CHICAGO, IL.- During a special evening session of the house’s Vintage Couture and Accessories auction on April 11, Leslie Hindman Auctioneers will offer a collection of garments owned by Gladys Knight, a seven-time Grammy Award winner known to her fans as “the Empress of Soul.” Ms. Knight, who began her illustrious career as lead vocalist of Gladys Knight & The Pips, wore the 57 dazzling outfits throughout her storied career at performances and award ceremonies. Her collection depicts the evolution of her personal style across more than four decades. Gladys Knight was born in Atlanta, Georgia on May 28, 1944. Her first taste of stardom came at the age of seven, when she won Ted Mack’s Original Amateur Hour contest. The following year, she, her brother Merald, sister Brenda, and cousins William and Eleanor Guest formed a group called “The Pips,” after another cousin, James “Pip” Woods. By 1960 The Pips began to