Lionel Richie is back in the hospital two months after a dizzy spell brought the opening night of his summer tour to an early end.
The 77-year-old singer checked himself into a St. Louis hospital after his Aug. 29 concert at The Muny in Forest Park and was admitted to the intensive care unit while doctors ran tests. Sources with direct knowledge told TMZ that physicians were looking into possible slight dehydration and that Richie hoped to be discharged Sept. 1.
There had been a visible sign near the end of the concert that Richie needed to slow down. During the closing number, “All Night Long,” he asked his team to bring him a chair and finished the song seated.
A source close to his ongoing tour subsequently told Rolling Stone that Richie is “OK,” while the Los Angeles Times reported that a representative declined to comment on the reason for his hospitalization or his prognosis.
Richie Asked for a Chair During the Final Song
Richie’s St. Louis performance had reached its final stretch before he sat down. The St. Louis American, which covered the concert from the venue, reported that he remained on his feet through virtually the entire show before taking a seat for “All Night Long.”
TMZ similarly reported that witnesses saw Richie ask his team to bring him a chair during the finale. Fan footage from the night shows him seated while continuing the song rather than ending the performance early.
The concert itself was separate from Richie’s regular arena dates with Earth, Wind & Fire. The Muny had booked him for a one-night-only summer-finale performance at its outdoor theater in Forest Park.
He Had Just Told the Crowd a Doctor Blamed His Earlier Scare on Dehydration
Richie had already discussed his earlier health problem during the St. Louis concert. “Some things have been happening on this tour that kind of shook me up a little bit,” he told the crowd, according to the St. Louis American.
He said he returned to his doctor after the June episode and was told, “You are suffering from dehydration.” Richie drank an electrolyte beverage onstage in St. Louis while explaining the steps he had been taking since then.
The Tour Had Already Been Interrupted by a June Health Scare
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Richie’s first major health interruption of the summer came June 24 during the opening concert of his Sing a Song All Night Long tour with Earth, Wind & Fire at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, Minnesota.
About 55 minutes into the show, Richie told the crowd that he felt dizzy and strange. The Minnesota Star Tribune reported that he performed “Dancing on the Ceiling” while sitting on a stage step, then moved to the piano for “Three Times a Lady” before announcing an unexpected intermission.
Richie did not return to finish the concert. TMZ later reported that paramedics met him backstage and took him to a hospital by ambulance.
Doctors subsequently advised Richie to rest, prompting postponements of his June 26 Chicago and June 27 Columbus shows. He returned to the stage June 30 in Pittsburgh and performed again in Detroit before reassuring fans in a July 4 Instagram post that he was “doing well.”
His Next Concert Is Still Listed for Sept. 26
Richie currently has several weeks before his next scheduled performance. His official tour calendar continues to list a Sept. 26 date with Earth, Wind & Fire at Chase Center in San Francisco.
Chase Center also continues to list the show for 7:30 p.m. that Saturday. The San Francisco date had already been rescheduled before Richie’s St. Louis hospitalization, while the postponed Chicago and Columbus concerts are now listed for Sept. 30 and Oct. 2.
TMZ’s sources said Richie was hoping to leave the hospital Tuesday, and Rolling Stone’s tour source said he was OK. As of Sept. 1, Richie’s official schedule still lists San Francisco as his next performance.