Lionel Richie undergoes heart procedure
FILE – Lionel Richie performs at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, on April 29, 2022. Richie has been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP, File)
ACTION 8 NEWS (WAKA) – Music superstar and Tuskegee native Lionel Richie is pausing his tour after undergoing a heart procedure.
He underwent a procedure for atrial fibrillation, according to his rep, who spoke with ABC News.
“The doctor said everything went perfectly,” the representative said in a statement. “Lionel is doing great but will take some time off and will be back on stage soon.”
Atrial fibrillation, commonly known as AFib, is an irregular heart rhythm that can cause symptoms including fatigue, shortness of breath and chest pain, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The illness can be treated by medication, surgery and lifestyle changes, the CDC says.
Richie has faced several health challenges since beginning a nationwide tour with Earth, Wind & Fire earlier this summer.
The “Hello” singer postponed two shows after falling ill on stage during the first night of the tour in late June.
In late August, Richie checked himself into a hospital out of an abundance of caution, a source close to the singer’s tour told ABC News.
Richie has three upcoming tour dates scheduled for late September and early October in San Francisco, Columbus and Chicago, according to his website.
He is then expected to take the stage at the Wynn in Las Vegas in October and November for his “King of Hearts” shows.
Richie is 77 years old and has a vast music career, beginning with The Commodores in the 1970s before launching his solo career.
Lionel Richie helps cut the ribbon to the new Hello Park in Tuskegee, Thursday, April 18, 2024 – Photo: Action 8 News
In 2023, Action 8 News caught up with Richie as he returned to Tuskegee to shoot clips for the hit ABC show “American Idol.”
We were also there in 2024, when Richie helped open Hello Park.
— ABC News
