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Something straight out of music fairy tale happened on Sunday night in Inglewood: Four legendary singers — Chaka Khan, Patti LaBelle, Stephanie Mills and Gladys Knight — came together to perform their greatest hits on one stage for the very first time.
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The first leg of the Queens tour, which runs through June, made a stop in L.A. on Mother’s Day at the Kia Forum. The holiday was fitting — each of the artists are mothers and Khan’s mother was in the audience. Garbed in their Sunday’s best attire, thousands of fans of all ages stepped out for the bucket list-worthy show, which many described as “once in a lifetime.”
“I prayed for a show like this,” Stephanie Mills, who at 68 is the youngest of the quartet, said from her green room after her set. “Patti, Gladys and I did shows like a year or so ago, but I’ve always wanted to have Chaka, so I’m glad that we finally got her to do this. This is our first weekend of the tour, so I’m really happy about it. It’s a dream come true.”
Stevie Wonder put in a surprise appearance at Sunday night’s concert in Inglewood bringing together four queens of R&B.
Chaka Khan, 72, added, “It’s not lost on me. This may be the last tour for a couple of people, at least one person I think. I think this is a one-off situation.”
We caught up with fans ahead of the three-hour show — Knight opened at 7 p.m. on the dot. They shared the inspiration behind their outfits, why they wanted to attend the Queens tour and what being a “queen” means to them.
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Brenda Bluntson of Corona and Candice Walker of Pomona
Why did you want to come to the show?
Walker: My mom’s favorite artist is Gladys Knight and I wanted to give her a nice Mother’s Day gift.
Bluntson: This was a total surprise. I had no idea. I [found out because] I asked questions like “How should I dress and can I wear my heels?” I’m almost 70 and I like put on my heels.
Walker: I broke the news to her over the phone and she started screaming, “Oh, my God. I can’t believe it. I’m so excited.”
Bluntson: Yeah! I’ve been following Gladys for a number of years with her dad. He’s in heaven looking down on us so he’s grateful that she’s carrying on the tradition.
Is there a song that you’re most excited to hear from Gladys today?
Bluntson: I like “Midnight Train to Georgia.” “Every Beat of My Heart.” [Starts singing.]
Walker: I really like Stephanie Mills and I’m excited to see Gladys Knight, but everyone. Everyone has unique voices and I grew up listening to each and every one of them, so I’m just excited to be here. The fact that they’re on one stage is really special on Mother’s Day.
How do you define a queen?
Bluntson: I believe your inner beauty. You’re going to radiate it, without placing that on yourself. It’s a feeling to me. I feel like a queen when my daughter does [even] the littlest things. It can be bringing a Jamba Juice or shake, or saying “Hi, mommy. I love you” and waking me up in the mornings now. It’s like the tables have turned where I used to do for her and her safety, now she’s taking care of me so she’s making me feel like a queen.
Walker: To me, it just means being my best self every day whether that’s me being the best friend, daughter, wife, sister. Just bringing my best self to the table and putting God first. That’s first for me because I feel like with that I can’t go wrong, and standing firm in who I am in my faith.
In her new musical memoir, Danyel Smith plumbs the underappreciated genius of Gladys Knight, and her group’s forlorn masterpiece, ‘Midnight Train to Georgia.’
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Wayne Robinson of Santa Monica
Tell us about your outfit.
I’m a clothing designer. I’m retired now, but I have lots of clothes from those days and I love African clothes. This is from Africa, so that’s why I represent with African clothes one way or another every time I go out. The jacket was made by another designer, a friend of mine.
Why did you want to come to the show?
I’ve seen Chaka Khan at least 10 times. I’ve seen Patti LaBelle probably eight or nine times. Gladys Knight, I think I’ve only seen her twice. Stephanie Mills — oh, God — I followed her all over New York City back in the day. That’s when I was living there and working so she was coming away from the play, so she was making her debut on the scene at the clubs and stuff. She was hot. Well, they all were, you know. I love them all. These are the first ladies to me.
Who are you most excited to see perform?
Probably Gladys Knight because I haven’t seen her that much and I love her. I’m 70 years old, so I remember her when she was very young. I always seemed to miss her [performances]. I caught her at the Motown Revue or something back in the day, but never just by herself. We’re all old now. [Laughs] To have them all in one room, on one stage. I can’t believe it. I was not going to miss it.
