On June 20, Lionel Richie celebrated his 77th birthday. Taking a moment to look back at his career, the singer sold over 90 million albums, won countless awards, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022. But even after all the accolades and milestones, Richie wasn’t finished with the stage. Currently on his Sing a Song All Night tour, the hitmaker worried fans when he ended a concert early after feeling dizzy. Although assuring fans he was healthy, Richie revealed the piece of advice Luke Bryan gave him to keep him in prime shape.
For years, Richie and Bryan have nurtured a friendship since the two joined American Idol as judges. Although Katy Perry was part of that lineup, she eventually left, opening the door for the return of Carrie Underwood. With Richie and Bryan growing close, the country singer apparently called his friend when hearing the news about his dizzy spell.
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The moment happened during the opening night of his Sing a Song All Night tour in St. Paul, Minnesota. Thankfully, Richie felt something was wrong and took precautions to keep himself safe. But according to the singer, Luke had only one question, “Lionel, was you drinkin?” When Richie declined, the country singer fired back, “Well then, that was the problem. You should have been drinking! That would have cleared everything up.”
[RELATED: ‘American Idol’ Judge Breaks Silence After Onstage Health Scare]
Lionel Richie Urges Fans Not To Follow Luke Bryan’s Advice
Somewhat shocked by the advice given to him by Bryan, he couldn’t help but recall the story when taking the stage once again. With fans excited to see him return, Richie ended his hilarious story with a piece of advice of his own.
Although loving his time on American Idol and working with Bryan, he admitted that there was something wrong with him. “You can’t follow that brother. That brother is not well in the head.”
While fans will have to wait until next year to see the two singers back together on the American Idol set, Richie’s latest story offered a glimpse into the lighthearted friendship the judges have built behind the scenes. Thankfully, the singer has returned to the stage and resumed his Sing a Song All Night tour, proving that his brief health scare was just a temporary setback.
(Photo by Eric McCandless/Disney via Getty Images)