While Michael Jackson was the undisputed king of pop music, Lionel Richie’s has straddled the throne of soul music forever. Each time he published, Richie cemented his place in musical royalty. Recognized worldwide, Richie has received five Grammy Awards and received the prestigious Johnny Mercer Award.
Biography of Lionel Richie (Age)
Lionel Richie was born on June 20, 1949 in Tuskegee, Alabama. He attended Joliet Township High School, where he went to Tuskegee Institute, but later dropped out to pursue a career in music.
In the mid-60s, he and some friends formed the Commodores. As a member of the band, Lionel contributed while playing piano and saxophone. Despite his great musical abilities, his greatest contribution was as a composer. In the 1970s, the Commodores were entering the market and had hit songs such as ‘Easy’, ‘Three Times a Lady’, ‘Still’ and ‘Sail On’.
His solo career began in 1982 with his self-titled debut album. The single “Truly” proved to be a huge hit, reaching No. 1 later that year. What followed was followed by a steady stream of chart-topping songs, including the Latin-flavored dance song ‘All Night Long’ (1983) and the love songs ‘Hello’ (1984). and “Say You, Say Me” (1985)..
Lionel Richie released two more albums Can’t Slow Down and Dancing on the Roof. Richie wrote alongside Micheal Jackson: “We are ‘World’ in 1985 to raise money for famine relief initiatives in Africa. The song generated $50 million in donations and won Song of the Year at the Grammys.
Over the next few years, Richie failed to release songs with the frequency and quality of the 80s. He recorded Louder Than Words in 1996, Richie released a collection of his greatest hits in 2012 with performances with Shania Twain, Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts, Willie Nelson, among others. ABC announced in September 2017 that Lionel Richie would be a guest judge on American Idol.
family, wife
Lionel Richie was blessed to be born into a family with a musical heritage. He spent a lot of time with his grandmother, who was a classical pianist. His uncle was a big-band jazz musician who bought him his first saxophone.
Her father, Lionel Brockman Richie Sr, was a US Army systems analyst, while her mother, Alberta, was a teacher and later school principal. Lionel has a sister called Deborah Richie.
In high school, Lionel met Brenda Harveyand a romance blossomed. They married in 1975. Their love deteriorated after a few years and Lionel’s infidelity surfaced. In 1986, Lionel Richie began an extramarital affair with dancer Diane Alexander. He first met Diane at the closing ceremony of the 1984 Olympics, where he performed her hit “All Night Long.” From there, according to Dianne’s neighbors, Lionel used to sneak out at night to see Dianne. In the heat of their affair, Dianne also made an appearance in her 1986 music video for the song “Dancing On The Ceiling.”
Seemingly suspicious of her husband’s infidelity, Brenda went to Dianne’s apartment and met her husband in Dianne’s arms. A furious Brenda engaged in a fight, kicking Lionel in the stomach and pushing Dianne down, punching her hard. Lionel Richie was able to contact the local police who came to calm the situation by taking Brenda in handcuffs.
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Brenda Harvey-Richie was arrested for trespassing and is suspected of bodily harm to a spouse, public disorder, vandalism, resisting arrest and battery. She was eventually released on $5,000 bail.
After the much-heralded arrest, the marriageThey finally divorced in 1993. Two years later, in 1995, Lionel Richie married Diane Alexander with whom he had two children, a son named Miles Brockman (born May 27, 1994) and of Sofia Richie (born August 24, 1998). Lionel’s marriage to Dianne only lasted eight years, they divorced in 2003.
Lionel Richie’s Daughter
Lionel and Brenda adopted Nicole Camille Escovedoné in Berkeley, California from Peter Michael Escovedo (a member of the band Richie’s) and Karen Moss. When she was three years old, her biological parents allowed Nicole to move in with the Richies, as they felt they were in a better position to provide for her. At age nine, Nicole was officially adopted by Lionel Richie and his wife, Brenda.
Nicole Richie has also towed the showbiz part, rising to prominence as an actress, author, fashion designer, and television personality. She is popular for her role in the Fox reality television series, The Simple Life.
Net value
Richie had an illustrious career spanning over four decades, including the first 14 years spent with the Commodores. Her debut album in 1982 had a No. 1 single titled “Truly” and sold over four million copies worldwide. His iconic hit “All Night Long” peaked at No. 1 on the US charts.
As a musician, Lionel Richie has sold over 90 million copies of his albums over the years and has a net worth of over $200 million. His Beverly Hills residence is a $25 million building with 30 bedrooms, 17 bathrooms and dozens of housekeepers.
A car enthusiast, Richie’s fleet includes some of the most stylish cars one has ever found; a Ferrari Scaglietti, a Range Rover L322, a Porsche 930, among others.
the size
In the years that Lionel Richie has graced our screen, he’s done well to keep himself in top shape. Richie stands at a height of 1.85 meters. The veteran musician also weighs 69 kg.