Lionel Richie (Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr.) was born on June 20, 1949) is a Grammy Award-winning American R&B and soul singer, Academy Award-winning songwriter, record producer, and occasional actor. He has sold over fifty million records.

He released his self-titled debut in 1982. The album hit #3 on the music charts and sold over 4 million copies. His 1983 follow up album, Can't Slow Down, sold over twice as many copies and won the Grammy Award for the Album of the Year in 1984.

His third album, Dancing on the Ceiling, which was released in 1986, spawned such hits as "Say You, Say Me", "Dancing on the Ceiling," and "Se La", but it also signified the end of his large commercial success.

His albums in the 1990s such as Louder Than Words and Time all failed to achieve the previous decade's commercial success. Some of his recent work such as the album Renaissance has returned to his older style, achieving success in Europe, but little in the United States.

In 2002, Richie's song "Running With the Night" was featured on the Rockstar North video game "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City" though the song was removed from later versions of the game.

In 2004, he appeared on Canadian Idol as his songs were featured during a Canadian Idol week.

In November 2005, Lionel Richie performed with Kenny Rogers on a CMT Crossroads special. The show gave an informative insight into their friendship both in and out of the music world.

Richie was also the headliner at a 2000 Fourth of July tribute concert with Fantasia Barrino at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Richie released his eighth studio album entitled "Coming Home" on September 12, 2006.