Lionel Richie

Lionel Brockman Richie (born June 20, 1949), is an American singer-songwriter, musician and record producer who has sold (solo or as group member) more than 100 million records. Born in Tuskegee, Alabama, Richie grew up on the campus of Tuskegee Institute. His grandfather's house was across the street from the home of the president of the Institute. His family moved to Joliet Illinois where he graduated from Joliet Township High School, East Campus, in Joliet, Illinois. A star tennis player in Joliet, he accepted a tennis scholarship at Tuskegee Institute and later graduated with a major in economics. After receiving his undergraduate degree from Tuskegee, Richie briefly attended graduate school at Auburn University. He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. As a student in Tuskegee, Richie formed a succession of R&B groups in the mid-1960s. In 1968 he became a singer and…

Also Known As: Lionel Ritchie, Lionel Brockman Richie, Jr.