How do you define a queen?
A queen is born to rule. She has it in her blood. She knows instinctively the right thing to do, the proper thing to do. She carries herself with dignity no matter what. She stands out because you can’t deny what she is, and these women represent that. They have that quality about them that stands alone, stands out and cannot be denied.
(Juliana Yamada / Los Angeles Times)
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Dedra Maxey and Darius Maxey of Sylmar, Teresa Bettis and Alice Weddle of L.A.
Tell us about your outfit.
Darius: We had to dress to impress and I wanted to bring the queens — my mother, my granny and my auntie — to see the queens. I’m a stylist as well as a singer and I picked silver for today because it gave a royal kind of feeling and vibe. I felt like that was the appropriate color for the day.
How do you define a queen?
Dedra: Wow, being a queen is just a person that really takes care of everyone, everybody, everything. A queen is just everything.
Bettis: Being a queen to me is being pampered, enjoying life and just taking care of everyone like my sister said.
Weddle: I feel like a queen at 88 years old and all these young people using their time to take me out to such an occasion. I just feel grateful.
(Juliana Yamada / Los Angeles Times)
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Beverly Mitchell of Manhattan Beach and Sheryl Davis of Rancho Dominguez
Why did you want to come to the show?
Mitchell: I was listening to Patti when she was Patti LaBelle and the Blue Belles and I’ve been sticking with her ever since. When I was younger, I would go to Oakland to see her and my kids would be like “You just saw her” and [I’m like] “I want to see her again.” Every time I come, it’s new. Even though all the songs are still old, it’s like a new experience every time I come to see her. I feel like I’m getting something new every time.
How do you define a queen?
Mitchell: [LaBelle] is true to herself and I think because of what she says in her concerts all the time. She always says she doesn’t care where you came from, what ethnicity you are, you can be gay, you can be straight, you can be whatever. She accepts you for who you are and that’s a true queen. You know, a lot of people, they don’t do that.
Davis: She has a beautiful heart and a beautiful spirit. We’re a champion for Patti.
Tell us about your outfits.
Davis: Patti [LaBelle] inspired my look. Each time we go to see Patti, we know we have to bring it because several times she’s pointed us out in the audience.
Mitchell: Green is my favorite color, but I just like it because Patti wears a lot of flowy things, so I can feel like I’m right next to Patti. We went on her cruise in April last year with Michael McDonald and we got a penthouse suite, and she was not far from us and our butler got her autograph.
Here’s where to pregame near SoFi Stadium before the Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar concerts.
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Mikal and Vernay Royster of San Diego
Why did you want to come to the show and who are you excited to see?
Mikal: I’m excited to see all of them even though Stephanie Mills is my homie from Mount Vernon, N.Y. Every one of them have left an indelible mark throughout my history.
Vernay: I needed a break. I needed some time away from work and my husband presented me with this wonderful opportunity to get away for Mother’s Day and of course, I took it. I am most excited to see Gladys Knight.
How do you define a queen?
Mikal: A queen — even though it’s used pretty liberally — means different things to different people. A queen is like one of the highest plateaus and marks that you can possibly make, but I can tell you that my standards are extremely high.
Vernay: Just having grace and being a woman of great integrity. A quiet strength and being a beautiful, wonderful person.
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Nicole Ozoemena of Los Angeles and Eunice Berry of Gary, Ind.
How long have you been a fan of these ladies?
Berry: I used to listen to my mom playing their music, and I loved it then, and I love it now. Now my daughter loves it.
Ozoemena: So I guess it’s been passed on from generation to generation.
Who are you most excited to see today?
Ozoemena: Patti LaBelle for me. I want to see her kick off her shoes.
Berry: Chaka. I love Chaka Khan cause she’s wild like me.
How do you define a queen?
Berry: Being someone who is looked up to.
Ozoemena: Like my mom said, a role model, but also somebody that’s strong on their own, someone that can stand on their own if need be and they’re okay with that.
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Angelica Harrison and Denise Devall of San Diego
Why did you want to come to the show?
Harrison: I’m here with my mom for Mother’s Day and my birthday. I know she loves these artists. They are her icons.
Devall: I actually saw Patti LaBelle [perform], the night before she was born.
Harrison: So Mother’s Day 33 years ago.
