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Lionel Richie fell ill during the opening night of his joint tour with Earth, Wind & Fire, cutting his set short after about an hour on stage at St. Paul, MN’s Grand Casino Arena.
Several videos circulating on social
media showed Richie, 77, sitting down on the stage several times while performing “Dancing on the Ceiling.” He reportedly told the audience that he wasn’t feeling well: “When you’re feeling dizzy, sit your ass down,” he said, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune.
He then sat down at the piano to perform “Three Times a Lady” but then called an intermission. His band remained on stage for 15 minutes before exiting. Forty minutes later, saxophonist Dino Soldo emerged and thanked the audience for their patience. “Unfortunately, Lionel is not feeling well,” he said. “He won’t be able to continue. Additional information will be available.”
A rep for Richie did not immediately return Variety‘s request for comment.
Richie and Earth, Wind & Fire announced their joint North American tour earlier this year. The 26-date trek kicked off tonight in Minnesota, and currently has stops planned for New York City’s Madison Square Garden and Los Angeles’ Intuit Dome before concluding at Austin’s Moody Center on August 14.
On Tuesday night, Richie took to his Instagram Stories to thank everyone who helped in preparation for the tour. “Thank you to everyone in my band and crew for all the hard work, dedication, and long hours getting us ready for this tour,” he wrote. “It takes an incredible team behind the scenes to make it all happen, and I’m grateful for each and every one of you.”
