Lionel Richie
Lionel Richie is an acclaimed American singer, songwriter, and musician renowned for his soulful ballads and R&B hits spanning decades. Born on June 20, 1949, in Tuskegee, Alabama, he rose to fame as a key member of the Commodores before launching a blockbuster solo career.
Lionel Brockman Richie Jr. grew up on the Tuskegee Institute campus, where his father worked as a systems analyst and his mother was involved in education. He studied economics and accounting at Tuskegee University, forming early R&B groups like the Mystics, which evolved into the Commodores in 1968. Richie honed his skills as a saxophonist, pianist, and vocalist during this period.
Richie co-founded the Commodores, a Motown act that started as an opener for The Jackson 5 and became a 1970s R&B powerhouse. He penned major hits like "Easy," "Three Times a Lady," "Sail On," "Still," and the funk track "Brick House," blending ballads with uptempo grooves. The group's success peaked in the late 1970s, showcasing Richie's songwriting growth.
In 1982, Richie left the Commodores for a solo path, debuting with the album Lionel Richie, which sold over four million copies and featured the No. 1 hit "Truly." Follow-up albums like Can't Slow Down (1983) delivered smashes such as "Hello," "All Night Long," and "Running with the Night." He also wrote "Lady" for Kenny Rogers and "Endless Love" with Diana Ross.
Richie co-wrote "We Are the World" with Michael Jackson in 1985 for famine relief, earning a Grammy. His honors include multiple Grammys, an Oscar for "Say You, Say Me" (1986), Kennedy Center Honors (2017), and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (2022). He has sold over 100 million records worldwide.
Richie judged on American Idol from 2018 to 2023 and continues touring, with a memoir set for release in 2025. Albums like Tuskegee (2012) explored country crossovers, while hits like "Dancing on the Ceiling" endure. He remains a pop icon.
Can’t Slow Down
Written-By – David Cochrane, Lionel Richie 4:42
A2 All Night Long (All Night)
Written-By – Lionel Richie 6:22
A3 Penny Lover
Written-By – Brenda Harvey-Richie, Lionel Richie 5:30
A4 Stuck On You
Written-By – Lionel Richie 3:10
B1 Love Will Find A Way
Written-By – Greg Phillinganes, Lionel Richie 6:12
B2 The Only One
Written-By – David Foster, Lionel Richie 4:15
B3 Running With The Night
Written-By – Cynthia Weil, Lionel Richie 5:55
B4 Hello
Acoustic Guitar – Tim May
Written-By – Lionel Richie 4:07
Label: Motown – STMA 8041
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: UK
Released: 1983
Genre: R&B Soul
Style: Soul, Disco, Pop
Can't Slow Down, released in October 1983 on Motown Records, is Lionel Richie's second and most commercially successful solo album. The album effectively blends R&B, pop, soft rock, and adult contemporary styles, appealing to a massive mainstream audience. It is widely considered his career masterpiece.
The album sold over 20 million copies worldwide and reached number one on the Billboard album chart. It spent an entire year in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200.
Can't Slow Down won the prestigious Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 1985, beating out major contenders like Bruce Springsteen's Born in the U.S.A. and Prince's Purple Rain.
Richie worked with producers James Anthony Carmichael and David Foster to create a commercially potent mix of slow grooves, catchy pop songs, and smooth ballads, drawing comparisons to the broad appeal of Michael Jackson's Thriller.
Five singles from the album became top ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, showcasing the album's remarkable consistency and hit-making craft.
"All Night Long (All Night)": A massive, infectious international dance-pop anthem featuring a Caribbean-inspired breakdown. It reached number one in the US.
"Hello": A classic, smooth, and emotive ballad that topped the charts and became one of Richie's signature songs, despite a video that became a "laughing stock in some quarters".
"Stuck on You": A country-tinged love song that reached number three.
"Running with the Night": A sleek, upbeat track with a late-night feel, featuring a guitar solo by Steve Lukather. It peaked at number seven.
"Penny Lover": A sweet and beguiling ballad that reached number eight on the charts.
The album's success cemented Lionel Richie's status as one of the definitive pop and R&B superstars of the 1980s.
Coming Home
Written-By – Taj Jackson, Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen 3:20
2 Sweet Vacation
Written-By – Robert Ozuna, Lionel Richie, Raphael Saadiq 3:55
3 Why
Written-By – Chuckii Booker, Lionel Richie, Sean Garrett 4:01
4 What You Are
Written-By – Jermaine Dupri, Johnta Austin, Manuel Seal 4:13
5 Up All Night
Written-By – Chuckii Booker, Lionel Richie, Sean Garrett 3:36
6 I'm Coming Home
Written-By – Chuckii Booker, Lionel Richie 4:18
7 All Around The World
Written-By – Lionel Richie, Roberto Sam Screnci 3:34
8 Out Of My Head
Written-By – Lionel Richie 3:16
9 Reason To Believe
Written-By – Dallas Austin, Lionel Richie, Tony Reyes 4:47
10 Stand Down
Written-By – Dallas Austin, Lionel Richie 4:03
11 I Love You
Written-By – Lionel Richie 4:13
12 I Apologize
Written-By – Jerry Duplessis, Latavia Parker, Wyclef Jean 3:38
Label:
Island Def Jam Music Group – B0006484-02
Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 2006
Genre: R&B Soul
Style: Soul, Contemporary R&B
Coming Home (2006) is Lionel Richie's eighth studio album, marking a return to his R&B and soul roots with contemporary production, blending smooth vocals, heartfelt lyrics, and collaborations with hitmakers like Stargate, Jermaine Dupri, and Dallas Austin, featuring singles like "I Call It Love" and "Why". The album showcases his classic style alongside modern sounds, appealing to both longtime fans and new listeners of 2000s R&B.
Producers: A mix of legends and modern hitmakers, including Stargate, Rodney Jerkins, Raphael Saadiq, Chuckii Booker, and Richie himself.
Features a blend of Richie's signature romantic ballads with more rhythmic, modern R&B tracks, maintaining his soulful essence, led by the popular "I Call It Love" and the emotional "Why".
A successful comeback album that re-established Richie's relevance in the contemporary music scene, offering familiar melodies with a fresh sound.
In essence, Coming Home is described as a soulful journey back to form for Lionel Richie, successfully merging his classic appeal with current R&B trends, making it a beloved addition to his discography.