200 Favourite Music Acts. Today: #88: LIONEL RICHIE. Continues next week.

The Caffé Latté

200

FAVOURITE

MUSIC ACTS

#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

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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