Lionel Richie hospitalised in St Louis after Saturday concert

Lionel Richie has been hospitalised in St Louis after performing at the Muny on Saturday night, with a source close to the singer’s touring team saying the 77-year-old is stable and doing well.

Richie checked himself into a local hospital after the 29 August concert to undergo medical tests. Reports said doctors were assessing him for possible mild dehydration. Local broadcaster KMOX reported that the singer had been drinking electrolyte fluids during the performance.

A source close to Richie’s tour confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that he “self-checked in after the show Saturday night and is doing okay”. The singer was reportedly treated in an intensive care unit as doctors carried out tests, although there has been no indication that he suffered a more serious medical emergency.

Richie requested a chair during final song

During Saturday’s performance at the Muny in Forest Park, Richie completed his set but requested a chair while performing his final song, All Night Long.

Witnesses told local broadcaster KMOX that Richie had been drinking electrolyte fluids throughout the show and had previously spoken about suffering from dehydration. The broadcaster's reporter, who was at the concert, said Richie appeared to have maintained his energy for most of the performance.

The singer's hospitalisation was first reported by TMZ, which said he had checked himself into hospital after the performance and was admitted to the ICU while doctors investigated possible slight dehydration. TMZ reported that Richie was hoping to be discharged on Tuesday.

Second health scare during tour

The hospitalisation comes about two months after Richie cut short a concert in St Paul, Minnesota, after becoming dizzy on stage.

During the June performance, Richie told the audience that he was feeling dizzy and subsequently performed several songs while seated before leaving the stage during an intermission. He did not return for the remainder of the concert.

Richie later explained to audiences that doctors had attributed the episode to dehydration.

During Saturday's St Louis concert, he referred to the earlier incident and told the audience that he had experienced problems during the tour that had concerned him. E! News reported that he again discussed dehydration and showed the audience an electrolyte drink.

Richie subsequently returned to the stage, performing on 30 June and 1 July after two shows had been postponed. He later thanked fans for their support in an Instagram message on 4 July and said he was doing well.

Upcoming concerts remain scheduled

Richie completed his joint tour with Earth, Wind & Fire earlier this month, with Saturday's St Louis performance marking his first concert since that tour ended.

His next listed performance is scheduled for 26 September at the Chase Center in San Francisco. He is also scheduled for a six-date residency at the Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas from 14 October to 13 November, followed by a performance at Nubank Parque in São Paulo, Brazil, on 19 December.

It remains unclear whether his latest hospitalisation will affect those performances. No announcement had been made about changes to the schedule as of Tuesday.

Richie, a four-time Grammy Award winner and Oscar recipient, has continued to perform regularly during 2026. His Sing a Song All Night Long shows feature songs from his solo career as well as material from his years with the Commodores.