Lionel Richie..

one of the Greatest Musical Artists ever.a Songwriters Songwriter and the Man kept it going. dominated the Group thing and the solo thing. only MJ had a Bigger career between those two worlds. speaks volumes. songs still hold up.
 
Don't they MisterMaxx...he was an absolute legend in his time....still is....but he dominated those charts back then..
 
my fav Lionel Richie 'related' tunes (cuz i think I like the Commodores more than by himself)....

Zoom - The Commodores
[youtube]QPQz5nCn158[/youtube]


Sweet Love
[youtube]BI-IqTlU-Fg[/youtube]

and Just TO Be Close To You which I can't find on YouTube.
 
Last edited:
there is suppose to be a book coming out on him this summer. what I admire about Lionel RIchie as well is that despite being a world Wide superStar dude has been very grounded throughout his career.
 
I saw Lionel Richie in concert not to long ago (about three weeks or so) and he was amazing. He still sounds the same as 20 + years ago! He sang all his hit songs and hits from the commodores and I was surprised how many of his songs I actually recognised (as I hadn't paid much attention to his music before)
 
^^I agree he is amazing, he was fabulous when I saw him in Las Vegas last year
 
I saw him on A&E's Private Sessions, I swear that man hasn't aged at all
 
He's done so many good songs. All Night Long never gets old & Love Will Conquer All are two of my favs.
 
Here's another track recorded before Sir Nose D'voidoffunk got to Lionel. :p
[youtube]UrOKFG4JhrU[/youtube]
 
I love Lionel Richie. Him and MJ were my two favorites from the 1980s. So many great songs....and such a good song writer for other artists.

One of my favorites he wrote for someone else, and eventually did record it himself, was "Lady". When Kenny Rogers did it, it was a great song....but I love Lionel's version much better.

 
Several of my personal favourites from the moustachioed one... I'm not so much into hardcore funk of the early Commodores, but I love some of the stylish numbers they/Lionel came up with after they 'crossed over'.

Sorry, I don't know how to embed videos. Or rather, I'm trying to, with the 'Embed' thing on YouTube, but it's just resulting in 'Server Not Found' errors on the preview, so here are the links.

Lady (You Bring Me Up) (1981): (slightly less than stylish video though, lol)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phNLASyPsUU

Why You Wanna Try Me (1981):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9dopd3cJxo

Serves You Right (1982):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NfPUtrvjl4

Wandering Stranger (1982):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJUIjGBz7ZY

Love Will Conquer All (1986):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0vInhjeBQU

Tonight Will Be Alright (1986):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_C04Z0879q8

Night Train (Smooth Alligator) (1986): no Youtube video for this one. Boo, hiss.

Do It To Me (1992):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQHW7MQAV8g

Oh, and speaking of the Commodores, I just have to include their Painted Picture, even though I think it's actually post-Richie, lol.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJ7Dw2gmzWY
 
"Those who are able, are we going to take our brothers and sisters in? Or are we going to leave them on the street," Lionel Richie tells PEOPLE

In March 1985, Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson, Cyndi Lauper, Kenny Rogers, Diana Ross and more than 40 other A-list recording artists came together to sing “We Are the World.” The cause: African famine. The sales: $63 million. The chorus: “There’s a choice we’re making, we’re saving our own lives.”

Those words became part of a unifying, legendary anthem. Because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and the 35th anniversary of the release of the hit song, that chorus is on Richie’s mind today. He wrote the song with Jackson.
“That line,” Richie, 70, tells PEOPLE exclusively, “came about as Michael and I were sitting there talking. We said, you can either say, ‘I’m saving my life’ or ‘We’re saving our lives.’ ’We Are the World’ is a statement we wanted to make. What do we do to save our own?”

Richie, like many Americans, is sheltering in place with his loved ones. “We are all hunkered down. Family is the key to this. It is the soother,” he says.

While at home, also like many Americans, Richie is thinking about the state of the world. Today he’s also thinking about the passing of his friend and mentor Kenny Rogers. “I must admit, every once in a while, God has to do something to get us back on track,” he says.

The American Idol judge acknowledges we have been living in such a divisive time. “We were back to there are ‘those people’ and ‘those people.’ If you find yourself saying ‘those people’ then you are not thinking properly,” Richie says.

This moment of crisis has made him stop — and step back for a wider look. “What happened in China, in Europe, it came here. So if we don’t save our brothers there, it’s going to come home. It’s all of us. All of us are in this together,” he says.

