The "Midnight Train to Georgia" chugs into the community of La'ie this weekend when Gladys Knight, the Grammy Award-winning soul sensation, performs at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Cannon Activities Center of the Brigham Young University campus.

Knight is making her Hawai'i concert debut as she caps a week-long Golden Jubilee Celebration at BYU-Hawai'i.

A prime mover in the Motown soul of yesteryear, Knight fronted The Pips for years, beginning with the group's first hit, "Every Beat of My Heart," in 1961.

Her "Midnight Train" was a No. 1 hit in 1973, and chart-toppers in the 1960s and '70s included "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," "If I Were Your Woman," "Neither One of Us (Wants to be the First to Say Goodbye)," "I've Got to Use My Imagination," "Best Thing That Happened to Me" and "On and On."

Knight has been a soloist for a number of years now and has maintained stardom through her regular appearances at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas and other entertainment capitals. Her performances embrace her gospel origins but also pay homage to her Motown soul-mates, The Temptations, Martha & the Vandellas and Marvin Gaye.

Her brother Merald (whose nickname is Bubba, a Pips member), will join her in concert here.

Tickets: $35 to $55, available by calling (877) 750-4400 or (800) 217-0656.

Reach Wayne Harada at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com.