Lionel Richie Biography: Pop singer Lionel Richie was born in Tuskegee Alabama, 1949. He got his start as the front man for the Commodores, a nationally popular Motown band during the 70's. Lionel Richie quit the band in '81 for a solo career. He released his self-titled debut in 1982. The album hit No.3 on the charts and sold over 4 million copies. His follow up album, Can't Slow Down, sold over twice as many copies and won the Grammy for Album of The year in '84. His third album, '86's Dancing on the Ceiling spawned such hits as "Say You, Say Me," "Dancing on the Ceiling," and "Se La", but would be the end of his commercial success. His 90's albums such as Back to Front, Louder Than Words, and Time all failed to achieve the previous decades commercial success. Some of his recent work, such as the album Renaissance, has returned to his older style, hoping to achieve more success.
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b. 20th June 1949, Tuskegee, Alabama, USA.
Richie grew up on the campus of Tuskegee Institute, where he formed a succession of R & B groups in the mid-60's.
In 1968, he became the lead singer and saxophonist with the Commodores. They signed to Atlantic Records in 1968 for a one-record contract, before moving to Motown Records, being schooled as support act to the Jackson Five.
The Commodores became established as America's most popular soul group of the 70's, and Richie was responsible for writing and singing many of their biggest hits, specializing in romantic, easy-listening ballads such as 'Easy', 'Three Times A Lady' and 'Still'.
His pleasing vocal tones established him as the most prominent member of the group, and by the late 70's he had begun to accept songwriting commissions from other artists.
He composed Kenny Rogers' 1980 number 1 'Lady', and produced his 'Share Your Love' the following year.
Also in 1981, he duetted with Diana Ross on the theme song for the film 'Endless Love'. Issued as a single, the track topped the UK and US charts, and became one of Motown's biggest hits to date. Its success encouraged Richie to branch out into a fully fledged solo career in 1982.
His debut, 'Lionel Richie', produced another chart-topping single, 'Truly', which continued the style of his ballads with the Commodores.
In 1983, he released 'Can't Slow Down', which catapulted him into the first rank of international superstars, eventually selling more than 15 million copies worldwide.
The set also won two Grammy awards, including Album Of The Year.
It spawned the number 1 hit 'All Night Long', a gently rhythmic dance number that was promoted by a startling video, produced by former Monkee, Michael Nesmith.
Several more Top 10 hits followed, the most successful of which was 'Hello', a sentimental love song that showed how far Richie had moved from his R & B roots.
Now described by one critic as 'the black Barry Manilow', Richie wrote and performed a suitably soothing theme song, 'Say You, Say Me', for the film 'White Nights', winning an Oscar for his pains.
He also collaborated with Michael Jackson on the charity single 'We Are The World' by USA For Africa.
In 1986, he released 'Dancing On The Ceiling', another phenomenally popular album that produced a run of US and UK hits.
The title track, which revived the sedate dance feel of 'All Night Long', was accompanied by another striking video, a feature that has played an increasingly important role In Richie's solo career.
The critical consensus was that this album represented nothing more than a consolidation of his previous work, though Richie's collaboration with the country group Alabama on 'Deep River Woman' did break new ground.
Since then, his ever more relaxed schedule has kept his recording and live work to a minimum.
He broke the silence in 1996 with 'Louder Than Words', on which he resisted any change of style or the musical fashion-hopping of the past decade.
Instead, he stayed with his chosen path of well-crafted soul music, which in the intervening years has become known as 'Urban R & B'.
