Lionel Richie's grand opening night with Earth, Wind & Fire took an unexpected turn. The legendary crooner ended his set early at the Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, Minnesota, after falling ill during the performance.
About 55 minutes into the show, the 77-year-old told the audience he was feeling dizzy. "When you're feeling dizzy, sit your ass down," Richie said, and he did—performing his iconic hit "Dancing on the Ceiling" from a seated position on stage.
After playing "Three Times a Lady" at the piano, Richie called for an unplanned intermission and exited the stage. His band continued for another 15 minutes before also leaving.
Forty minutes later, around 10:50 p.m., saxophonist Dino Soldo came out alone to announce: "Unfortunately, Lionel is not feeling well. He won't be able to continue. Additional information will be available."
Earth, Wind & Fire's drummer John Paris told the Minnesota Star Tribune that Richie showed no signs of illness before the show began.
The cancelled performance was the first night of Richie's co-headlining tour with Earth, Wind & Fire. No word yet on whether future dates will be affected.
