Lionel Richie is reportedly doing okay following his latest hospital visit.
After wrapping up a concert in St. Louis, the 77-year-old singer checked himself into a local hospital for tests. A source close to his tour told ABC News that Richie sought medical attention “out of an abundance of caution.”
The hospital visit came after Richie revealed to the crowd that his doctor had recently diagnosed him with dehydration.
Throughout the show, Richie openly addressed his dehydration issues and was seen repeatedly drinking electrolytes while continuing his performance. At one point, he even joked about the taste of his remedy, telling the audience, “I’m telling you, this stuff is nasty, but it works.”
More importantly, Richie was able to make it through the entire night. He performed without taking an intermission and remained on his feet until the final song, “All Night Long.” It was only then that he asked stagehands for a chair and completed the performance while seated.
A source close to Richie’s tour later told The Hollywood Reporter that the legendary singer was stable and “doing okay” following his hospitalization.
Richie has already experienced dehydration-related issues on the Sing a Song All Night Long Tour with Earth, Wind & Fire. During the tour’s opening show in St. Paul, Minnesota, in June, he became dizzy onstage and had to sit down while performing “Dancing on the Ceiling.”
Trying to make light of the situation, Richie told the audience, “When you’re feeling dizzy, sit your ass down.” However, after performing “Three Times a Lady,” he was forced to leave the stage for an unexpected break and was unable to return.
The first health scare led Richie to postpone his next two shows on doctors’ orders. Still, he returned to the stage within days and later reassured fans that he was “doing well” and “grateful” for their support.
The tour faced another health emergency in August when Earth, Wind & Fire drummer John Paris suffered a medical emergency before a San Francisco concert and was hospitalized. Paris was later placed under sedation as doctors continued treating him.
Richie’s next scheduled performance is set for September 26 in San Francisco.
