Lionel Richie Hospitalized After Asking For Chair During Performance

Singer Lionel Richie was hospitalized over the weekend following a string of health-related issues this summer.

The 77-year-old singer checked himself into the ICU after his performance in St. Louis on Saturday, as TMZ originally reported. The outlet noted that the Grammy Award winner had requested a chair while performing his final song, “All Night Long.” 

Sources told TMZ that Richie checked himself into the hospital out of an abundance of caution, and doctors were looking into possible dehydration. Richie is hoping to be discharged on Tuesday, one source told TMZ.

As of Monday night, reps for the singer had not released a statement on his condition.

Richie is currently on tour with Earth, Wind & Fire for his “Sing a Song All Night Long” tour. His next scheduled performance is on September 26 in San Francisco.

In June, the “Stuck on You” singer left a show in Saint Paul, Minnesota, early after reportedly feeling dizzy. “When you’re feeling dizzy, sit your ass down,” he said at the time before sitting down at a piano to play “Three Times a Lady,” per the Minnesota Star Tribune.

He then postponed the following two shows to recover. 

Richie returned to the stage later in June and made a joke about his health, saying, “Had you worried there for a minute, huh?” 

He added, “You have no idea what I have been through in the last 24 hours, listening to my friends tell me their advice on what I should be doing.”

On July 4, the legendary crooner addressed all the fans who were concerned about his health.

“Thank you for every message, every kind word, and for all your love,” he wrote at the time. “I’m doing well, and I’m grateful for all of you. Pittsburgh and Detroit were an absolute joy. The energy, the dancing, the faces in the crowd … we made real memories together. See you in Toronto … let’s party all night long!”

Richie began his musical career as the lead singer and songwriter of the Commodores. He went on to launch a hugely successful solo career in the 1980s with hits like “All Night Long” and “Hello.” He won Grammys, an Oscar, and later became a beloved American Idol judge, cementing his status as a music icon.