Lionel Richie opening tour night halted after singer falls ill mid-performance
Lionel Richie, 77, has sparked health fears after he had to halt his first concert
Concerns have been raised for Lionel Richie after the 77-year-old singer became unwell on stage, bringing the opening night of his tour to a sudden halt. The music icon was performing at the Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, Minnesota, when he called for an unexpected 40-minute break, only to cancel the rest of the gig shortly after.
The St. Paul show was the first stop on his joint Sing A Song All Night Long tour with Earth, Wind & Fire. After playing Three Times A Lady at the piano, the performer told the audience he was taking a short intermission and walked off the stage.
Whilst his backing band followed him off shortly afterwards, one musician subsequently returned to the stage to break the news that Richie was too unwell to resume the concert, reports The Mirror.
Saxophonist Dino Soldo, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune, said: "Unfortunately, Lionel is not feeling well. He won’t be able to continue. Additional information will be available."
Fans who attended the show took to social media with their concerns for Richie's health. Videos they shared of him performing showed him having to sit down multiple times during a rendition of Dancing On The Ceiling. He reportedly told audiences this was because he was feeling "dizzy".
In one video on X, Richie could be seen singing as he walked around the stage before becoming unsteady and abruptly stopping to sit on the edge of a large platform. He continued to sing whilst sat, but was soon on his feet again. However, it wasn't long before he needed to sing sit again.
One fan was said to have told the Star Tribune that Richie said "he has been in this business long enough" and that he'd learned that "if you feel dizzy, you sit down".
The publication also reported that some of the audience had already started to leave when the saxophonist revealed the show was going to end there. Some began to file out as soon as the band left the stage, which happened roughly 15 minutes after Richie left the stage.
The Star Tribune quoted one fan who said they were "super bummed". They said: "I’m super bummed. This was my first time [seeing Richie] and I’m old."
This was the first night of Richie's tour with Earth, Wind & Fire. In the shows, disco group Earth, Wind & Fire play their hits, such as Boogie Wonderland and September, for the first half, whilst Richie takes to the stage for the second.
At present, the tour is set to take place across 26 cities throughout the summer, and their next performance is set to be at the United Center in Chicago on 26 June.
The Mirror reached out to Richie's reps for comment.
