Lionel Richie was hospitalized in St. Louis, Missouri, following a Saturday night concert performance during which he appeared to struggle with breathlessness and the need to sit. The 77-year-old singer checked himself into the hospital after his show at The Muny in Forest Park to undergo tests. Richie was reportedly in the intensive care unit as of Monday afternoon and was expected to be released Tuesday.
Video footage from the concert, specifically during his performance of "All Night Long," shows the artist appearing to have difficulty standing and at times struggling with his vocals amid backing tracks. A piano bench was brought onto the stage, and Richie remained seated for a significant portion of the song. At one point, he gestured for his guitarist and bassist to join him on the bench and attempt to sing, but they did not, and Richie subsequently dropped out of the vocals himself.
Sources indicated that Richie went to the hospital out of an abundance of caution, with doctors reportedly considering dehydration as a potential cause for his symptoms. This incident follows a similar health scare in June, when Richie had to cut short a concert in St. Paul, Minnesota, due to illness. During that performance, he reportedly told the crowd he was feeling "dizzy" and had to sit down multiple times. His band eventually announced the remainder of the show was canceled.
Fans attending the St. Louis concert noted Richie's apparent difficulty at the end of the show, observing him ask for a chair to be brought out. The concerns from family, friends, and bandmates about Richie's health have been ongoing, with some sources suggesting a worry that he prioritizes performing over his own well-being. Despite these concerns, Richie is known for his strong work ethic and has historically been focused on entertaining audiences and looking ahead to future performances. He has expressed a greater concern that fans did not receive the full show they paid for than for his own health, viewing the hospitalization as a temporary setback.
Richie and Earth, Wind & Fire, who had been co-headlining a tour, are scheduled to reunite for a three-date mini-tour beginning September 26 in San Francisco.