01of 15Lionel Richie’s Early LifeAaron Rapoport/Corbis/GettyLionel Brockman Richie, Jr.was born on June 20, 1949, in Tuskegee, Alabama, to parents Lionel Brockman Richie Sr. and Alberta R. Foster.After graduating from high school, Richie attended Tuskegee Institute on a tennis scholarship. While attending the university, his was a member of two fraternities includingKappa Kappa Psi, a national honor fraternity for band members, andAlpha Phi Alpha fraternity, “the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for African American men,“per the fraternity’s website.While in college,Richie considered becoming a priest, but later decided against it to pursue his musical career instead. He latergraduated from Tuskegee Institutewith a Bachelor of Science degree in economics and a minor in accounting.
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Lionel Richie’s Early Life
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Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr.was born on June 20, 1949, in Tuskegee, Alabama, to parents Lionel Brockman Richie Sr. and Alberta R. Foster.
After graduating from high school, Richie attended Tuskegee Institute on a tennis scholarship. While attending the university, his was a member of two fraternities includingKappa Kappa Psi, a national honor fraternity for band members, andAlpha Phi Alpha fraternity, “the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for African American men,“per the fraternity’s website.
While in college,Richie considered becoming a priest, but later decided against it to pursue his musical career instead. He latergraduated from Tuskegee Institutewith a Bachelor of Science degree in economics and a minor in accounting.
02of 15Lionel Richie’s Music Career with the CommodoresEchoes/RedfernsWhile studying at Tuskegee Institute, Richie formed the musical group known as the Commodores aftermeeting most of the members as freshmen. The six-man band — which included Richie, Thomas McClary, William King, Andre Callahan, Michael Gilbert, Milan Williams and later Walter “Clyde” Orange — signed with Atlantic Records in 1968 before eventually moving on to Motown Records a year later.After opening for the Jackson 5, the group rose in popularity during the late 1970s and early 1980s with hits like “Easy,” “Three Times a Lady, " “Nightshift” and “Brick House.”
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Lionel Richie’s Music Career with the Commodores
Echoes/Redferns
While studying at Tuskegee Institute, Richie formed the musical group known as the Commodores aftermeeting most of the members as freshmen. The six-man band — which included Richie, Thomas McClary, William King, Andre Callahan, Michael Gilbert, Milan Williams and later Walter “Clyde” Orange — signed with Atlantic Records in 1968 before eventually moving on to Motown Records a year later.
After opening for the Jackson 5, the group rose in popularity during the late 1970s and early 1980s with hits like “Easy,” “Three Times a Lady, " “Nightshift” and “Brick House.”
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Lionel Richie’s Songwriting Success
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04of 15Lionel Richie’s “Endless Love” Duet with Diana RossABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via GettyIn 1981, Richie collaborated with Diana Ross as they sang the title theme song for the filmEndless Love. Not only did the single top music charts, becoming one of Motown’s biggest hits, but it received Academy Award and Golden Globe Award nominations for “Best Original Song” as well as five Grammy Award nominations.
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Lionel Richie’s “Endless Love” Duet with Diana Ross
In 1981, Richie collaborated with Diana Ross as they sang the title theme song for the filmEndless Love. Not only did the single top music charts, becoming one of Motown’s biggest hits, but it received Academy Award and Golden Globe Award nominations for “Best Original Song” as well as five Grammy Award nominations.
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Lionel Richie’s Solo Career
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He released his debut solo albumLionel Richiein 1982, achieving three hit singles in the process, including his No. 1 song “Truly.” The following year, he releasedCan’t Slow Down, whichpropelled him into superstardomwith two No. 1 hits and two Grammy wins.
Throughout the ’80s, Richie continued to release hit songs, including “Hello,” “Say You, Say Me” and “Dancing on the Ceiling,” the latter from his 1986 album of the same name.
06of 15Lionel Richie’s “We Are the World” CollaborationABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via GettyAfter opening for the Jackson 5 many years ago, Richie collaborated with Michael Jackson again in 1985 as they co-wrote the charity single “We Are the World” in an effort to raise money for famine relief in Africa. The single included a collection of artists, including Richie, Jackson, Kenny Rogers, Tina Turner, Billy Joel, Cyndi Lauper and Diana Ross, under the name USA for Africa.In addition to raising more than $60 million for humanitarian aid in Africa and the United States, the song was a worldwide commercial success, topping the charts and eventually becomingthe first single to be certified multi-platinum. It also took home numerous awards, including threeGrammy Awards, one American Music Award and a People’s Choice Award.In 1986, a handful of members from USA for Africa reunited onstage at the American Music Award to perform the song.
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Lionel Richie’s “We Are the World” Collaboration
After opening for the Jackson 5 many years ago, Richie collaborated with Michael Jackson again in 1985 as they co-wrote the charity single “We Are the World” in an effort to raise money for famine relief in Africa. The single included a collection of artists, including Richie, Jackson, Kenny Rogers, Tina Turner, Billy Joel, Cyndi Lauper and Diana Ross, under the name USA for Africa.
In addition to raising more than $60 million for humanitarian aid in Africa and the United States, the song was a worldwide commercial success, topping the charts and eventually becomingthe first single to be certified multi-platinum. It also took home numerous awards, including threeGrammy Awards, one American Music Award and a People’s Choice Award.
In 1986, a handful of members from USA for Africa reunited onstage at the American Music Award to perform the song.
07of 15Lionel Richie’s Grammy WinsCBS via GettyThroughout his career, Richie has won fourGrammy Awardsout of the 32 he’s been nominated for, including song of the year for “We Are the World” alongside Jackson and album of the year forCan’t Slow Downin 1984.In 2016,Richie was honored as the MusiCares Person of the Yearand was celebrated with a special tribute performance during the Grammys featuring artists such as John Legend,Demi Lovato,Luke Bryanand Meghan Trainor.
