Lionel Richie hospitalised after falling ill on stage during opening night of tour
Richie is currently co-headlining the Sing A Song All Night Long Tour with the band Earth, Wind & Fire
Lionel Richie has reportedly been taken to hospital after falling ill on stage in Minnesota during the first night of his nationwide tour with Earth, Wind and Fire on Wednesday.
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The 77-year-old singer stopped the show nearly an hour in after telling the audience he was feeling dizzy, before leaving the stage.
Richie was treated by paramedics backstage and was then taken to hospital as a precaution, sources told TMZ.
In one clip posted on X, the All Night Long singer could be seen performing Dancing on the Ceiling before sitting down on stage.
He then stood up and walked a short distance before sitting down again, continuing to sing.
In another video shared on Instagram, Richie addressed the crowd at Grand Casino Arena directly.
"What I have learned about my years of being in the business, when you are feeling dizzy, sit yo a** down,” he said.
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Lionel Richie was rushed to a hospital after falling ill onstage Wednesday night in the middle of his concert, TMZ has learned 🙏 pic.twitter.com/WDRh7ZmWsR
— TMZ (@TMZ) June 25, 2026
“And when you are feeling strange about yourself, sit yo a** down.
"Now, I want you to know that’s the first time in the history of Dancing on the Ceiling I’ve done it sitting down.
"That’s a bad sign, that’s a bad sign, y’all.”
Shortly afterwards, Richie’s saxophonist, Dino Soldo, told the audience that the singer was unwell and would not be able to continue the show.
Richie, a four-time Grammy winner, has previously opened up about his past health issues, including a severe vocal cord injury in the 90s that required four separate surgeries over four years.
He was eventually diagnosed with diet-induced acid reflux and has since recovered.
Richie is co-headlining the Sing A Song All Night Long Tour with the band Earth, Wind & Fire, hitting 26 venues across the States.
The next scheduled stop on the tour is Chicago on Friday.
Richie rose to fame in the 70s as a songwriter and the co-lead singer of the Motown group Commodores, writing and recording hit singles such as Easy and Three Times a Lady.
In 1982, he left the band to pursue a solo career after releasing his debut solo album.