{"id":657266,"date":"2026-06-25T09:42:12","date_gmt":"2026-06-25T09:42:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/657266\/"},"modified":"2026-06-25T09:42:12","modified_gmt":"2026-06-25T09:42:12","slug":"lionel-richie-leaves-stage-mid-performance-after-falling-ill-during-tours-first-night","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/657266\/","title":{"rendered":"Lionel Richie leaves stage mid-performance after falling ill during tour’s first night"},"content":{"rendered":"

77-year-old Lionel Richie has sparked health fears after he had to halt his first concert of his new tour mid performance when he fell ill<\/p>\n

07:45, 25 Jun 2026Updated 08:10, 25 Jun 2026<\/p>\n

\"Lionel<\/p>\n

Lionel Richie cut show short(Image: Kenny Brown)<\/p>\n

Lionel Richie<\/a>, 77, has sparked new health fears after cutting his first concert short when he fell ill mid-performance. The singer was performing at the Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, Minnesota when he announced an unusual 40-minute break. Following this, he ended the show.<\/p>\n

The St Paul show was only the start point of his joint Sing A Song All Night Long tour with Earth, Wind & Fire<\/a>. After performing Three Times A Lady from the piano, he said there would be an intermission and left the stage. His band left the stage minutes later, and one later returned to say that Richie<\/a> could not come back as he was feeling ill.<\/p>\n

\"Lionel<\/p>\n

Lionel Richie had to leave the stage after playing a piano rendition of Three Times A Lady (pictured here at the Co-op Live Arena)(Image: Kenny Brown)<\/p>\n

Saxophonist Dino Soldo, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune<\/a>, said: “Unfortunately, Lionel is not feeling well. He won\u2019t be able to continue. Additional information will be available.”<\/p>\n

Fans who attended the show took to social media with their concerns for Richie’s health. Videos they shared of him performing showed him having to sit down multiple times during a rendition of Dancing On The Ceiling. He reportedly told audiences this was because he was feeling “dizzy”.<\/p>\n

In one video on X, Richie could be seen singing as he walked around the stage before becoming unsteady and abruptly stopping to sit on the edge of a large platform. He continued to sing whilst sat, but was soon on his feet again. However, it wasn’t long before he needed to sing sit again.<\/p>\n

One fan was said to have told the Star Tribune that Richie said “he has been in this business long enough” and that he’d learned that “if you feel dizzy, you sit down”.<\/p>\n

\"Lionel<\/p>\n

Lionel Richie at the Co-op Live Arena(Image: Kenny Brown)<\/p>\n

The publication also reported that some of the audience had already started to leave when the saxophonist revealed the show was going to end there. Some began to file out as soon as the band left the stage, which happened roughly 15 minutes after Richie left the stage.<\/p>\n

The Star Tribune quoted one fan who said they were “super bummed”. They said: “I\u2019m super bummed. This was my first time [seeing Richie] and I\u2019m old.”<\/p>\n

This was the first night of Richie’s tour with Earth, Wind & Fire. In the shows, disco group Earth, Wind & Fire play their hits, such as Boogie Wonderland and September, for the first half, whilst Richie takes to the stage for the second.<\/p>\n

At present, the tour is set to take place across 26 cities throughout the summer, and their next performance is set to be at the United Center in Chicago on 26 June.<\/p>\n

The Mirror<\/a> reached out to Richie’s reps for comment.<\/p>\n

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