I’ve been a fan of Lionel Richie since his early days as co-singer with The Commodores. The members of the Commodores met as mostly freshmen at Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University) in 1968, and signed with Motown in November 1972, having first caught the public eye opening for the Jackson 5 while on tour.
The Commodores had a string of hits in the 1970s like “Easy“, “Sail On“, “Three Times a Lady“, and “Still“. In 1980, Richie wrote and produced the US Billboard Hot 100 number one single “Lady” for Kenny Rogers. Shortly after that success, Richie left The Commodores to pursue a solo career.
In 1981, Richie wrote and produced the single “Endless Love“, which he recorded as a duet with Diana Ross; it remains among the top 20 bestselling singles of all time, and the biggest career hit for both artists. In 1982, Richie officially launched his solo career with the album Lionel Richie, which sold over four million copies and spawned the singles “You Are“, “My Love“, and the number one single “Truly“.
Truly (2025), Richie’s autobiography, takes the reader from his beginnings in Alabama to his rise through the music industry over the decades. Richie grew up on the campus of Tuskegee Institute. Surprisingly, Richie decided to pursue his musical career despite not knowing how to read or write music.
Richie’s work with The Commodores prepared him for what would be a successful career. His 1983 album, Can’t Slow Down, sold over twice as many copies as his 1982 debut solo album–8 million copies–Lionel Richie, and won two Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year. That propelled Richie into the first rank of international music superstars.
My favorite Lionel Richie song is his 1981 hit, “Oh No.” Richie writes and sings about unrequited love in a fashion that really moves me. Are you a Lionel Richie fan? Do you have a favorite Lionel Richie song? GRADE: A (for both the book and the CD)
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Author’s note — ix
Zoom — xi
Origin story (1949-1970)
Tuskegee — 3
Escape artist — 22
Saxophone holder — 39
1968 — 62
Smalls paradise — 74
On the road — 91
Liftoff (1970-1982)
Jackson 5 — 117
What are you gonna do? — 140
Motown University — 155
Easy — 181
Flying high — 211
Endless love — 232
Sail on — 245
Flying solo (1982-1999)
Truly — 259
Happy people — 280
All night long — 302
We are the world — 322
Out of body — 341
Blue period — 360
Wandering stranger — 375
Reinvention (1999-present)
Citizen of the world — 401
Coming home — 426
The gardener — 444
Acknowledgments — 461
Credits — 465
TRACKLIST:
| Lionel Richie– | My Destiny | 4:50 | |
| Lionel Richie With Diana Ross– | Endless Love | 4:26 | |
| Lionel Richie With The Commodores*– | Three Times A Lady | 3:36 | |
| Lionel Richie– | Don’t Wanna Lose You | 5:01 | |
| Lionel Richie– | Hello | 4:08 | |
| Lionel Richie With The Commodores*– | Sail On | 3:58 | |
| Lionel Richie With The Commodores*– | Easy | 4:14 | |
| Lionel Richie– | Say You Say Me | 4:05 | |
| Lionel Richie– | Do It To Me | 6:02 | |
| Lionel Richie– | Penny Lover | 3:50 | |
| Lionel Richie– | Truly | 3:16 | |
| Lionel Richie With The Commodores*– | Still | 3:46 | |
| Lionel Richie– | Love Will Conquer All | 4:20 | |
| Lionel Richie With The Commodores*– | Sweet Love | 3:22 | |
| Lionel Richie– | Ballerina Girl | 3:40 | |
| Lionel Richie– | Still In Love | 4:33 | |
| Lionel Richie With The Commodores*– | Oh No | 3:00 | |
| Lionel Richie With The Commodores*– | Just To Be Close To You | 3:30 | |
| Lionel Richie– | Stuck On You | 3:17 |
I wonder if his autobiography includes the time his wife kicked him in the b*lls for being unfaithful, lol. My favorites are some of his songs with the Commodores: “Easy”, “Sail On”, and “Just to Be Close to You”. Not a big fan of his solo stuff. I notice “Brick House” does not make the discography, alas 😂.
Deb, yes, Lionel Richie owns up to his “mistakes” with other women. THE BEST OF THE COMMODORES has what you’re looking for:
Sweet Love 6:33
Just To Be Close To You 6:21
Easy 4:50
Brick House 3:43
Three Times A Lady 6:38
Sail On 3:59
Still 5:48
Lady (You Bring Me Up) 4:49
Oh No 3:02
Nightshift 5:04
Machine Gun 2:39
Oh, I forgot about “Sweet Love”; that’s a good one too.
Deb, you have excellent taste in music!
What Deb said. To me, “Brick House” is a horrible “cringe” song that makes me change the station every time.
I like some of the same songs you both mention. We’re seeing him for the first time this summer, with Earth, Wind & Fire.
Jeff, Lionel Richie is the same age as me…but he looks a lot better!
My son was a big fan when he was first discovering pop music.
Patti, Patrick and Katie loved Lionel Richie’s “Dancing On the Ceiling” video. They couldn’t get enough of it on MTV!
Jimmy Buffett did a long Lionel Richie story that ended with his cover of Richie’s “All Night Long (All Night).”
Jeff, “All Night Long” was one of Richie’s biggest hits.
I’m unable to pick a favorite, I like so many of them, but probably my favorites are mostly Commodore songs.
I do feel he should be ashamed of raising his daughter Nicole to be a Paris Hilton associate.
Maggie, a lot of people feel like you do about Nicole.
I’m sure I have one of his CDs around here someplace! I’m rather fond of Still but haven’t kept up with his work for decades!
Bob, Lionel Richie continued to write and produce hits for decades.
I am a wet blanket here…I’ve been a non-fan of his solo work very consistently, “You Are” being the closest to something I’d let play to the end, while liking the Commodores’ work better…and having considered their post-Richie hit “Nightshift” one of their better records.
And when I think of a song called “Sweet Love”, I think of Anita Baker’s: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2w6udgiojlE
(Composed by Anita Baker, Gary Bias, and Louis A. Johnson.)
Todd, I’m a fan of Anita Baker, too!
Todd, many of the songs by THE COMMODORES were written by Lionel Richie.
Yup. I suspect they had somewhat higher standards/demands from him than what he would write for his solo career.