Lionel Richie
Lionel Brockman Richie Jr. (born June 20, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and television personality. He rose to fame in the 1970s as a songwriter and the co-lead singer of the Motown group Commodores; writing and recording the hit singles "Easy", "Sail On", "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" for Kenny Rogers. In 1981, Richie 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. In 1982, he officially launched his solo career with the album Lionel Richie, which sold over four million copies and spawned the singles "You Are", "My Love", and the number one single "Truly". Richie's second album, Can't Slow Down (1983), reached number one 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 number one singles "All Night Long (All Night)" and "Hello". He then co-wrote the 1985 charity single "We Are the World" with Michael Jackson, which sold over 20 million copies. His third album, Dancing on the Ceiling (1986), spawned the number one single "Say You, Say Me" (from the 1985 film White Nights) and the No. 2 hit title track. From 1986 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 serve as a judge, starting from its sixteenth season (2018 to present). During his 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 world's best-selling artists of all time. He has won four Grammy Awards, including Song of the Year for "We Are the World", and Album of the Year for Can't Slow Down. "Endless Love" was nominated for an Academy Award; while "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. In 2022, he received the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song by the Library of Congress; as well as the American Music Awards Icon Award. He was also inducted into Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022. Richie was born on June 20, 1949, in Tuskegee, Alabama, the son of Lionel Brockman Richie (1915–1990), a U.S. Army systems analyst, and Alberta R. Foster (1917–2001), a teacher and school principal. His grandmother Adelaide Mary Brown was a pianist who played classical music. On March 4, 2011, he appeared on NBC's Who Do You Think You Are?, which found out that his maternal great-grandfather was the national leader of an early Black American fraternal organization. Notably, J. Louis Brown was: [P]rincipal organizer and Supreme Grand Archon of the Knights of Wise Men, a fraternal organization for black men in the post-Civil War period. Formed in Nashville in 1879, it was a fraternal insurance and burial benefit society, as were so many others during the period. ... Source: Article "Lionel Richie" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.
Known For
Credits
- 2024 · The Greatest Night in Pop as Self
- 2023 · Dolly Parton - From Rhinestones to Rock & Roll as Self
- 2023 · Flora and Son as Self (archive footage) (uncredited)
- 2023 · The Coronation Concert as Self
- 2023 · Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields as Self
- 2023 · Soul of a Nation Presents: Black in Vegas as Self
- 2022 · 2022 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony as Self - Inductee
- 2022 · Shania Twain: Not Just a Girl as Self
- 2022 · Lionel Richie: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize For Popular Song as Self
- 2022 · Studio 666 as Lionel Richie
- 2021 · 2021 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony as Self
- 2021 · Kenny Rogers: All in for the Gambler as Self
- 2021 · Kenny Rogers All in for the Gambler as
- 2020 · The Drew Barrymore Show as Self
- 2020 · The Disney Family Singalong - Volume II as Self
- 2020 · Nikki Fre$h as Self
- 2020 · Disney Insider as Self
- 2019 · Concerto di Natale in Vaticano 2019 as Self
- 2019 · Lionel Richie Glastonbury 2015 as
- 2019 · David Foster: Off the Record as Self
- 2019 · The Black Godfather as Self
- 2018 · The Rookie as Lionel Richie
- 2018 · Quincy as Self
- 2018 · American Idol as Self - Judge
- 2017 · All In For The Gambler: Kenny Rogers Farewell Concert Celebration as Self
- 2016 · Lionel Richie Festival de Viña del Mar as
- 2012 · Les Enfants de la Pop 80's as Self (archive footage)
- 2012 · ACM Presents: Lionel Richie and Friends in Concert as Self
- 2011 · Lionel Richie at the BBC as Self
- 2010 · Who Do You Think You Are? as Self
- 2009 · Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen as Self - Guest
- 2009 · Michael Jackson Memorial as Self
- 2009 · Totally Saturday as
- 2009 · Backstory as Self
- 2008 · Lionel Richie: Symphonica in Rosso as
- 2008 · Pavarotti The Duets as Self
- 2007 · Lionel Richie: Live in Paris - His Greatest Hits and More as
- 2006 · Kenny Rogers: The Journey as himself
- 2006 · The One Show as Self
- 2005 · Live Aid Against All Odds as Self
- 2004 · The X Factor as Self - Special Guest
- 2004 · Willkommen bei Carmen Nebel as Self
- 2004 · Best Week Ever as
- 2003 · The Simple Life as
- 2003 · Lionel Richie: Collection as
- 2003 · The Ellen DeGeneres Show as Self
- 2003 · Jimmy Kimmel Live! as
- 2003 · Jimmy Kimmel Live! as Self
- 2002 · Top Gear as Self
- 2002 · American Idol as Self - Guest Judge
- 2002 · CMT Crossroads as Self
- 2001 · Star Academy as Self
- 2001 · Party in the Park as Self
- 2001 · An Audience with Des O'Connor as
- 1999 · Where Are They Now? as Self
- 1999 · Pavarotti & Friends 99 for Guatemala and Kosovo as Self
- 1999 · Johnny Hallyday Allume le feu au Stade de France as Self
- 1999 · TV Total as Self
- 1998 · Ciao Darwin as Ospite Musicale
- 1998 · Felicity as Self
- 1998 · Vivement dimanche as Self
- 1998 · Vivement dimanche prochain as Self
- 1998 · Motown 40: The Music is Forever as Self
- 1998 · Parkinson as Self
- 1997 · Behind the Music as Self
- 1997 · The View as Self
- 1997 · The View as Self - Guest
- 1996 · The Preacher's Wife as Britsloe
- 1996 · E! True Hollywood Story as
- 1996 · The Rosie O'Donnell Show as Self
- 1995 · José Carreras Gala as Self
- 1995 · Lo + plus as Self
- 1993 · World Music Awards as Self
- 1993 · WWE Raw as
- 1992 · The Tonight Show with Jay Leno as
- 1992 · ECHO-Verleihung as Self
- 1989 · The Simpsons as Lionel Richie (voice)
- 1988 · This Morning as Self
- 1988 · LIVE with Kelly and Mark as Self - Guest
- 1987 · Le monde est à vous as Self
- 1985 · Victoires de la musique as Self
- 1985 · Live Aid as Self
- 1985 · We Are the World: The Story Behind the Song as Self
- 1982 · Champs-Elysées as Self
- 1981 · Entertainment Tonight as Self
- 1981 · Wetten, dass..? as Self
- 1978 · 20/20 as
- 1978 · Thank God It's Friday as Self
- 1978 · An Audience with... as Self
- 1977 · Auf los geht's los as Self
- 1975 · Saturday Night Live as Self - Musical Guest
- 1966 · Goldene Kamera Verleihung as Self
- 1964 · Top of the Pops as
- 1963 · Viña del Mar International Song Festival as Self - Musical Guest
- Future · Jackie Chan: Down to Earth as Self
- 1983 · Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever as Self
- 1982 · Night of 100 Stars as Self
- 1977 · Scott Joplin as The Minstrel Singers
- 1959 · The Grammy Awards as Self
- 1952 · Today as Self