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Lionel Richie had to end his Minnesota show early after feeling unwell on stage during the kickoff of his Sing a Song All Night Long tour with Earth, Wind & Fire.
The 77-year-old singer was performing at the Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul on Wednesday, June 24, when he began to feel dizzy. Midway through his set, Richie sat down while singing "Dancing on the Ceiling" and told the crowd, "When you're feeling dizzy, sit your ass down."
He went on to play "Three Times a Lady" at the piano before announcing an unexpected intermission. Richie never returned, and about 40 minutes later saxophonist Dino Soldo came out to update fans: "Unfortunately, Lionel is not feeling well. He won't be able to continue. Additional information will be available."
The show had been scheduled for 90 minutes, but Richie left the stage after about 55. His band remained for a short time before also exiting. According to Earth, Wind & Fire's drummer John Paris, Richie hadn't shown any signs of illness before the performance.
The Minnesota concert marked the start of a 26-date run that will take the legendary singer and Earth, Wind & Fire to major cities including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Atlanta, before wrapping up in Austin, Texas, on August 14.
Just a day before opening night, Richie had expressed excitement about the tour on Instagram, thanking his crew for their hard work: "It takes an incredible team behind the scenes to make it all happen, and I'm grateful for each and every one of you. Saint Paul, here we come."
While no further details have been shared yet, the hope is that the singer will recover quickly and continue the tour as planned.
