Lionel Richie

Lionel Richie (born June 20, 1949) is an American musician and pop singer, most famous for a series of hits during the 1980s. Richie, an Alabama native, got his start in the Commodores, writing most of their hits in the late 1970s, including "Three Times a Lady" and "Still". By 1980 (1980 in music), though, the media had begun to focus on Richie and he left to embark on a solo career the next year.

In 1981, his daughter Nicole was born. She went on to become friends with Paris Hilton, and to star in a reality series show with Hilton.

Lionel Richie (1982 in music) was an instant success that became one of the top-selling albums of the year. Can't Slow Down was even more successful, and established Richie's reputation as a superstar.

Weeks prior to the end of the 1984 Summer Olympics, Los Angeles promoters announced that the closing ceremonies would feature a surprise guest. Many speculated that it would be Michael Jackson. The secret was kept right up until the climax of the ceremonies, when the spotlight hit Richie. He performed "All Night Long" to a live television audience of 2.3 billion viewers.

In 1985 (1985 in music), Richie worked with Michael Jackson on "We Are the World", recorded as part of USA for Africa. His next big success was in 1986 (1986 in music), with Dancing on the Ceiling. Compared to the previous two efforts, Dancing on the Ceiling didn't sell as well and Richie was retired one year later.

In 1996 (1996 in music), Richie returned to recording with the moderate success Louder Than Words. 2000's (2000 in music) Renaissance, sold well in Europe. It was released in the United States in 2001 (2001 in music).