DETROIT — Gladys Knight's husband had no interest in cutting back the 82-year-old star's touring schedule despite assertions to the contrary, her son contends.

Knight, the early Motown star known as the "Empress of Soul" for tracks such as "Midnight Train to Georgia," has continued touring after she announced on Aug. 27 that she would cut back. Her husband and manager, William McDowell, said he'd evaluate her Sept. 5 concert in Tulsa, Oklahoma — which one attendee claims was cut short — before deciding whether she would continue.

Following Tulsa, she appeared in Terre Haute, Indiana, on Wednesday and was scheduled to appear in Cincinnati on Friday, Sept. 11, and in Shipshewana, Indiana, on Saturday, Sept. 12.

"He never intended to stop any tour dates, as you can see for yourself," Shanga Hankerson said via instant message to The Detroit News. "My belief and fear is that he intends to literally try to work her until she passes away. And you can quote me on that."

Hankerson claims that his mother is a victim of elder abuse and is being exploited by McDowell, 68. Hankerson has said she exhibits early signs of cognitive decline. McDowell has acknowledged the singer has difficult days, but maintains she has not been diagnosed with dementia and wants to continue performing.

Knight's representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment for this story.

McDowell previously said that if she had a "rough night" in Tulsa, he would "pull the plug" on future dates. One concertgoer posted on Facebook that she exited the stage early and that the show ended early.

"It was hard to watch and we all cheered her on and loved on her just the same," wrote Paul Gregory Richard, who posted a picture from the show at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tulsa. "They shut the concert down after only one hour of her segment, she just could not continue."

Richard did not return a call seeking comment Friday.

"Gladys Knight was doing so good until half way through her set last night," he wrote. "At that point it appeared her dementia kicked in and she could no longer remember the words to her most iconic songs."

At least one other concertgoer, however, posted video of Knight performing part of "Midnight Train to Georgia," which was her final number in at least three shows earlier this summer, according to posts on setlists.fm. No set list is reported on the site for the show in Tulsa.

Richard did not return a call seeking more details on his post Friday.

Hankerson said he doubts that McDowell ever planned to reconsider Knight's touring schedule. After Shipshewana, she is scheduled to appear Oct. 7 in Glenside, Pennsylvania, Oct. 9 in Portsmouth, Virginia, and Oct. 10 at Atlantic City, New Jersey, according to her tour schedule.

"The fact Mr. McDowell would even make a statement that further evaluation is necessary to stop my mother from working at this point, considering all of the blatant visual evidence the public is now seeing, should tell you everything you need to know about him and his motives," Hankerson said.

Hankerson is the son of Knight and Barry Hankerson, who was a community organizer in the office of Mayor Coleman A. Young in the 1970s and married Knight in 1974. They divorced four years later.

Knight, a native of Atlanta who was signed with the Pips to Motown Records, last performed in Detroit on Aug. 20 at the Fisher Theater.

Six days later, she posted her future plans.

"After much soul searching I've decided that I will be easing into fewer performances while focusing on transitioning into the next stage of my career and life moving forward," the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer said. "I'll be spending more time on projects with my husband and visiting with my grandbabies and am looking forward to this new era."

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