Ten years ago, a version of “We Are the World” was released to assist earthquake victims in Haiti. This month, 35 years after the song’s release, Richie is contemplating the unity music can bring. (Not to mention the badly needed charity funds.)

“Two weeks ago, we said we didn’t want to do too much [about the song] because this is not the time to sell an anniversary. But the message is so clear,” he says.

Richie says that since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, he has thought about writing a different song. (A group recording in one place together like for the 1985 song is obviously not possible during shelter-in-place orders and self-isolation.) “But every time I try and write another message, I write those same words,” he says.

https://people.com/music/lionel-richie-we-are-the-world-for-coronavirus-victims/
 
Lionel Richie wrote Kenny Rogers' 1980 hit single "Lady"

Lionel Richie shared a heartbreaking message following the news of Kenny Rogers’ death at 81.

“Today I lost one of my closest friends So much laughter so many adventures to remember, my heart is broken. My prayers go out to Kenny’s Family,” Richie, 70, wrote on Instagram and Twitter Saturday.

Also in the tribute, the American Idol judge posted some of his favorite throwback photos of the pair, including the times they shared the stage together.

Famously, Richie wrote Rogers’ 1980 hit single “Lady.”

On Saturday, Rogers’ family confirmed the country icon’s death on social media.

“The Rogers family is sad to announce that Kenny Rogers passed away last night at 10:25 p.m. at the age of 81. Rogers passed away peacefully at home from natural causes under the care of hospice and surrounded by his family,” the family said in a statement.

“The family is planning a small private service at this time out of concern for the national COVID-19 emergency. They look forward to celebrating Kenny’s life publicly with his friends and fans at a later date,” the statement concluded.

Rogers previously spoke fondly of Richie and their friendship at the Lionel Richie and Friends in Concert in Las Vegas in 2012. “He’s not just a friend of mine, but the song he wrote was truly a changing point in my career,” he said of the song “Lady,” adding, “It’s one of the most identifiable songs I’ve ever done.”'

In October 2017, Richie performed at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena to honor Rogers’ life and music legacy, along with Little Big Town, the Judds and Dolly Parton.

In addition to his solo music, Rogers amassed a large following well beyond the country-music world thanks to collaborations with artists such as Richie, Lynda Carter and Barry Gibb, as well as 1985’s charity song “We Are the World” with 45 other musicians.

Among Rogers’ 39 studio albums, some well-known ones include The Gambler, Kenny, Eyes That See in the Dark, She Rides Wild Horses and Share Your Love.

https://people.com/music/lionel-ric...enny-rogers-i-lost-one-of-my-closest-friends/
 
by Matt Donnelly | June 9, 2020 | Variety
lionel-richie-inprint-ceremony.jpg

Walt Disney Studios is developing an original movie musical based on the songs of American treasure Lionel Richie, Variety has learned exclusively.

Tentatively titled “All Night Long,” the new project will use some of Richie’s greatest hits in a live-action project in early stages of development with a theatrical release in mind, sources said.

Richie and his manager Bruce Eskowitz are producing the project with Cavalry Media executives Dana Brunetti and Matt Del Piano. Screenwriter Pete Chiarelli (“Crazy Rich Asians,” “The Proposal”) is currently at work on the script, added the insiders.
Representatives for Disney and Richie had no immediate comment on the matter.

Richie, a company man thanks to his judge role on Disney-owned ABC’s “American Idol,” sold the pitch to the studio in January. The singer is represented by CAA and Red Light Management.

While the film is more in line with the jukebox musical vibe of the hugely successful “Mamma Mia” films based on the Abba songbook, recent musical movies have generated big box office returns and awards buzz.

Rami Malek took the best actor Oscar for his turn in Freddie Mercury biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody” In 2018, which grossed over $900 million worldwide. The Elton John-based “Rocketman” earned nearly $200 million worldwide and nabbed star Taron Egerton a Golden Globe. Other notable jukebox titles include “Jersey Boys,” “Rock of Ages” and Julie Taymor’s indie darling “Across the Universe,” based on the music of The Beatles.

Richie holds four Grammy awards and has reportedly sold over 100 million records worldwide. He’s a three-time Academy Award nominee for Best Original Song, with one win in 1986 for the song “Say You Say Me” from the film “White Nights.”
 
Back
Top