Lionel Richie gained recognition in the 1970s as a member of the Commodores, a Motown group. As their songwriter and co-lead vocalist, he penned hits like "Easy", "Sail On", "Three Times a Lady", and "Still." His success continued post-Commodores, notably with the chart-topping single "Lady" produced for Kenny Rogers in 1980.
1915: Birth of Lionel Brockman Richie Sr.
Lionel Brockman Richie Sr., Richie's father, was born in 1915.
1917: Birth of Alberta R. Foster
Alberta R. Foster, Richie's mother, was born in 1917.
June 20, 1949: Birth of Lionel Richie
On June 20, 1949, Lionel Brockman Richie Jr. was born in Tuskegee, Alabama.
1968: Joining the Commodores
Richie joined the Commodores as a singer and saxophonist in 1968, marking a significant turning point in his musical journey.
1974: First Commercial Success as a Songwriter
Richie's first commercial success as a songwriter came in 1974 with "Happy People," a song he co-wrote that was recorded by The Temptations.
October 18, 1975: Marriage to Brenda Harvey
On October 18, 1975, Lionel Richie married his college sweetheart, Brenda Harvey.
1980: Songwriting Success with "Lady"
In 1980, Richie achieved commercial success as a songwriter with "Lady," a song he wrote for Kenny Rogers which reached No. 1.
1980: Writing and Producing for Kenny Rogers
Richie wrote and produced the No. 1 hit "Lady" for Kenny Rogers, further solidifying his career as a songwriter and producer.
1981: Release of "Endless Love" and Success
In 1981, Richie collaborated with Diana Ross on "Endless Love," which topped charts globally and became one of Motown's biggest hits.
1981: Release of "Endless Love"
Richie released "Endless Love," a duet with Diana Ross, in 1981. The song became a global hit and remains one of the best-selling singles ever.
1982: Launch of Solo Career
Lionel Richie officially launched his solo career in 1982 with his self-titled debut album, which achieved significant commercial success.
1982: Golden Globe Nomination for "Endless Love"
Lionel Richie received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Song in 1982 for "Endless Love."
1982: Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance
Lionel Richie received the Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance for "Truly" in 1982.
1982: Release of Debut Solo Album and Success of "Truly"
Richie's debut solo album, "Lionel Richie," was released in 1982 and featured the U.S. number-one hit "Truly," establishing his successful path as a balladeer.
1983: Release of "Can't Slow Down" and Grammy Wins
Richie released his album "Can't Slow Down" in 1983, achieving both commercial success and critical recognition, including two Grammy Awards.
1983: Release of "Can't Slow Down"
In 1983, Richie released his highly successful album "Can't Slow Down," which achieved significant commercial success and critical acclaim, winning two Grammy Awards including Album of the Year.
1983: Release of "All Night Long"
Lionel Richie originally released his hit single "All Night Long" in 1983.
1983: Informal Adoption of Nicole Camille Escovedo
In 1983, Lionel Richie and Brenda Harvey informally adopted Nicole Camille Escovedo, the two-year-old daughter of a band member and niece of Sheila E.
1984: Grammy Awards for Album of the Year and Producer of the Year
Lionel Richie won Grammy Awards in 1984 for Album of the Year for "Can't Slow Down" and for Producer of the Year (Non-Classical).
1984: String of Top 10 Hits and Collaboration with Diana Ross
Richie had multiple top ten hits in 1984, including "Hello," "Stuck on You," "Running with the Night," and "Penny Lover." He also wrote and produced "Missing You" for Diana Ross.
1984: Performance at the Los Angeles Olympics
Richie performed his hit song "All Night Long" at the closing ceremony of the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
1985: Grammy Award for Song of the Year for "We Are the World"
Lionel Richie was awarded a Grammy Award for Song of the Year in 1985 for "We Are the World," which he co-wrote with Michael Jackson.
1985: Co-Writing "We Are the World"
Richie co-wrote the charity single "We Are the World" with Michael Jackson in 1985, which became a global anthem for humanitarian aid and a testament to his songwriting prowess.
1985: Academy Award for "Say You, Say Me"
Richie won an Academy Award for the song "Say You, Say Me," which was featured in the film "White Nights." The song also achieved commercial success, topping the U.S. charts.
1986: Success of "Say You, Say Me"
"Say You, Say Me" continued its success from 1985, becoming the number-two song of 1986.
1986: Golden Globe and Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Say You, Say Me"
Lionel Richie's song, "Say You, Say Me," from the film "White Nights," won both a Golden Globe and an Oscar for Best Original Song in 1986.
1986: Release of "Dancing on the Ceiling" and Hiatus
Richie released "Dancing on the Ceiling" in 1986, which became another successful album with several hit singles. Following this, he took a break from recording until 1996.
1986: Release of "Dancing on the Ceiling" and Hit Singles
Richie released "Dancing on the Ceiling," which featured several hit singles, including "Dancing on the Ceiling," "Love Will Conquer All," "Ballerina Girl," and "Se La."
June 1988: Brenda Harvey's Arrest
Brenda Harvey was arrested in June 1988 following an incident at Diane Alexander's apartment.
