Lionel Richie

R&B Singer

Lionel Brockman Richie Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and television personality.

Full Name

Birthday

Jun 20, 1949

deathday

AGE

BORN

United States

BIrth SIGN

Gemini

RElationship

In a relationship

Height

5′ 11″

Net Worth

$200M

About

Lionel Brockman Richie Jr. was born on June 20, 1949, in Tuskegee, Alabama. His zodiac sign is Gemini and he is of African-American descent. He is the son of Alberta R. Foster and Lionel B. Richie Sr., and he has three siblings: Paula, Brenda and Anthony.

Richie’s musical career began when he attended the all-black Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University) in 1967, where he joined the music fraternity Kappa Kappa Psi. During his college years, Richie formed a singing group called "The Commodores" with several of his friends from Tuskegee. The band signed a recording contract with Atlantic Records in 1972 and released their debut album the same year to moderate success. Their second album Machine Gun (1974) was much more successful, spawning several singles including "Sail On". After releasing several more albums with The Commodores, Richie decided to pursue a solo career in 1982.

His first solo album was self-titled Lionel Richie and featured the hit single "Truly", which topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for two weeks and went on to become one of the most iconic love songs of all time. He followed up that release with Can't Slow Down (1983), which won him a Grammy Award for Album of the Year and spawned four other top 10 singles including "All Night Long". He continued to release critically acclaimed albums throughout the 1980's and 1990's as well as co-writing songs like “We Are The World” with Michael Jackson.

In 2017, Richiesigned a new recording contract with Universal Music Group after leaving his long-time label Motown Records, who had signed him almost 40 years prior. In 2018, he embarked on a world tour called "Hello" in support of his tenth studio album Live From Las Vegas. He continues to be an iconic figure in both soul music and popular culture today with numerous awards under his belt such as multiple Grammys, an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song ("Say You Say Me"), induction into both the Rock n Roll Hall Of Fame & Songwriters Hall Of Fame, among many others accolades.

Life Timeline

<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">1949</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Lionel Richie is Born</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">On June 20, 1949, Lionel Richie was born in Tuskegee, Alabama.</p></div>

<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">1968</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Joins The Commodores</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Lionel joins the R&B group The Commodores, becoming their lead singer.</p></div>

<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">1977</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">The Commodores Release "Brick House"</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">The Commodores release their hit single "Brick House", which reaches number five on the Billboard Hot 100.</p></div>

<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">1982</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Releases Solo Debut Album</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Lionel releases his solo debut album, Lionel Richie, which becomes an instant success and goes double platinum.</p></div>

<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">1984</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Releases "Hello"</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Lionel releases his iconic single "Hello", which becomes a worldwide hit.</p></div>

<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">1985</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Wins 3 Grammys</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Lionel wins three Grammy Awards for Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and Song of the Year.</p></div>

<div id="" class="timeline-item"><p id="" class="timeline-year">1996</p><h3 id="" class="timeline-title">Inducted into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame</h3><p id="" class="timeline-text">Lionel is inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of The Commodores.</p></div>

Why We Love Them

<div id="" class="whywelove-item"><h3 id="" class="whywelove-title"><span class="whywelove-leter">A.</span> He's a Legendary Musician</h3><p id="" class="whywelove-text">Lionel Richie is an iconic musician and songwriter who has been in the music industry for over 40 years. He has made some of the most classic R&B songs of all time, such as “Hello”, “All Night Long”, and “Say You, Say Me”.</p></div>

<div id="" class="whywelove-item"><h3 id="" class="whywelove-title"><span class="whywelove-leter">B.</span> He's a Great Performer</h3><p id="" class="whywelove-text">Lionel Richie is an amazing performer. His live shows are always full of energy and he puts on a great show, no matter what venue he's playing at. He's also known to interact with the crowd, making his concerts even more enjoyable.</p></div>

<div id="" class="whywelove-item"><h3 id="" class="whywelove-title"><span class="whywelove-leter">C.</span> He Has an Amazing Voice</h3><p id="" class="whywelove-text">Lionel Richie has a beautiful voice that captivates audiences. His vocal range is impressive and he can hit high notes with ease. His voice is smooth and soothing, perfect for slow jams or to help you relax after a long day.</p></div>

Interesting Facts

<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">1.</span> First Black Person to Win an Oscar</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">Lionel Richie was the first black person to win an Oscar for Best Original Song in 1984 for his hit single “Say You, Say Me” from the movie White Nights.</p></div>

<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">2.</span> First Black Person to Win a Grammy Award</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">In 1985, Lionel Richie became the first black person to win a Grammy Award for Album of the Year for his album Can't Slow Down.</p></div>

<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">3.</span> Started in Music at an Early Age</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">Lionel Richie started playing music at the age of 8, when he learned to play drums and piano. He also sang in his school and church choirs.</p></div>

<div id="" class="facts-item"><h3 id="" class="facts-title"><span class="facts-number">4.</span> Member of The Commodores</h3><p id="" class="facts-text">Before launching his solo career, Lionel Richie was a member of the Motown group The Commodores.</p></div>