3 Questions for Lionel Richie

Lionel Richie soared to the top of the music charts with hits like “Hello,” “Stuck on You,” and “All Night Long.” His songs about love put fans in the mood to do more than listen to lyrics. “I will take some credit for helping to populate the world,” he jokes. All that musical love made him a superstar with over 100 million records sold, four Grammys and an Oscar, and sold-out concerts worldwide. He also became one of the most popular judges on American Idol, sharing the lessons he learned on the way up with talented young wannabes.

Richie began as a member of the hugely popular Commodores before launching a solo career. Now he’s back — in Vegas, joined at the Wynn Hotel by fans who can’t wait to sing along, as we’ve always done.

Jeanne Wolf: Did being a judge on American Idol take you back to your early days, when you were starting?

Lionel Richie: I learned so much along the way, and I’ve been glad to share these experiences on American Idol. I think the music business needs more mentors to help talented kids get ready for the long haul ahead. I want them to understand what it takes: stamina, being able to fail and come back.

In school, I had a reputation for being too sensitive. Girls were looking for a jock. I’d make a terrible football player because I’d be crying after one tackle. I was ready to study to be a priest. Then, in college, some guys and I formed The Commodores. One night, performing at a bar, a girl in the front row shouted at me and ran onto the stage. I was blown away. The next day, I called the seminary minister and said, “I don’t think I’m priest material.” Years later, when Michael Jackson and I put together “We Are the World,” he sent me a note saying, “I think your ministry is doing quite well.”

JW: You don’t love touring, but you always come back to Vegas. What’s the attraction?

LR: I was in Vegas with The Commodores. I love going back because Sin City is more exciting than ever. I have an audience that spans many generations who love my songs. It’s sing-along at its finest.

Of course, I still want to write hits, but that’s not always easy. I remember saying to Michael Jordan, “Three seconds left in the game, and you demand the ball. Why do you want that pressure?” And Michael said, “When you’re in the zone, you’re in the zone.” That’s why I can relate to athletes. When I write hit songs, I’m in the zone.

JW: You look younger than 75, and your energy seems boundless. What keeps you going?

LR: I have genetic power. My grandmother was 103, and my father’s mother made it to 98. One thing that helped me tremendously is that my outside reflects my inside. I’m smiling on the outside and inside. That’s not to say I haven’t had problems and faced an occasional crisis, but that’s part of life’s journey.

I can’t tell you how many fans have described what they were doing while listening to some of my love songs. I can’t be cynical about that four-letter word. You don’t walk in love; you fall in love. It has no logic. It’s just the most incredible feeling in the world when you go with it. I think the day you lose that hope, that desire, it’s over. Love is the most essential cornerstone of your existence.

—Jeanne Wolf is the Post’s West Coast editor

This article is featured in the March/April 2025 issue of The Saturday Evening Post. Subscribe to the magazine for more art, inspiring stories, fiction, humor, and features from our archives.