Who are you most excited to see perform?
Devall: Gladys Knight. She’s got a lot of soul. She is down to earth. She’s just a beautiful human being. Her R&B is great, but she also sings gospel and I went to one of her performances, and it was like we went to church.
How do you define a queen?
Devall: It means carrying yourself with dignity and grace.
The Beyhive showed out with their western-inspired outfits, heavily inspired by the Grammy Award-winning country album.
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Murdock and Mina Williams of San Gabriel Valley
Why did you want to come to the show?
Murdock: These are some of my favorite artists. I love them. She’s never seen Patti. I’ve seen all of the ladies throughout the years and it’s Mother’s Day, and she’s a wonderful mother and wife at the same time. We’ve been married for one year and one month.
Who are you most excited to see?
Murdock: Chaka Khan. I just like all her music and through the years I’ve followed her. She’s a local icon.
How do you define a queen?
Mina: Amazing, beautiful, good-spirited. You’re a queen when you have all of those things and God.
Murdock: My wife’s a queen, but as far as these ladies, they are icons in the music business for the last three to four, five decades. All of these ladies have amazing catalogs and music. I’m a little older than she is, so I grew up with all of them.
Mina: I grew up listening to them through my mother and father. I used to always send them to see them, and my dad just passed so this is the first time I’m able to come out and see them.
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Crystal Harris of Seattle
Why did you want to come to the show?
My brother brought me out here for Mother’s Day. I’ve never seen them live. Also, three months ago I had a major heart attack and it put me on my butt. This is really like the first outing since then. So I’m just getting back on my feet and trying to live life and enjoy it and this was my first little trip.
Who are you most excited to see perform today?
I just kind of love it all. I love everything they do. These are good women of legend and history, and they represent something so I’m proud to be here with my brother.
How do you define a queen?
It comes with great responsibility as any title. You are looked upon for wisdom, love guidance, respect, loyalty, honor, and that is me. And you know, I get it from my queen. Her name is Rose Marie Harris, my mother, who’s passed on, and she is the queen and matriarch of our family. And she taught us all, and she raised us all right. She had 10 of us, seven girls, three boys. We are all strong women and men, and so we try to honor that and be good queens and kings. Be good stewards to the community and our people, and I don’t look for anything from anybody, I get it back from God always so anything you can do, you do it freely.
Tell us about your outfit.
These shoes are from Aldo and these bracelets were my mom and sister’s that they passed down to me. And I got this outfit that I got from my friend in North Carolina who has a boutique.
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Debbie Davis of Highland Park and Jesus Moreno of Valley Village
Why did you want to come to the show today?
Davis: Because it’s the Queeeeenssssss. Patti, Chaka, Stephanie, Gladys, what? Yes!
Moreno: It’s once in a lifetime. Honestly, I don’t think we’re ever gonna see a show like this again so for us to be here is already legendary.
Which artist or what song are you most excited to see today?
Davis: I’m a singer so I told Jesus — I hope he doesn’t mind — that I’m going to be singing all night long, so you pick a song, I know it, I’ll be singing it. The last one I heard before coming here was Gladys Knight’s “Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me.” I’ll be doing all the backgrounds, front grounds, melodies, all of that.
How do you define a queen?
Davis: Confidence, power, empowerment, healing, joy, love, vibrations, beauty. We’re surrounded by beauty — all these people coming to see these queens. That’s what queens elicit and produce.
Moreno: Exactly what she just said and divine femininity.
Tell us about your outfits.
Davis: Well this is left over Beyoncé because you all know we’re right next to the SoFi [Stadium] and I was so glad I was able to pull this hat out twice for the queens on a Sunday, on a Mother’s Day. So I tried to be as queenly as possible, coming from one queen to see some more queens tonight.
Moreno: I just threw this on. I love wearing color. It gives life to me, so if you’ve got it in the closet, wear it. You gotta do it up, especially on a Sunday. It’s church.
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Serrahnade Burdette of Long Beach
Why did you want to come to the show?
I came with my grandmother, but you know, these are the oldies. These are some of the classics, these really strong R&B women. I’m so happy to be here. My mom got us tickets.
How do you define a queen?
A queen is someone whose actions speak [louder] than her words. It’s not just the look, but it’s also like the way that they carry themselves and how much sass, how much class, and you know how these women behave.
