Lionel Richie

Artist Image: Lionel Richie
Attribution
Image Credit: U.S. State Department (https://www.flickr.com/photos/statephotos/38832214941/in/photolist-22ayQ4r-215bWSS-22atfBg), Public domain

Biography

Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr. (born June 20, 1949) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, record producer and actor. From 1968, he was a member of the musical group Commodores signed to Motown Records. Richie made his solo debut in 1982 with the album Lionel Richie and number-one hit "Truly". Richie was born in Tuskegee, Alabama, the son of Alberta R. (Foster) and Lionel Brockman Richie. Richie grew up on the campus of Tuskegee Institute. His grandfather's house was across the street from the home of the president of the college. His family moved to Joliet, Illinois, where he graduated from Joliet Township High School, East Campus. A star tennis player in Joliet, he accepted a tennis scholarship to attend Tuskegee Institute, and graduated with a major in economics. After receiving his undergraduate degree from Tuskegee, Richie briefly attended graduate school at Auburn University. He is a member of Kappa Kappa Psi and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. As a student in Tuskegee, Richie formed a succession of R&B groups in the mid-1960s. In 1968 he became a singer and saxophonist with the Commodores. They signed a recording contract with Atlantic Records in 1968 for one record before moving on to Motown Records initially as a support act to The Jackson 5. The Commodores then became established as a popular soul group. Their first several albums had a danceable, funky sound, as in such tracks as "Machine Gun" and "Brick House." Over time, Richie wrote and sang more romantic, easy-listening ballads such as "Easy", "Three Times a Lady", "Still", and the tragic breakup ballad "Sail On". By the late 1970s he had begun to accept songwriting commissions from other artists. He composed "Lady" for Kenny Rogers, which hit #1 in 1980, and produced Rogers's album Share Your Love the following year. Richie and Rogers maintained a strong friendship in later years. Latin jazz composer and salsa romantica pioneer La Palabra enjoyed international success with his cover of "Lady," which was played at Latin dance clubs. Also in 1981 Richie sang the theme song for the film Endless Love, a duet with Diana Ross. Issued as a single, the song topped the UK, Canada, Brazil, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and US pop music charts, and became one of Motown's biggest hits (in the US it sold 2 million copies and became a platinum single record). Its success encouraged Richie to branch out into a full-fledged solo career in 1982. He was replaced as lead singer for The Commodores by Skyler Jett in 1983. His debut album, Lionel Richie, produced another chart-topping single, "Truly", which continued the style of his ballads with the Commodores.

Details

Item Name Item Details
Year Formed 1968
Number of Albums 31
Record Label Island Def Jam Music Group
Website lionelrichie.com
Wikipedia Lionel Richie on Wikipedia
Social Networks

Trivia

Who announced that Lionee Richee is the most successful singersongwriter working today?

Charles Whitaker

...d the world as the most successful singersongwriter working today, Charles Whitaker announced in a 1987 Ebony article. Richie eventually enrolled in T...
What was Richi's initial goal?

to become an Episcopal priest

...ntually enrolled in Tuskegee Institute; his initial goal was to become an Episcopal priest . Education: Graduated from Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee...
When did Richie graduate from Tuskegee Institute?

1974

... Education: Graduated from Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University), 1974 . Joined musical group the Commodores while in college; left group to bec...
When did he leave the Commodores to become a solo recording artist?

1982

...llege; left group to become solo recording artist and concert performer, 1982 . Has written songs and produced records for other performers, including ...
What band did the Commodores open for in the early 1970s?

Jackson Fives

... to gather a following when they won the opportunity to open for the Jackson Fives concerts in the early 1970s. Around the same time, they signed a co...
Who did they sign a contract with in the same year?

Motown Records

... the early 1970s. Around the same time, they signed a contract with Motown Records , and after a twoyear period of searching for the right producer and...
What type of music did Motown want to write and record?

ballads

...an to put out albums. They wanted to move towards writing and recording ballads , which they thought more likely to become timeless standards. In the s...
What was the name of the funkpop group that came to the attention of music fans?

the Commodores

...ars, is a music business record. Richie began as a lead singer with the Commodores , a funkpop group that came to the attention of music fans in the ea...
Where did Richee attend school?

Tuskegee Institute

...pel, rhythm and blues, and country. Richie eventually enrolled in Tuskegee Institute ; his initial goal was to become an Episcopal priest. He brought w...
Who gave him a saxophone?

an uncle

...as to become an Episcopal priest. He brought with him a saxophone that an uncle had given him as a child, though he did not know how to play itaccordi...
How many other Tuskegee freshmen did Richee meet?

five

...ought it would help him meet girls. Regardless, it helped Richie to meet five other Tuskegee freshmen who were forming a musical group and sought him ...
Why did they seek him out?

because they heard he had a saxophone

...hmen who were forming a musical group and sought him out because they heard he had a saxophone . Apparently, Richie's lack of prowess on the instrument...
What was the name of the country music artist that Richee worked with?

Alabama

...ry music, writing and producing for Kenny Rogers and collaborating with Alabama . Although his popularity faded during the '90s and early2000s, Richie ...
In what year was Coming Home released?

2006

...rity faded during the '90s and early2000s, Richie updated his sound with 2006 's Coming Home and was rewarded with his first Top Ten LP in 20 years. Th...
How long did it take Richey to release his first Top Ten LP?

20 years

... with 2006's Coming Home and was rewarded with his first Top Ten LP in 20 years . The singer's renaissance continued over the next decade with 2012's c...
What was Richie's first Top Ten LP in 20 years?

Coming Home

... during the '90s and early2000s, Richie updated his sound with 2006's Coming Home and was rewarded with his first Top Ten LP in 20 years. The singer's...
In what year did he begin a new highprofile role as a judge on American Idol?

