Music icon Lionel Richie has been hospitalized again after experiencing another heart-related problem, just three weeks after becoming unwell during a concert.
The 77-year-old singer is receiving treatment for atrial fibrillation, commonly known as AFib, a condition that causes an irregular heartbeat.
Richie’s representative told Our News Outlet that the performer had undergone a routine procedure to treat atrial fibrillation.
“The doctor said everything went perfectly. Lionel is doing great but will take some time off and will be back on stage soon,” the representative said.
The latest health setback has forced Richie to cancel his next three shows with Earth, Wind & Fire.
The canceled dates on the Sing a Song All Night Long Tour were scheduled for this Saturday in San Francisco, September 30 in Chicago and October 2 in Columbus, Ohio.
Music legend Lionel Richie (above, in Detroit in July) has been hospitalized again after suffering another heart issue just three weeks after falling ill on stage.
The hospitalization is the third involving the All Night Long hitmaker within a matter of months.
On August 30, Richie checked himself into a St. Louis hospital following a concert. He spent several days in intensive care while doctors carried out tests related to his heart before being discharged after three days.
Video obtained by Our News Outlet from the final song of his performance at The Muny in Forest Park showed Richie appearing short of breath at points as he sang one of his biggest hits, All Night Long.
He also appeared to struggle to remain standing. Early in the song, Richie sat on a piano bench and stayed there for the remainder of the performance.
The footage shows Richie returning to the stage for All Night Long before a stagehand brought out a piano bench less than 30 seconds later. The move appeared to suggest that Richie had asked for the seat backstage.
Although he continued performing, Richie gestured toward the bench, signaling to stagehands that it should be moved closer to the front of the stage.
The former Commodores frontman wore an otherwise all-black outfit with a red leather jacket bearing the words “All Night Long” across the back. He eventually sat on the edge of the bench and continued singing to the crowd.
Close-up footage appeared to show Richie becoming breathless at times, with his lead vocals dropping out beneath the song’s heavy backing vocals.
This is the third time in a matter of months that the All Night Long hitmaker (above, in New York in April) has been hospitalized.
On August 30, the singer checked himself into a St. Louis hospital after a concert (pictured), spending days in intensive care while undergoing tests for cardiac-related issues. He was released after three days.
In June, Richie (pictured) was taken to the hospital after feeling “dizzy” and “strange” during a concert in St. Paul, Minnesota. He was forced to end the performance early before leaving in an ambulance.
As All Night Long drew to a close, Richie repeatedly pumped his fists in the air while performing for the audience.
Once the song ended, he rose from the bench and walked away with his back to the crowd. He then turned to call out goodnight and spread his arms as footage from earlier in his career played on the giant screen behind him.
Days later, it was reported that Richie had been hospitalized in St Louis shortly after that performance.
Then back in June, he was rushed to the hospital after feeling ‘dizzy’ and ‘strange’ during a concert in St. Paul, Minnesota as he was forced toe cut the performance short before being taken away in an ambulance.
The septuagenarian hitmaker was performing at the Grand Casino Arena as the start of his joint Sing A Song All Night Long tour with Earth, Wind & Fire when he announced an unusual intermission after a performance of Three Times A Lady from his piano, according to Minnesota’s Bring Me The News.
Richie’s band reportedly also left the stage minutes later, but more than 40 minutes after he cut off the show, a band member returned to announce he wouldn’t be able to return because he was feeling ill.
‘Unfortunately, Lionel is not feeling well,’ said saxophonist Dino Soldo, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune. ‘He won’t be able to continue. Additional information will be available.’
Richie has enjoyed an incredible career as he was behind some of the biggest hits of the 1970s and 1980s including the aforementioned All Night Long and Hello.
Richie (Above, in September 1979) has enjoyed an incredible career as he was behind some of the biggest hits of the 1970s and 1980s including All Night Long and Hello
The artist has three children: 45-year-old daughter Nicole Richie, 28-year-old daughter Sofia Richie Grainge, and 32-year-old son Miles Richie (Above, left to right in Hollywood back in March 2018)
Richie has been in a relationship with 36-year-old girlfriend Lisa Parigi since 2014 (Above, in LA back in April)
The music icon, whose career has spanned more than five decades, rose to fame as the frontman of the Motown group Commodores before embarking on a hugely successful solo career that made him one of the best-selling artists of all time.
His work has earned him four Grammy Awards and an Oscar. He also co-wrote 1985’s We Are the World, the all-star charity single that became one of the defining songs of its era.
After launching his solo career, Richie quickly established himself as a powerhouse balladeer, with his music going on to sell more than 90 million records worldwide and cementing his place among the world’s best-selling artists.
The artist has three children: 45-year-old daughter Nicole Richie, 28-year-old daughter Sofia Richie Grainge, and 32-year-old son Miles Richie.
Richie has been in a relationship with 36-year-old girlfriend Lisa Parigi since 2014.
