Abstract
Merald “Bubba” Knight Jr. was proudly born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. A longstanding member of Gladys Knight and the Pips, Bubba has been performing since he was ten years old. Bubba’s wife Kathleen also joins the interview, retelling her early life in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Oral history interview with Merald "Bubba" Knight Jr. and Kathleen Knight conducted by Claytee D. White and Stefani Evans on October 24 and November 13, 2025 for the American Americans in Las Vegas: A Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Bubba, a longstanding member of Gladys Knight and the Pips, recalls his childhood in Atlanta, Georgia. His wife, Kathleen, recalls her early like in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Together, they tell the story of Bubba's life from early childhood, to peak Gladys Knight and the Pips fame, raising children, and moving to Las Vegas, Nevada. Bubba shares stories about various musicians including BB King, Ray Charles, James Brown, and Fats Domino.
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Scope and Contents Note
Merald “Bubba” Knight Jr. was proudly born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. A longstanding member of Gladys Knight and the Pips, Bubba has been performing since he was ten years old. Bubba’s wife Kathleen also joins the interview, retelling her early life in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Oral history interview with Merald "Bubba" Knight Jr. and Kathleen Knight conducted by Claytee D. White and Stefani Evans on October 24 and November 13, 2025 for the American Americans in Las Vegas: A Collaborative Oral History Project. In this interview, Bubba, a longstanding member of Gladys Knight and the Pips, recalls his childhood in Atlanta, Georgia. His wife, Kathleen, recalls her early like in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Together, they tell the story of Bubba's life from early childhood, to peak Gladys Knight and the Pips fame, raising children, and moving to Las Vegas, Nevada. Bubba shares stories about various musicians including BB King, Ray Charles, James Brown, and Fats Domino. Digital audio available; no transcript available.
Access Note
Collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
Materials in this collection may be protected by copyrights and other rights. See Reproductions and Use on the UNLV Special Collections and Archives website for more information about reproductions and permissions to publish. Some transcripts do not exist in final form, therefore any editing marks in a transcript (deletions, additions, corrections) are to be quoted as marked.
Preferred Citation
Merald "Bubba" Knight Jr. and Kathleen Knight oral history interview, 2025 October 24 and 2025 November 13. OH-03962. [Cite format consulted: Audio recording or Transcript.] Oral History Research Center, Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada.
Acquisition Note
This interview was conducted and transcribed by the Oral History Research Center (OHRC) which is part of the UNLV University Libraries Special Collections and Archives Division.
Processing Note
Interview materials were processed by UNLV Libraries Special Collections and Archives in 2025. Sarah Jones wrote the collection description. Access copies were created for born-digital audio files. The audio has been minimally reviewed and all readily available information has been included in the description.