Singer, songwriter, musician and producer Lionel Richie was born in Tuskegee, Alabama, on this day in 1949 (June 20) Richie rose to fame as co-lead singer of funk and soul band Commodores, who had a string of hits in the late 1970s and early 1980s with classic tracks like “Easy”, “Three Times a Lady”, and “Nightshift”. In 1982, Lionel Richie left Commodores to pursue a successful solo career, starting with his self-titled album, and the single “Truly”. His second album, “Can’t Slow Down” (1983), reached on the US Billboard 200 chart and sold over 20 million copies worldwide, becoming one of the best-selling albums of all time; and spawned the singles “All Night Long (All Night)” and “Hello”. His third album, “Dancing on the Ceiling” (1986), built on that success, with the single “Say You, Say Me” (from the 1985 film White Nights) and the hit title track. During his solo career, Richie became one of the most successful singers of the 1980s, and has sold over 100 million records worldwide, making him one of the world’s best-selling artists of all time. He has won four Grammy Awards, including Song of the Year for “We Are the World” (which he co-wrote with Michael Jackson), and Album of the Year for “Can’t Slow Down”. In 1981 he wrote and 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 biggest career hit for both artists. The song was also nominated for an Academy Award. His song “Say You, Say Me” won both the Academy Award and the Golden Globe award for Best Original Song. In 2016, Richie received the Songwriters Hall of Fame’s highest honor, the Johnny Mercer Award, and he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022. In 2003 Richie was also inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame as a member of Commodores….watch the Commodores classic, “Easy

June 22, 2025 Williams 0

On this day in 1949, the legendary singer, songwriter, musician, and producer Lionel Richie was born in Tuskegee, Alabama. Over the decades, Richie has become […]