1990: Death of Lionel Brockman Richie Sr.
Lionel Brockman Richie Sr., Richie's father, passed away in 1990.
1992: Release of "Back to Front"
Lionel Richie released "Back to Front," his first greatest-hits collection, in 1992.
August 9, 1993: Divorce from Brenda Harvey
Lionel Richie and Brenda Harvey divorced on August 9, 1993, after almost two decades of marriage.
May 27, 1994: Birth of Son, Miles Brockman Richie
Lionel Richie's son, Miles Brockman Richie, was born on May 27, 1994.
December 21, 1995: Marriage to Diane Alexander
Lionel Richie married Diane Alexander on December 21, 1995.
1996: Release of "Louder Than Words"
In 1996, Richie released "Louder Than Words," staying true to his soulful music style.
1996: Return to Music with "Louder Than Words"
Lionel Richie released the album "Louder Than Words" in 1996, marking his return to recording after a hiatus.
August 24, 1998: Birth of Daughter, Sofia Richie
Sofia Richie, Lionel Richie's daughter, was born on August 24, 1998.
2001: Death of Alberta R. Foster
Alberta R. Foster, Richie's mother, passed away in 2001.
2004: Divorce from Diane Alexander
Lionel Richie and Diane Alexander's marriage ended in divorce in 2004.
May 7, 2006: Performance at New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
On May 7, 2006, Lionel Richie stepped in for an ailing Antoine "Fats" Domino to perform on the Acura Stage at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.
July 2006: Premiere of "I Call It Love"
Lionel Richie premiered his single "I Call It Love" in July 2006, marking his biggest U.S. hit in a decade.
September 12, 2006: Release of "Coming Home"
Lionel Richie released his eighth studio album, "Coming Home," on September 12, 2006. The album featured the single "I Call It Love."
2006: Popularity in Arab States and "All Night Long" in Baghdad
It was widely reported in 2006 that Lionel Richie enjoyed significant popularity in several Arab states and that his music, particularly "All Night Long," resonated with Iraqi civilians, even being played during the U.S. invasion of Baghdad.
May 2, 2008: George and Ira Gershwin Lifetime Achievement Award
On May 2, 2008, Lionel Richie received the George and Ira Gershwin Lifetime Achievement Award at UCLA's Spring Sing.
2008: Became a Grandfather
Lionel Richie's daughter, Nicole Richie, gave birth to a daughter with Joel Madden in 2008.
May 2009: Announcement of The Commodores Reunion and Release of "Just Go"
In May 2009, Richie expressed his desire to reunite The Commodores. The same year, he released the album "Just Go."
July 7, 2009: Performance at Michael Jackson's Memorial Service
Lionel Richie performed "Jesus is Love" at Michael Jackson's memorial service on July 7, 2009.
2009: Birth of Second Grandchild
Lionel Richie welcomed his second grandchild in 2009.
March 4, 2011: Appearance on "Who Do You Think You Are?"
On March 4, 2011, Richie appeared on the NBC genealogy series "Who Do You Think You Are?", where he learned about his family history, including a connection to J. Louis Brown, a prominent figure in early Black American fraternal organizations.
2011: Tour of Australia and New Zealand with Guy Sebastian
Lionel Richie, along with guest artist Guy Sebastian, toured Australia and New Zealand throughout March and April 2011.
March 26, 2012: Release of "Tuskegee"
On March 26, 2012, Richie released his tenth studio album, "Tuskegee," a collection of duets of his hit songs with country music stars.
June 28, 2015: Performance at Glastonbury Festival
Lionel Richie gave a well-received performance at England's Glastonbury Festival on June 28, 2015 in front of over 100,000 fans.
2016: Receiving the Johnny Mercer Award
Lionel Richie was honored with the Johnny Mercer Award in 2016, the highest honor bestowed by the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
May 2017: Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music
At its 2017 commencement concert, Berklee College of Music honored Lionel Richie with an Honorary Doctorate of Music.
September 2017: Judge on "American Idol"
In September 2017, it was announced that Richie would be a judge on the revival of "American Idol."
October 2017: Secured Rights to Produce Curtis Mayfield Biopic
In October 2017, news broke that Lionel Richie had obtained the rights to produce a biopic about Curtis Mayfield.
December 3, 2017: Kennedy Center Honors Recipient
Lionel Richie was honored with the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors on December 3, 2017.
2018: Joining American Idol
Lionel Richie joined the judging panel of the singing competition show 'American Idol' in 2018, embarking on a new chapter in his career.
March 25, 2019: Announcement of "Hello Tour"
On March 25, 2019, Lionel Richie announced a 33-date North American summer tour, kicking off in May at Arlington's KAABOO Festival and concluding in August.
2022: Multiple Accolades and Honors
In 2022, Richie received a number of prestigious awards and recognitions, including the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, the American Music Awards Icon Award, and inductions into the Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
May 2023: Headline Performer at Coronation Concert
Lionel Richie was a headline performer at Windsor Castle for the Coronation Concert in May 2023, celebrating the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
2024: Judge on "American Idol"
Lionel Richie is currently a judge on "American Idol" as of 2024.