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Lionel Richie is putting his tour on hold after a health scare forced the music legend to cut short the opening night of his latest tour in Minnesota.
The “All Night Long” singer postponed his next two performances after he felt “dizzy” during his Wednesday night show. On Friday, the United Center announced that Richie’s scheduled concerts in Chicago, Illinois, and Columbus, Ohio, would no longer take place this weekend after doctors advised him to take time off to recover.
“Under advisement by doctors to rest and return to full health, Lionel Richie has postponed his next two shows,” the Instagram post read in part. “Lionel is heartbroken to postpone these two shows and cannot wait to be back performing for his fans.”
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Lionel Richie reportedly felt dizzy while performing “Dancing on the Ceiling” in Minnesota, cutting his tour opening night short. (Kristy Sparow/Getty Images)
The statement continued, “We apologize for any inconvenience this causes fans who have tickets for these two shows. Rescheduled dates will be announced soon.”
Richie and Earth, Wind & Fire are still expected to resume their tour in Pittsburgh on Tuesday, pending his recovery.
Authorities confirmed to Fox News Digital that an adult man was taken to the hospital after Richie abruptly ended his opening-night performance.
A St. Paul Fire Department public information officer told Fox News Digital an individual was “transported from Grand Casino Arena late on June 24, 2026, to a local hospital by Saint Paul Fire-EMS.”
No additional details about the nature of Richie’s health scare have been released.
On Wednesday, Richie was forced to abruptly cancel his performance mid-show on the opening night of his latest tour after feeling unwell during a performance in Minnesota.
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The 77-year-old singer was nearly an hour into his concert at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, Minnesota, when fans noticed a change in Richie.
Lionel Richie performs with the Commodores in the United Kingdom. (Mike Prior/Redferns)
While performing his upbeat classic “Dancing on the Ceiling,” Richie paused and took a seat on a platform before later revealing to the crowd that he was feeling dizzy, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune.
During the concert disruption, Richie made a lighthearted comment to the roaring crowd, appearing fatigued.
“When you’re feeling dizzy, sit your a– down,” he joked.
In a fan video, Richie reportedly transitioned to the piano, where he delivered a seated performance of “Three Times a Lady.” Shortly afterward, he stepped away for what audience members initially believed would be a brief intermission.
Fans waited nearly 40 additional minutes before receiving an official update, according to the media outlet.
Richie’s saxophonist addressed the audience, thanking concertgoers for their patience before explaining that the singer was feeling unwell and would not be able to continue the show.
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Lionel Richie’s saxophonist eventually told the audience that the singer was feeling unwell and would not be able to continue the show. (Getty Images)
The concert interruption came after Richie shared his excitement on social media ahead of the tour kickoff.
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“Opening night. Rehearsals. Sound check. Showtime tonight. Saint Paul, you’re up!!!” Richie wrote on Instagram alongside photos from backstage and rehearsals.
John Paris, the drummer for Earth, Wind & Fire, said Richie showed no signs of illness prior to his performance. Paris added that the “American Idol” judge later explained he felt “a little dehydrated,” according to the Minnesota Star Tribune.
Lionel Richie had to postpone his concert in Chicago. (Getty Images)
Fan videos began to circulate online showing the moment the “All Night Long” singer took a break during his concert.
The concert had been scheduled to last approximately 90 minutes but ended about 55 minutes after it began.
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Richie is currently on tour throughout major cities, including Toronto, Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Los Angeles. The tour is scheduled to wrap up Aug. 14 in Austin, Texas.
Fox News Digital reached out to Richie’s representatives for comment.
