Lionel Richie, the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer and American Idol judge beloved by fans worldwide, was forced to cut his concert short Wednesday night in St. Paul, Minnesota, after falling ill onstage - and supporters quickly flooded social media with prayers and well-wishes for the 77-year-old legend.
Richie was performing at the Grand Casino Arena as part of the opening night of his co-headlining "Sing a Song All Night Long" tour with Earth, Wind & Fire when the health scare unfolded in front of a packed crowd.
About 55 minutes into his set, Richie told the 10,000 fans in attendance that he was feeling dizzy - which is why he performed "Dancing on the Ceiling," one of his most energetic hits, while seated on a step on the stage. "When you're feeling dizzy, sit your ass down," he told the crowd.
He then sat down at the piano to perform "Three Times a Lady" before calling an unexpected intermission.
His band remained onstage for 15 minutes before exiting, and roughly 40 minutes later, saxophonist Dino Soldo emerged to address the audience. "Unfortunately, Lionel is not feeling well," Soldo said. "He won't be able to continue."
Just the night before, Richie had shared a heartfelt message of gratitude on his Instagram Stories. "Thank you to everyone in my band and crew for all the hard work, dedication and long hours getting us ready for this tour," he wrote.
"It takes an incredible team behind the scenes to make it all happen, and I'm grateful for each and every one of you."
Richie, who has openly spoken about faith and the sense of "anointing" he feels during performances, has long held a special place in the hearts of Christian fans - many of whom took to social media to lift him up in prayer following the news.
No official statement has been released yet regarding whether the incident will affect the tour's next stop at the United Center in Chicago on Friday.
JubileeCast joins fans around the world in praying for Lionel Richie's full and swift recovery.
