Lionel Richie appears to be on the road to recovery after his frightening onstage medical emergency, and the first reassuring update isn't coming from the singer himself. Instead, his ex-wife, Brenda Harvey-Richie, has stepped in to calm worried fans following the abrupt postponement of two tour stops.
Responding to reports of Richie's hospitalization on X, Harvey-Richie offered a brief but upbeat message. "Thanking everyone for their concern," she wrote, per The New York Post. "Lionel is OK and will be back on the stage." The 77-year-old music icon has yet to address the incident himself, and his representatives have not released any additional details about his condition.
The update comes just days after Richie was forced to end the opening night of his Sing a Song All Night Long tour with Earth, Wind & Fire in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Less than an hour into the concert, the Grammy winner began feeling dizzy while performing "Dancing on the Ceiling."
Videos from the show captured him sitting down before joking with the crowd, "When you're feeling dizzy, sit your ass down." Richie managed to return briefly to perform "Three Times a Lady" before exiting during an intermission.
He never made it back to the stage. Instead, saxophonist Dino Soldo informed concertgoers that the show was over because Richie was "not feeling well." "He won't be able to continue. Additional information will be available," Soldo told the audience. Richie was later taken to a hospital as a precaution, while Earth, Wind & Fire drummer John Paris said the singer appeared to be "a little dehydrated," though he stressed he could not confirm the exact cause.
The medical episode also forced changes to Richie's touring schedule. Live Nation postponed his Chicago and Columbus, Ohio, performances after doctors advised him to "rest and return to full health."
The promoter added that Richie was "heartbroken to postpone these two shows and cannot wait to be back performing for his fans," while promising that replacement dates would be announced.
Harvey-Richie, who was married to the "Hello" singer from 1975 to 1993, shares a daughter, Nicole Richie, with the music legend. Richie later welcomed Miles and Sofia Richie with his second wife, Diane Alexander.
