Lionel Richie’s genius for crisply soulful pop and broadly inclusive romantic balladry flowed from his unique upbringing. Being born in 1949 Alabama meant being surrounded on all sides by signs of segregation. But Tuskegee, where Richie grew up, was a small, vibrant center of Black power, art, and learning—so much so that he and his friends called it “the bubble.” The Commodores formed there in the late '60s, with Richie playing sax and singing, then signed to Motown, where they became a one-band jukebox stuffed with both groove-inducing funk (1974’s “Machine Gun,” 1977’s “Brick House”) and swoon-worthy suaveness (1978’s “Three Times a Lady”). They were stars, but the group became their own bubble constricting Richie’s broad songwriting talent and appeal, and in the late ’70s he started stepping out.
As his ballads continued to effervesce, Richie shifted from R&B to a more adult contemporary sound: He wrote “Lady” for Kenny Rogers (1980) and recorded “Endless Love” with Diana Ross (1981). With hip-hop in ascendance, his solo music was a mellow shelter amid the young genre’s revolutionary promise, focusing on familiar sounds and timeless ideas—like calypso and baby-making on 1983’s “All Night Long.” Today you can’t even say “Hello” without invoking the guy, let alone words like “Easy,” “Still,” or “Truly,” to pull just a few names from his long stream of relaxed-fit, sensual singles. Even a topical song like “We Are the World,” which he cowrote in 1985, was all-inclusive in its plea for African famine relief. Richie’s 2012 Tuskegee featured remakes of some of his hits that sound gently soulful, or maybe they sound country-esque, but always universal and moving. A bubble big enough for most.
All Night Long
Brick House
Endless Love
Three Times a Lady
Hello
Say You, Say Me
Dancing on the Ceiling
Truly
Stuck on You
Penny Lover
Running with the Night
Grammy Winner
Golden Globe Winner
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee
Kennedy Center Honor
Richie has raised over $3.1M for Breast Cancer Research Foundation
Hi. We are Jay Siegan Presents. We are the talent liaisons that curate, ideate, and connect you to the right artists to transform special events into experiences of a lifetime. Our roots are those of musicologists and culture hawks, deeply embedded in the living performing arts. This is the foundation of our work, the soul of our business, and what we've been doing for over 25 years. We have the capacity and capability to bring any artist from anywhere in the world to your event.
Hi. We are Jay Siegan Presents. We are the talent liaisons that curate, ideate, and connect you to the right artists to transform special events into experiences of a lifetime. Our roots are those of musicologists and culture hawks, deeply embedded in the living performing arts. This is the foundation of our work, the soul of our business, and what we've been doing for over 25 years. We have the capacity and capability to bring any artist from anywhere in the world to your event.
The cost associated with booking Lionel Richie is influenced by several factors. These include the interest and availability of the talent, the date and location, the nature of the event, and the schedule of the talent involved. To receive an accurate quote to book Lionel Richie for your event, we will need to gather some specific information. Reach out to us to dig in more and we can discuss an offer with the agent for Lionel Richie.
Please note, we are not the agents or managers for the talent listed, except as indicated, nor are we affiliated with any particular agency roster. This ideal and impartial position in the industry allows us to make the best recommendations that align with our client’s objectives and budgets. Please remember that we don't accept fan emails, special requests, meet and greets requests. Serious booking inquiries only, please. Our secret to success is our solid industry relationships and our experience booking talent!