Richie's 1982 self-titled debut contained three hit singles: the U.S. His debut album, Lionel Richie, produced another chart-topping single, " Truly", which continued the style of his ballads with the Commodores. He was replaced as lead singer for The Commodores by Skyler Jett in 1983. Its success encouraged Richie to branch out into a full-fledged solo career in 1982. Issued as a single, the song topped the UK, Canada, Brazil, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and US pop music charts, and became one of Motown's biggest hits (in the US it sold 2 million copies and became a platinum single record). Also in 1981 Richie sang the theme song for the film Endless Love, a duet with Diana Ross. Latin jazz composer and salsa romantica pioneer La Palabra enjoyed international success with his cover of "Lady," which was played at Latin dance clubs. Richie and Rogers maintained a strong friendship in later years. He composed " Lady" for Kenny Rogers, which hit #1 in 1980, and produced Rogers's album Share Your Love the following year. Their first several albums had a danceable, funky sound, as in such tracks as " Machine Gun" and " Brick House." Over time, Richie wrote and sang more romantic, easy-listening ballads such as " Easy", " Three Times a Lady", " Still", and the tragic breakup ballad " Sail On".īy the late 1970s he had begun to accept songwriting commissions from other artists. The Commodores then became established as a popular soul group. They signed a recording contract with Atlantic Records in 1968 for one record before moving on to Motown Records initially as a support act to The Jackson 5. In 1968 he became a singer and saxophonist with the Commodores. Career The Commodores Īs a student in Tuskegee, Richie formed a succession of R&B groups in the mid-1960s. He is a member of Kappa Kappa Psi and an active life member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. After receiving his undergraduate degree from Tuskegee, Richie briefly attended graduate school at Auburn University.
A star tennis player in Joliet, he accepted a tennis scholarship to attend Tuskegee Institute, and graduated with a major in economics. Richie graduated from Joliet Township High School, East Campus. His family moved to Joliet, Illinois, where his mother Alberta was principal at Eliza Kelly Elementary school and his father worked at Armcom through the now defunct Joliet Arsenal. His grandfather's house was across the street from the home of the president of the college. He grew up on the campus of Tuskegee Institute. Richie was raised in Tuskegee, Alabama, the son of Alberta R.
0 kommentar(er)
