James Newman III is an important link between musical heredity and development of individual persona; he is the son of Gladys Knight, a famous singer, and James Newman, the first husband of the singer. Although he was born and raised under such gigantic music icons he has charted his own course though still rooted in his family which guided his life course.
Early Life
James Newman III was brought into entertainment through his family because he was born to Gladys Knight, the famous soul singer and James Newman. His early years were characterized by astounding success of the mother through Gladys Knight and the Pips group.
In his childhood he saw organizational structure of a family that included fame performer and the priority that her work had over their family time. What James saw during his childhood was unheard of about the music industry, even though he was young.
The hardship at the juvenile stage of his life made him wade in during concerts and recording studios so he could understand the beats and feel or soul that characterized music of his mother’s generation.
His parent did their best to make him have an ordinary childhood despite the showbiz environment they found themselves. They ensured he had the best education and every other thing he needed to grow into a responsible person.
Career
While there are many children of famous musicians who follow their parent footsteps explicitly, James Newman III has led a comparatively low-profile career. He has moved with his own agenda of becoming a film director while at the same time ensuring that the family’s names remain on the industry’s map.
While details of his personal career choices are not well documented by the mainstream media, it appears that for the youth this was done deliberately, giving him opportunity to build his own career, preserving himself from shadow of his very famous mother.
His style in approaching the career and life seems to be a good mix of recognition of his family’s talent and pursuit of his own destiny.
Parents: Gladys Knight and James Newman
The certainly joyful name of Gladys Knight, the Empress of Soul, belongs to the American music hall of fame. At seven years old, she was a member of Gladys Knight & the Pips, and recording artists who released many records such as ‘’Midnight Train to Georgia’’, ‘’Neither One of Us’’ & many others.
Her rich voice and authority on stage have won her seven Grammy Awards and a membership in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. They got married in 1960 when Knight was only sixteen years old.
It is not much that is known about James Newman Sr but from what little information is out there it can surely be said that he played a very influential role in James III’s life and without a doubt an important role in the formation of the young man’s perception of family and identity away from the industry.
