Biography
Lionel Richie is an American performer, producer and composer, whose glory fell in the mid-1980s. Having written dozens of hits that held the top lines of the charts, the musician won many prestigious premiums, the most valuable of which became Oscar and the Golden Globe for the composition "Say You, Say Me".Childhood and youth
Lionel Brockman Richie Jr. was born on June 20, 1949 in the family of teachers of the Taskig Institute, located in Alabama in the south-east of the United States. Parents, African Americans, lived on the territory of the student campus, historically intended for the dark population, and therefore the childhood of Lionel was cloudless and calm.
The future artist entered the school Joliet Township High School, where many sports disciplines included in the training program. The boy discovered the ability to tennis and at the end of the study received a scholarship, which allowed to continue their education at the local university. Choosing the Faculty, Lionel was seriously thinking about the career of the priest and planned to go through the course of theology. But membership in the fraternity Kappa Kappa PSI forced the young man to change the decision.
In the mid-1960s, Richie got carried away with music and learned to play a saxophone. He joined the student group The Commodores and took the place of the vocalist of the team that performed the composition in the style of R & B.
In 1968, the ensemble specializing in dance melodies has signed a contract with the Motown Records studio and soon earned the sympathy of the public, playing the Jackson 5 popular at that time.
By the end of the 1970s, Richie began to write songs independently and take orders from such famous performers as Kenny Rogers. He wrote the song "Lady", which came to the top of the charts and made the world talk about a young talented authorse.
In 1981, Lionel released a duet with Diaan Ross, used in the film "Infinite Love," and after the loud success of the composition understood that he needed to leave the group and start a full-fledged solo career.
Music
After Richie left The Commodores, his biography was cool changed. The Debut Solo Album "Lionel Richie", recorded in 1982, took the 3rd place in the music charts and developed more than 4 million copies. Working on the record, Lionel refused dance rhythms, preferred by the musical works of a lyrical genre, thanks to which he became famous overnight and equal to popularity with the stars of world pop music, as a prince and Michael Jackson.
This happened after the release of the 2nd album called "CAN'T SLOW DOWN", which received 2 Grammy Prize and included such a hit as "All Night Long". Subsequently, he was illustrated by a colorful clip and executed at the closing ceremony of the XXIII Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Then a few more topped compositions followed, the most successful of which were Sentimental ballads "Hello", "Studing On You", "Running With The Night" and "Penny Lover", as well as the song "Say You, Say Me". Her musician composed for the film "White Nights", the composition received the Oscar award and Golden Globe for the best original soundtrack.
In 1986, Richie recorded the "Dancing On the Ceiling" record, which included new compositions and became the last loud success of the artist. After that, for 10 years, Lionel was handled by the existing material and the release of the best hits, minimizing live studio work.
Despite the fact that the public liked the old richie compositions, the lack of fresh hits affected the popularity of the singer. In 1996, he decided to remind himself the album "Louder Than Words" and demonstrated a return to the R & B dance style. The lack of commercial success made Lionel return to the rolled rails and release the Lyrian plate "Renaissance" with the "How Long" title hit, which included in the Top 40 in the United States and the United Kingdom.
In the 2000s, the singer who preferred to work in the studio and rarely appeared on large-scale events, began to actively tour the country and filmed in video clips. In 2003, the director of the director Simon Brand "TO LOVE A WOMAN" was released on the screens, where Lyonel's company made up a famous Spanish singer Enrique Iglesias.
On July 4, 2006, a concert was held at the Museum of Fine Arts of Philadelphia, where Richie spoke together with the American fantasy bravo singer. Then he was invited to the main platform of the Jazz Festival "New Orleans Jazz & Heritage".
In the same year, making a break in concert activities, the musician submitted to the public the next album called "COMING HOME". The composition "I Call It Love", the first single from the record, became the most successful hit of Richie over the past 10 years and won the 6th place in the US Hit-Parade.
In the UK, the singer presented a record as part of the television show "An Audience With Lionel Richie", and 2 months later, the American Academy of Recompretization invited Lionel to fulfill the composition "Hello" at the 49th Grammy Awards ceremony.
In the late 2000s, Richie recorded the album "Just GO" and participated in a number of charitable and public events. He sang the song "Jesus Is Love" at the farewell ceremony with Michael Jackson, and then toured for 2 years with the Australian performer Gary Sebastian, collecting funds to eliminate the effects of natural disasters.
After the release of the 10th record, called Tuskegee, Ritchie went to a full-scale tour of America. On June 28, 2015, played on the stage of the legendary British Glastonbury Festival before 120 thousand spectators.
Personal life
In 1975, Richie married a girlfriend in College Brenda Harvey. 8 years after the wedding, the couple took a minor girl under custody, first seen at a concert with her parents-musicians who experienced difficulties in relationships. Lionel decided to temporarily take care of the unfortunate child, but after time I realized that the baby would stay with him forever, and in 1989, Nicole Camilla Esquo officially became the daughter of Richie's spouses.
Externally, the personal life of a couple who did not have their own children looked happy and harmonious. But her mystery side was a musician Roman with a fashion designer named Diana Alexander. Lovers in the hotel room of the Beverly Hills Hotel, the brand arranged a terrible scandal and was arrested for illegal penetration and the apparent injuries to the spouse.
Richie could not convince his wife to survive the current situation, and in 1993 they divorced. The next few years the musician avoided the public manifestation of feelings, appeared in the photo only at the company of the receptional daughter. However, he continued to meet Diana and in 1995 we looked at the relationship, destroyed his first marriage.
The spouses lived together for 8 years and became the parents of the girl who appeared in 1998. All this time, Richie, who paid the family most of the time, was an exemplary husband and father. He helped Nicole to solve problems with drugs and brought up a little Sofia with pleasure.
In the 2000s, when the musician decided to resume the creative career, the spouse simply did not have enough time, and, referring to irreconcilable differences, the couple broke up. Now Lyonel and Diana support friendships. In Instagram, fashion designer often appear photos of children spent time in the society of the Father.
Lionel Richie now
The end of 2018 Richie spent on Hawaii, speaking with concerts in local clubs. In addition, the musician has become a judge in the 2nd season of the American Idol project and engaged in listening to the contestants in Denver and Colorado.
In 2019, the artist plans to appear on television in the final stage of the show, and also organizes a spring tour, whose program includes Atlantic City, Orlando, Miami and Tuckerville.
Discography
- 1982 - "Lionel Richie"
- 1983 - "CAN'T SLOW DOWN"
- 1986 - "Dancing On The Ceiling"
- 1996 - "Louder Than Words"
- 1998 - "Time"
- 2001 - "Renaissance"
- 2004 - "Just for You"
- 2006 - "COMING HOME"
- 2009 - "Just Go"
- 2012 - "Tuskegee"