Lionel Richie – Artist of The Month June 2023
Lionel Richie is one of the most successful and influential singers, songwriters, and producers of all time. He has sold over 100 million records worldwide and won four Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and many other honors. He is also a television personality and a judge on American Idol.
Richie was born on June 20, 1949 in Tuskegee, Alabama, where he grew up surrounded by music. He learned to play the piano, saxophone, and keyboards at a young age and joined a local R&B group called the Mystics. In 1968, he became a founding member of the Commodores, a funk and soul band that signed with Motown Records and achieved international fame in the 1970s. Richie wrote and sang some of the Commodores’ biggest hits, such as “Easy”, “Sail On”, “Three Times a Lady”, “Still”, and “Brick House”.
In 1981, Richie launched his solo career with the duet “Endless Love” with Diana Ross, which became one of the best-selling singles of all time. His debut solo album, Lionel Richie (1982), featured the No. 1 hit “Truly” and two other Top 5 singles, “You Are” and “My Love”. His second album, Can’t Slow Down (1983), was even more successful, selling over 20 million copies worldwide and winning the Grammy for Album of the Year. It included the No. 1 hits “All Night Long (All Night)” and “Hello”, as well as the Top 10 singles “Running with the Night” and “Stuck on You”.
In 1985, Richie co-wrote the charity anthem “We Are the World” with Michael Jackson, which raised millions of dollars for famine relief in Africa. He also won an Oscar and a Golden Globe for his song “Say You, Say Me” from the film White Nights. His third album, Dancing on the Ceiling (1986), produced another No. 1 hit with its title track, as well as the Top 10 singles “Love Will Conquer All” and “Ballerina Girl”.
After a decade of dominating the charts, Richie took a break from recording to focus on his personal life and family. He returned in 1996 with Louder than Words, which marked a shift to a more adult contemporary sound. He continued to release albums in the following years, such as Time (1998), Renaissance (2000), Just for You (2004), Coming Home (2006), Just Go (2009), and Tuskegee (2012). Tuskegee was a country album that featured duets with various country stars, such as Shania Twain, Kenny Rogers, Willie Nelson, and Tim McGraw. It became Richie’s first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 chart since Can’t Slow Down.
In addition to his music career, Richie has also ventured into television and film. He has appeared as himself in movies such as The Preacher’s Wife (1996) and The Simpsons Movie (2007). He has also been a mentor and guest judge on several singing competitions, such as The Voice (2012) and Duets (2012). In 2018, he joined Katy Perry and Luke Bryan as a judge on the reboot of American Idol.
Richie is widely regarded as one of the greatest songwriters and performers of his generation. He has influenced many artists across different genres and generations, such as Mariah Carey, Bruno Mars, Pharrell Williams, Ed Sheeran, John Legend, Adele, and Sam Smith. He has received numerous accolades for his contributions to music and humanitarian causes, such as the Songwriters Hall of Fame’s Johnny Mercer Award (2016), the Library of Congress’ Gershwin Prize for Popular Song (2022), the American Music Awards’ Icon Award (2022), and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction (2022).
Richie is also a devoted father of three children: Nicole Richie, an actress and fashion designer; Sofia Richie, a model; and Miles Richie, a model and musician. He has been married twice: to Brenda Harvey from 1975 to 1993; and to Diane Alexander from 1995 to 2004.
To celebrate his birthday we are offering a 10% discount on all our original Lionel Richie hand signed memorabilia. Simply use the code JQ6WJB6X when you check out. T&Cs apply.
Lionel Richie – Artist of The Month June 2023