American music legend Lionel Richie has been hospitalised in St Louis, Missouri, following a concert over the weekend, with reports saying the 77-year-old singer was admitted to an intensive care unit for medical tests.
Richie checked himself into a hospital after performing at The Muny in Forest Park on Saturday, August 29, according to reports by TMZ and other US media outlets. Reports say the singer was being cautious and that doctors were investigating possible mild dehydration.
The hospitalisation came after concertgoers noticed that Richie appeared to be struggling toward the end of his St Louis performance. During his closing number, the 1983 hit “All Night Long,” he asked members of his team to bring him a chair and completed the song while seated.
TMZ reported that Richie remained in hospital on Monday and was hoping to be discharged on Tuesday, September 1.
The latest incident has renewed concern among fans because it is the second health scare involving Richie during his 2026 touring schedule.
In June, Richie was taken to hospital after becoming dizzy and feeling unwell during a performance in St Paul, Minnesota. He was performing the opening show of his North American tour with Earth, Wind & Fire when he had to sit down during the concert before eventually ending the performance early.
Two subsequent shows, in Chicago and Columbus, Ohio, were postponed after doctors advised him to rest and recover. Richie returned to the stage on June 30 in Pittsburgh and later reassured fans that he was doing well.
The June episode was also linked to dehydration. His manager, John Paris, subsequently described the singer as being “a little dehydrated,” while Richie himself thanked fans for their concern in a July message and said he was doing well.
Richie, one of the most successful American singers and songwriters of his generation, rose to prominence as a member of the Commodores before embarking on a hugely successful solo career in the early 1980s.
His catalogue includes global hits such as “Hello,” “All Night Long,” “Dancing on the Ceiling,” “Say You, Say Me,” and “Three Times a Lady.” His career has earned him multiple Grammy Awards, an Academy Award and other major honours, while his music has continued to attract audiences across generations.
Richie is also widely known to a younger television audience as a judge on American Idol, alongside Katy Perry and Luke Bryan in earlier seasons of the programme.
The singer is currently touring with Earth, Wind & Fire on the Sing a Song All Night Long tour. His next performance is scheduled for September 26 in San Francisco, although it remains unclear whether his latest hospitalisation will affect any upcoming dates.
Agencies
