Lionel Richie's Recent Health Scare Explained: Show Cancellations and More
Lionel Richie is back on stage after a brief health scare.
The legendary singer has officially returned to his Sing a Song All Night Long tour with Earth, Wind & Fire after a scary opening night forced him to cut his set short and postpone two additional concerts.
Keep scrolling for everything to know:
Lionel Richie Cut Concert Short After Feeling Dizzy
Richie kicked off the tour on June 24 at the Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, Minnesota. According to the Minnesota Star Tribune, Richie performed for roughly 55 minutes before telling the audience something was off.
"When you're feeling dizzy, sit your ass down," Richie told the crowd.
He proceeded to perform "Dancing on the Ceiling" while seated and later played "Three Times a Lady" from a grand piano before announcing a surprise "intermission" and walking off. His band stuck around for about 15 minutes before also exiting as recorded music took over the arena.
Roughly 40 minutes after Richie left the stage, at around 10:50 p.m. local time, his saxophonist Dino Soldo stepped out with the news.
"Unfortunately, Lionel is not feeling well," Soldo said. "He won't be able to continue. Additional information will be available."
Lionel Richie Postpones 2 Shows
The next day, tour organizers announced that Richie would postpone two upcoming stops to rest up.
"Under advisement by doctors to rest and return to full health, Lionel Richie has postponed his show on Friday, June 26, in Chicago, IL, and Saturday, June 27, in Columbus, OH," read a statement shared June 25 via the Live Nation Chicago and United Center Instagram accounts. "He and Earth, Wind & Fire will return to the stage on Tuesday, June 30, in Pittsburgh, PA. Lionel is heartbroken to postpone these two shows and cannot wait to be back to performing for his fans."
Lionel Richie's Tour Continues
Richie made good on his promise to return, hitting the stage in Pittsburgh on June 30.
Richie hasn't shared exactly what caused his illness, and his reps didn't respond to Us Weekly's request for comment at the time of the initial incident.
Lionel Richie Reassures Fans With Health Update
On July 4, Richie hopped on Instagram to let followers know he's doing just fine after the health scare that briefly interrupted his summer run.
"Thank you for every message, every kind word, and for all your love," Richie wrote alongside snapshots from his recent performances. "I'm doing well, and I'm grateful for all of you."
The Grammy winner added, "Pittsburgh and Detroit were an absolute joy. The energy, the dancing, the faces in the crowd… we made real memories together. See you in Toronto… let's party all night long."
This story was compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists.
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This story was originally published July 6, 2026 at 11:07 AM.