Lionel Richie has been hospitalised in St Louis following his weekend performance at The Muny, with doctors reportedly investigating possible dehydration.
by Paul Cashmere
Lionel Richie has checked himself into a St Louis hospital after performing at The Muny in Forest Park on Saturday night, with a source close to the singer’s tour confirming that the hospital visit was precautionary. Richie is reportedly undergoing tests after doctors considered possible slight dehydration. He is hoping to be discharged Tuesday.
The hospitalisation follows another health incident during Richie’s current touring schedule. On June 24, the 77-year-old singer became unwell during the opening night of his tour with Earth, Wind & Fire in St Paul, Minnesota, telling the audience that he felt “dizzy” and “strange” before ending the concert early.
The latest incident occurred after Richie completed his St Louis concert. Witnesses reported that he appeared to be struggling towards the end of the performance and requested a chair from his team for the final song, “All Night Long”. He completed the performance while seated.
The circumstances surrounding the hospitalisation have not been publicly linked to a specific diagnosis. The information available indicates that Richie entered hospital to undergo tests and that dehydration was among the possibilities being considered by doctors.
Richie’s June illness resulted in two postponed performances. Following the St Paul concert, he was taken to hospital by ambulance after paramedics attended him backstage.
His scheduled concerts in Columbus, Ohio, and Chicago were subsequently postponed after doctors advised him to rest and return to full health. Richie resumed performing on June 30 in Pittsburgh.
The singer addressed his condition publicly on July 4, thanking fans for their concern. “Thank you for every message, every kind word, and for all your love,” he wrote. “I’m doing well, and I’m grateful for all of you.”
Richie’s current touring cycle is significant given the scale of his catalogue and his continuing international performance schedule. As a solo artist and as a former member of the Commodores, he has maintained a career spanning more than five decades.
With the Commodores, Richie helped establish a run of major 1970s and early 1980s recordings before leaving the group for a solo career. His self-titled 1982 debut produced songs including “Truly”, while 1983’s Can’t Slow Down became one of the defining commercial albums of the decade.
That album included “All Night Long”, “Hello”, “Stuck On You” and “Penny Lover”, establishing Richie as a major solo performer. His subsequent catalogue included Dancing on the Ceiling in 1986, followed by further albums and a continuing programme of live performances built around his established repertoire.
Richie’s touring commitments have continued alongside television appearances and other projects. He is also scheduled to perform his “King of Hearts” shows at Wynn Las Vegas in October and November.
The latest hospital visit comes at a point when Richie’s physical wellbeing has become an immediate consideration for the continuation of his touring schedule. The June episode was followed by a return to the stage within days, but the latest hospitalisation means his doctors are again assessing his condition.
For now, the immediate expectation is that Richie will remain under medical observation while tests are completed. No further diagnosis has been publicly disclosed, and there has been no announcement indicating that his upcoming performances have been cancelled.
Richie’s representatives have not provided a separate public medical statement in the supplied information. His next steps will depend on the outcome of the hospital assessment and medical advice concerning his ability to resume his demanding performance schedule.
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