Lionel Richie reportedly checked himself into a St. Louis intensive care unit out of caution shortly after his performance at The Muny on Saturday, Aug. 29. TMZ was first to report the hospitalization.
Richie, 77, is currently in the midst of his Sing a Song All Night Long tour with Earth, Wind & Fire. Headlined a solo performance for The Muny’s 2026 season finale concert on Saturday night.
TMZ also reported that Richie was hospitalized in June following a show in Minnesota that was cut short when he complained of feeling “strange.”
Richie referenced that earlier hospitalization while engaging with the crowd at The Muny.
“Some things have been happening on this tour that kind of shook me up a little bit, because I couldn’t figure out what the hell was going on,” Richie said. “I went back to the doctor, and he said, ‘You are suffering from dehydration.’”
He drank electrolytes multiple times during the performance.
“I’m telling you, this stuff is nasty — but it works,” Richie said while drinking. He also told the audience that an elderly fan recommended castor oil as a remedy, and that fellow American Idol judge Luke Bryan jokingly suggested alcohol for hydration.
Richie performed without an intermission and remained on his feet until his “All Night Long” finale, when he asked stage workers to bring him an ottoman. He completed the song from his seat.
According to TMZ, Richie checked himself into a St. Louis hospital ICU for testing. A source reportedly told the outlet the “All Night Long” singer is expected to be released Tuesday.
Information from TMZ.com, The New York Daily News, and The New York Post contributed to this report.