Music
Iconic ’70s Singer Postpones More Shows After Onstage Health Scare
Lionel Richie, 77, canceled two shows after a dizzy spell forced him offstage, leaving fans concerned about his plans to continue touring.
Just a day after iconic singer Lionel Richie, 77, worried fans with a dizzy spell mid-performance, the singer has canceled additional concerts. Fans have voiced concerns over the beloved performer’s health amid the worrisome on-stage incident and subsequent cancellations.
On June 24, Richie was performing in Minnesota when he started experiencing dizzy spells. At times, the “Endless Love” singer sat while trying to continue the performance. Eventually, the “Hello” singer left the stage as fans stayed in place and waited for his return.
After about an hour, his saxophonist, Dino Soldo, told the crowd that Richie wouldn’t be able to return to the stage and wasn’t feeling well. According to Page Six, the St. Paul Fire Department transported Richie from the arena to the hospital.
On June 25, Live Nation shared disappointing updates via their social media pages. The organization’s statement read, “Under advisement by doctors to rest and return to full health, Lionel Richie has postponed his next two shows on Friday, June 26 in Chicago, IL and Saturday, June 27 in Columbus, OH.”
The statement indicated that Richie and Earth, Wind & Fire planned to continue the tour after the two canceled concerts, with the next show slated for June 30 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
“Lionel is heartbroken to postpone these two shows and cannot wait to be back performing for his fans,” the Live Nation statement added.
At this point, the goal is to reschedule those two shows.
Fans commented on the Live Nation social media posts, wishing Richie a speedy recovery. Some admitted concern over Richie’s health.
“Man really hope we don’t lose him too this year. We’ve already lost too many amazing people,” one fan commented on Instagram.
On Facebook, another fan wrote, “Lionel…like the rest of these aging rockers all need to retire for their health…it’s too physically demanding.
Richie’s postponements come at a time when several legendary performers have had to alter touring plans due to health-related issues.
Rod Stewart recently canceled a performance in San Diego less than an hour before it was slated to begin, also citing health issues.
Stewart, 81, received significant backlash from fans after he revealed the following day he’d flown to Boston with his sons to attend a World Cup game. He admitted he knew it was a bad look, but insisted he needed to keep a promise he’d made to his sons.
In May, as Variety shared, Frankie Valli, 92, canceled the rest of his 2026 tour due to health concerns, as well. Barry Manilow and Dolly Parton have also postponed recent performances, underscoring the intense physical demands that touring can place on seasoned entertainers like these.
