According to The Hollywood Reporter, the singer experienced dizziness onstage before leaving the performance early, prompting doctors to recommend a brief period of rest before returning to his tour.
Lionel Richie Postponed His Next Two Tour Stops
Richie was performing at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul when fans noticed something was wrong during his rendition of “Dancing on the Ceiling.” Videos shared by concertgoers showed the music icon taking a seat onstage as he told the audience he was feeling dizzy. He later returned to perform “Three Times a Lady” before exiting the stage.
Around 40 minutes after Richie left, his saxophonist informed the audience that the concert would not continue because the singer was unable to return. TMZ later reported that Richie was taken to a hospital as a precaution following the incident. Earth, Wind & Fire drummer John Paris also told The Minnesota Star-Tribune that Richie appeared to be dealing with dehydration and that no earlier signs of illness had been apparent before the show.
The health scare has now led to changes in the tour itinerary. Richie’s scheduled concerts in Chicago on Friday and Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday have both been postponed. A statement shared by Chicago’s United Center said the decision came after doctors advised the singer to focus on recovering before returning to the stage.
The venue also confirmed that replacement dates for both performances will be announced at a later time. In the same statement, organizers said Richie is disappointed to delay the concerts and is looking forward to performing for fans again as soon as he has fully recovered.
If his recovery continues as expected, Richie and Earth, Wind & Fire are set to resume their Sing a Song All Night Long Tour with a performance in Pittsburgh on Tuesday. The North American run is currently scheduled to continue throughout the summer, with its final stop planned for Aug. 14 in Austin, Texas.
