (Sept. 10); Black Violin and Blind Boys Of Alabama (Sept. 11); Ben Folds (Sept. 18); Max Weinberg’s Jukebox (Sept. 19); Andrew Bird (Sept. 24) and Ms. Lauryn Hill (Sept. 25). For additional details, visit Ravinia.org.

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