Sunday, November 26, 2017

200 Favourite Music Acts. Today: #88: LIONEL RICHIE. Continues next week.
The Caffé Latté
200
FAVOURITE
MUSIC ACTS
Lionel Richie
#88
LIONEL RICHIE
We first met Lionel Richie when he was a member of The Commodores. The R&B group provided Motown with smash hits during the 1970s, such as "Three Times A Lady", "Easy", "Still" and "Brick House". 
Richie soon became the pivotal member of The Commodores and the group's principal songwriter. Born in Tuskegee, Alabama in 1949, he was poised for a radical change as the 1980s began.
Richie penned and produced the US #1 single "Lady" for Kenny Rogers in 1980. The following year, "Endless Love"- a duet he wrote, produced and recorded with Diana Ross- outsold any previous single by The Commodores. Reaching #1 in several countries, including the U.S.A., it was the title song from a movie. 
His extra-curricular success caused displeasure from his group. By the end of the year, Richie was ready to quit The Commodores and pursue a solo career. 
'Lionel Richie' marked his solo debut, spawning "Truly", his 1st American #1 in his own right and 2 other Top 10 hits: "You Are" and "My Love". 
In 1983, follow-up album 'Can't Slow Down' , the Album of the Year Grammy winner, topped the US, British, Canadian and Australian charts. The LP contained the 2 #1 singles "All Night Long (All Night)" and "Hello" and a further 3 Top 10 hits: "Stuck On You", "Running With The Night" and "Penny Lover". 
In 1984, Richie performed as part of the Closing Ceremony for the Los Angeles Olympics. Next, Richie co-wrote "We Are The World" with Michael Jackson. The song became a charity disc that reached #1 around the planet and included music royalty such as Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Diana Ross, Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Wonder. It raised millions and closed the legendary global event Live Aid
Next, Richie hit #1 with "Say You, Say Me" from the film 'White Nights'. In 1986, he was charting high with "Dancing On The Ceiling", the title track from his #1 album. There was no new music from Richie until 1992 and the 'Back To Front' compilation which brought together his solo and Commodores hits. The album made #1 in Britain, Australia and New Zealand. 
Family issues plagued Richie as his marriage broke down and his father passed away. He returned with new material in 1996. 'Louder Than Words' saw Richie attempting to incorporate new trends. This continued on 1998's 'Time'.
In 2000, 'Renaissance' returned Richie to the UK Top 10. 'Just For You' peaked in the Top 5 in 2004. In the US, 'Coming Home' issued 3 years later, reached #6- his highest charting album there in 20 years. His embrace of modern trends continued on 'Just Go' in 2009, which went Top 10 in Britain. 
Richie topped the American Pop and Country charts in 2012 with 'Tuskegee'. The album consisted of Richie compositions re-interpreted by him and country artists such as Willie Nelson and Shania Twain.

Caffe` Latte`on Spotify
This countdown is on spotify, featuring the latest update and the entire list at:

spotify:user:alanrosscaffelatte

89 DUSTY SPRINGFIELD      90 STING
91 KATE CEBERANO    92 DANNY SAUCEDO      93 OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN     
94 ROD STEWART       95 MARY J. BLIGE    96 SANTANA    97 CARLY SIMON
98 EMINEM       99 TAMMI TERRELL    100 FRANK SINATRA    101 JENNIFER HUDSON    
102 BEACH BOYS    103 CHAKA KHAN    104 JOE JACKSON       105 MIKA                              
106 CHRISTINA AGUILERA      107 DAVID GUETTA      108 DESTINY’S CHILD
109 JAMIROQUAI      110 ALISON MOYET      111 LED ZEPPELIN      112 STEVE WINWOOD
113 COMMODORES      114 COLDPLAY      115 SIMPLY RED      116 ONE DIRECTION
117 CAROLE KING      118 R. KELLY      119 EMELI SANDE`      120 QUINCY JONES
121 LADY GAGA      122 ELVIS COSTELLO      123 RAY CHARLES      124 ED SHEERAN
125 NATALIE COLE     126 SMOKEY ROBINSON     127 KANYE WEST     128 ELVIS PRESLEY
129 ERIC BENET      130 SAM SMITH      131 JAMES TAYLOR      132 STEELY DAN
133 IKE & TINA TURNER      134 DES’REE      135 ACE OF BASE      136 VAN MORRISON
137 SAM COOKE      138 THE DOORS      139 AMY WINEHOUSE      140 PHARRELL
141 GEORGE BENSON      142 MINNIE RIPERTON       143 VILLAGE PEOPLE
144 CURTIS MAYFIELD      145 FOREIGNER      146 EURYTHMICS      147 TOTO
148 BARRY WHITE      149 CARL RISELEY      150 TONI BRAXTON     151 NEIL DIAMOND
152 HALL & OATES     153 LUTHER VANDROSS     154 ERIC CLAPTON     155 THE O’JAYS
156 RUMER      157 SLY & THE FAMILY STONE      158 LITTLE RICHARD
159 HAROLD MELVIN & THE BLUE NOTES      160 CHRIS ISAAK
161 MICHAEL McDONALD      162 GLORIA GAYNOR      163 TWENTY ONE PILOTS
164 BEN E. KING     165 MEAT LOAF     166 JAMES REYNE     167 JOAN ARMATRADING
168 SADE    169 A-HA    170 GLEN CAMPBELL    171 DIRE STRAITS    172 COLD CHISEL
173 LINDA RONSTADT      174 ANTHONY CALLEA      175 LISA STANSFIELD
176 EN VOGUE      177 MICHAEL BUBLE`      178 TRACY CHAPMAN      179 DRAGON
180 OLETA ADAMS      181 LITTLE RIVER BAND      182 SOPHIE ELLIS – BEXTOR
183 THE RONETTES      184 CERRONE      185 MODELS      186 SCISSOR SISTERS
187 DARREN HAYES      188 PETULA CLARK      189 MARTHA & THE VANDELLAS
190 LIGHTHOUSE FAMILY      191 ART GARFUNKEL      192 THE REELS
193 JANIS IAN      194 JOHN PAUL YOUNG      195 S CLUB 7      196 CHARLIE PUTH
197 THE MARVELETTES      198 ICEHOUSE      199 LEO SAYER      200 LIZA MINNELLI

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