Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr. (born June 20, 1949) is an
American singer,
songwriter,
record producer who has sold more than 100 million records.
Career
Early years
Born in
Tuskegee,
Alabama, Richie grew up on the campus of
Tuskegee Institute. His grandfather's house was across the street from the home of the president of the Institute. His family moved to
Illinois where he graduated from
Joliet Township High School, East Campus, in
Joliet. A star
tennis player in Joliet, he accepted a tennis
scholarship back at Tuskegee Institute and later graduated with a major in
economics. After receiving his undergraduate degree from Tuskegee, Richie briefly attended graduate school at
Auburn University.
The Commodores
Back as a student in Tuskegee, he formed a succession of
R&B groups in the mid-1960s. In 1968 he became the lead singer and saxophonist with
the Commodores. They signed a recording contract with
Atlantic Records in 1968 for one record before moving on to
Motown Records, being schooled as a support act to the
Jackson Five.
The Commodores became established as a popular soul group. Their first several albums had a danceable, funky sound (with such tracks as "
Machine Gun" and "
Brick House"). Over time, Richie wrote and sang more romantic, easy-listening ballads such as "
Easy", "
Three Times a Lady" and "
Still".