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Lionel Richie’s Grammy Wins
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Throughout his career, Richie has won fourGrammy Awardsout of the 32 he’s been nominated for, including song of the year for “We Are the World” alongside Jackson and album of the year forCan’t Slow Downin 1984.
In 2016,Richie was honored as the MusiCares Person of the Yearand was celebrated with a special tribute performance during the Grammys featuring artists such as John Legend,Demi Lovato,Luke Bryanand Meghan Trainor.
08of 15Lionel Richie’s Oscar WinBettmann Archive/GettyIn addition to having a handful of Grammy wins, Richie is also an Oscar winner. In 1986, he took home Best Original Song forWhite Nights'“Say You, Say Me.” He also received Best Original Song nominations for “Endless Love” inEndless Lovein 1982 and “Miss Celie’s Blues” inThe Color Purplein 1986 alongside Quincy Jones and Rod Temperton.
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Lionel Richie’s Oscar Win
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In addition to having a handful of Grammy wins, Richie is also an Oscar winner. In 1986, he took home Best Original Song forWhite Nights'“Say You, Say Me.” He also received Best Original Song nominations for “Endless Love” inEndless Lovein 1982 and “Miss Celie’s Blues” inThe Color Purplein 1986 alongside Quincy Jones and Rod Temperton.
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Lionel Richie’s Hollywood Walk of Fame Star
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He later returned to the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2020 as he spoke on stage to honor chairman and chief executive officer of Universal Music Group, Sir Lucian Grainge.
10of 15Lionel Richie’s Glastonbury Festival PerformanceSamir Hussein/Redferns via GettyIn June 2015, Richie received rave reviews for his performance at Glastonbury Festival in the U.K.According toBBC, the performance drew in the festival’s “biggest crowd” at the time with at least 100,000 audience goers. The sets, which included performances of “Dancing on the Ceiling, “All Night Long” and “We Are the World,” was laterreleased in in cinemas worldwide in November 2019.
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Lionel Richie’s Glastonbury Festival Performance
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In June 2015, Richie received rave reviews for his performance at Glastonbury Festival in the U.K.According toBBC, the performance drew in the festival’s “biggest crowd” at the time with at least 100,000 audience goers. The sets, which included performances of “Dancing on the Ceiling, “All Night Long” and “We Are the World,” was laterreleased in in cinemas worldwide in November 2019.
11of 15Lionel Richie’s Berklee College of Music Honorary DegreePaul Marotta/GettyOn top of being a singer and songwriter, Richie is also an honorary doctor. In May 2017,Richie was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Musicat Berklee College of Music during its 2017 commencement.
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Lionel Richie’s Berklee College of Music Honorary Degree
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On top of being a singer and songwriter, Richie is also an honorary doctor. In May 2017,Richie was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Musicat Berklee College of Music during its 2017 commencement.
12of 15Lionel Richie’s Kennedy Center HonorBRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via GettyIn December 2017, Richie received the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors alongside Gloria Estefan, LL Cool J, Norman Lear and Carmen de Lavallade.
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Lionel Richie’s Kennedy Center Honor
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In December 2017, Richie received the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors alongside Gloria Estefan, LL Cool J, Norman Lear and Carmen de Lavallade.
13of 15Lionel Richie on American IdolEric Liebowitz/Disney General Entertainment Content via GettyIn September 2017, Richie was announced as one of the three judges forthe revival ofAmerican IdolalongsideKaty PerryandLuke Bryan. He hasappeared on the show as a judgeever since.
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Lionel Richie on American Idol
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In September 2017, Richie was announced as one of the three judges forthe revival ofAmerican IdolalongsideKaty PerryandLuke Bryan. He hasappeared on the show as a judgeever since.
14of 15Lionel Richie’s ChildrenLionel Richie/InstagramRichie is a proud dad of three children: daughter Nicole Richie,whom he welcomed via adoption with ex Brenda Harvey, as well as son Miles Brockman and daughter Sofia Richie, whom he shares with ex-wife Diane Alexander.In addition to attending various events with his children over the years, Richie also posts about them on social media. On Father’s Day in 2021,he posted a group photo with his kidssporting matching sweatsuits, writing, “Best job I ever had. Love you all to the moon and back.“In 2008, Richie became a grandfather for the first time as Nicole gave birth to daughter Harlow with husband Joel Madden. Richie became a grandfather again whenthe couple’s second child, son Sparrow, was born the following year.And in 2023, he walked Sofia down the aisleas she married music executive Elliot Grainge in France.
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Lionel Richie’s Children
Lionel Richie/Instagram
Richie is a proud dad of three children: daughter Nicole Richie,whom he welcomed via adoption with ex Brenda Harvey, as well as son Miles Brockman and daughter Sofia Richie, whom he shares with ex-wife Diane Alexander.
In addition to attending various events with his children over the years, Richie also posts about them on social media. On Father’s Day in 2021,he posted a group photo with his kidssporting matching sweatsuits, writing, “Best job I ever had. Love you all to the moon and back.”
In 2008, Richie became a grandfather for the first time as Nicole gave birth to daughter Harlow with husband Joel Madden. Richie became a grandfather again whenthe couple’s second child, son Sparrow, was born the following year.
And in 2023, he walked Sofia down the aisleas she married music executive Elliot Grainge in France.
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Lionel Richie’s Recent Projects
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In May of 2023,he was among the A-list performersat the coronation of King Charles III in London.
source: people.com
