musicradio77
10-09-2004, 03:16 PM
Here comes another Motown 45th Anniversary Artists Avatar of the Week. This week will feature the solo career of Lionel Richie. He was born on June 20th 1949 in Tuskegee AL. His real was Lionel Brockman Richie Jr. He grew in the Insistute in Tuskegee AL. He joined the Commodores in the 70's were he enjoyed successful hits like "Brick House", "Easy", "Three Times a Lady" and "Still". He also wrote the song for country singer Kenny Rogers where he had a #1 hit with "Lady". He left the Commodores in 1981 where he teamed up with Diana Ross on "Endless Love" from the movie of the same name and had a #1 song in 9 weeks for the first time since 1969's tune "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" by Marvin Gaye. In 1982, he released his self-titled solo album includes "Truly", "My Love" and "You Are" followed by 1983's "Can't Slow Down" includes "Hello", "Stuck on You", "Running With the Night" and "All Night Long". He also wrote the song "We Are the World" for benefiting the Africa Hungrian Relief Effort in 1985 by USA for Africa featuring the cast of many celebrities and recording artists. In 1986, he came out with the album "Dancing on the Ceiling" featuring the title song, "Ballerina Girl", "Love Will Conquer All" and the song from "White Nights", "Say You, Say Me". In 1992, he also came out with a greatest hits album "Back to Front" featuring "Do It to Me". He left Motown in 1992 and went to Mercury records and released a few albums by 2001, he released "Renaissance" featuring the hit single in many years "Angel". He was such a great performer and songwriter next to Irwin Berlin was another popular songwriter. He is still the best.