Lionel Richie’s big tour kickoff took an unexpected turn Thursday night when the music legend became ill on stage and was forced to end the show early.
The 77-year-old singer had been performing for about an hour at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, Minnesota, when fans noticed something was wrong during “Dancing on the Ceiling.”
Video shared on social media showed Richie struggling through the song and sitting down several times as his band played around him.
At one point, he appeared to address the crowd directly about what he was feeling.
“When you’re feeling dizzy, sit your ass down,” Richie told the audience, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune.
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The Grammy winner pushed through the moment and later moved to the piano to perform “Three Times a Lady.” But shortly afterward, he called for an intermission.
His band stayed on stage for about 15 minutes before leaving. Roughly 40 minutes later, saxophonist Dino Soldo came out to update the crowd.
“Unfortunately, Lionel is not feeling well,” Soldo told the audience. “He won’t be able to continue. Additional information will be available.”
The abrupt ending came on what was supposed to be the opening night of Richie’s 26-city North American tour with Earth, Wind & Fire.
Earlier in the day, Richie had seemed excited to get back in front of fans.
“Opening night. Rehearsals. Sound check. Showtime tonight. Saint Paul, you’re up!!!” he wrote on Instagram before the concert.
He had also thanked his crew and band earlier in the week for helping prepare 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,” Richie wrote on Instagram Stories. “It takes an incredible team behind the scenes to make it all happen, and I’m grateful for each and every one of you.”
It is not yet clear what caused Richie to feel ill or whether the medical issue will affect upcoming tour dates.
The next scheduled stop on the tour is Friday night at Chicago’s United Center, though it remains unclear whether Richie will be well enough to perform.
A rep for Richie has been contacted for comment.
Despite the scare, Richie has long made it clear that he has no plans to retire.
“They’re gonna have to carry me out, babe,” he told Rolling Stone in 2020.
When asked back then when he planned to step away from performing, Richie said he did not see music as work.
“Someone asked me years ago, ‘When do you plan on retiring?’ And I said, ‘From what?’ I’ve never had a job. People who work want to retire.”
Richie said at the time that he still felt like a 19-year-old and loved the fun and adventure of being on the road.