2018

...driven Tuskegee returning him to the top of the pop charts. Beginning in 2018 , Richie began a new highprofile role as a judge on American Idol, introd...
What were the Commodores' only number one pop hits?

Easy, Three Times a Lady, and Still

...t, sometimevocalist, and songwriter, penning ballads like Easy, Three Times a Lady, and Still (the latter two became the group's only number one pop h...
How many songs did the album reach on the pop charts?

three

...el Richie, the album was released in late 1982 and was an immediate smash, reaching number three on the pop charts on its way to multiplatinum status....
When was Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr. born?

Tuskegee, Alabama

... Richie, in full Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr., (born June 20, 1949, Tuskegee, Alabama , U.S.), American popular singer, songwriter, and producer most ad...
Who gave Richie his first saxophone?

His uncle

...e campus of the historic Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University). His uncle , a bigband jazz musician and arranger, gave him his first saxophone. ...
What was Richie's first instrument?

saxophone

...). His uncle, a bigband jazz musician and arranger, gave him his first saxophone . Initially, Richie gravitated toward gospel music, largely because he...
What genre of music did he initially gravitate toward?

gospel

...nger, gave him his first saxophone. Initially, Richie gravitated toward gospel music, largely because he was interested in becoming a minister, but he...
Where did Richie move with his family to as a youth?

Illinois

...meated the American South. As a youth, Richie moved with his family to Illinois , where he attended Joliet East High School. After graduating in 1967, ...
In what year was he able to graduate from high school in Alabama?

1967

...Illinois, where he attended Joliet East High School. After graduating in 1967 , he returned to Alabama to study economics and accounting at the Tuskege...
What was the name of the band he joined?

Mystics

...g at the Tuskegee Institute. During his first year there, he joined a campus band, the Mystics , as a saxophonist, composer, and, occasionally, singer....
What year was Lionel Richie born?

1949

...nd career of Lionel Richie. Growing Up Lionel Richie was born June 20th, 1949 in Tuskegee, Alabama. He grew up on the campus of the historically black...
What did Richie study at Tuskegee Institute?

economics

...returned to the Tuskegee Institute on a tennis scholarship and studied economics . Commodores While attending university, Richie joined several student...
What was his third album called?

Dancing on the Ceiling

...his corner, Richie released his first solo album the next year. Decline in Popularity Richie released his third album, Dancing on the Ceiling in 1986....
When was Dancing on the Ceiling released?

1986

...his corner, Richie released his first solo album the next year. Decline in Popularity Richie released his third album, Dancing on the Ceiling in 1986 ....
Richie's compositions rose to the number one position on the American pop singles chart at least once in every year between 1977 and what year?

1985

... American pop singles chart at least once in every year between 1977 and 1985 . After a recording hiatus of ten years, Richie returned to the national ...
How long was Richie's hiatus from recording?

ten years

... once in every year between 1977 and 1985. After a recording hiatus of ten years , Richie returned to the national spotlight in the late 1990s with Lou...
What album did he release in the late 1990's?

Louder than Words

..., Richie returned to the national spotlight in the late 1990s with Louder than Words , and was still going strong into the 2000s. Richie's musical pers...
Where was Richie born?

June 20, 1949

...abama's Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University). He was born on June 20, 1949 , and his childhood home was actually on the school's campus, where ...
What was his father's occupation?

U.S. Army systems analyst

... home was actually on the school's campus, where his father, a U.S. Army systems analyst , lived with his mother, an educator who later became a school...
In what decade did he rise to fame as a songwriter and colead singer?

1970s

...r his eponymous album, see Lionel Richie (album). He rose to fame in the 1970s as a songwriter and the colead singer of funk band the Commodores; writ...
In what year did he write and produce the US Billboard Hot 100 number one single Lady for Kenny Rogers?

1980

...n, Three Times a Lady and Still, with the group before his departure. In 1980 , he wrote and produced the US Billboard Hot 100 number one single Lady f...
Who was a duet with him on Endless Love?

Diana Ross

...nd produced the single Endless Love, which he recorded as a duet with Diana Ross ; it remains among the top 20 bestselling singles of all time, and the...
What charity single did Richie cowrote with Michael Jackson in 1985?

We Are the World

...e number one single Truly. He then cowrote the 1985 charity single We Are the World with Michael Jackson, which sold over 20 million copies. 2 hit tit...
How many studio albums has Richie released?

seven

... to 1996, Richie took a break from recording; he has since then released seven studio albums. He has joined the singing competition American Idol to s...
Richie became one of the most successful balladeers of what decade?

1980s

... solo career, Richie became one of the most successful balladeers of the 1980s , and has sold over 100 million records worldwide, making him one of the...
What was the No. 1 single from his selftitled debut album?

Truly

... selftitled solo album in 1982. He hit the jackpot with the lead single, Truly , which surged to No. 1 late in the year, while You Are and My Love also...
What country album did Richey have renewed success with in 2012?

Tuskegee

... (2006). He enjoyed renewed chart success with his 2012 country album, Tuskegee , and was named a judge for the 2018 reboot of American Idol. Hit Album...
What was Lionela's second album called?

Can't Slow Down

...the Billboard Top 5. 'Can't Slow Down' Richie's next effort, 1983's Can't Slow Down , featured the energetic pop hit All Night Long as well as the drea...
Which song featured a dreamy ballad?

Hello

...w Down, featured the energetic pop hit All Night Long as well as the dreamy ballad Hello , which featured one of the enduring music videos of the time....
In what year did Can't Slow Down land?

1983

...nded inside the Billboard Top 5. 'Can't Slow Down' Richie's next effort, 1983 's Can't Slow Down, featured the energetic pop hit All Night Long as well...