Lionel richie biography book

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Freelance music writer
Sharon Davis is one of Britain’s leading music writers and an authority on Motown. She is the author of nine books including, most recently, Diana Ross: A Legend in Focus (Mainstream Publishing), Stevie Wonder: Rhythms of Wonder (Robson Books) and Chinwaggin’ (Bank House Books). Before becoming a writer she worked in the music business, first for EMI Records and Motown Records, and then founding her own press and promotion company for top selling disco artists.

For over thirty years Lionel Richie has never looked back as a performer. From fronting his group the Commodores – the premier R&#;B pop unit of the seventies – he became the most popular singer/songwriter in the world by the eighties. A decade later he was the ultimate star entertainer with a ‘nice guy’ image. The Lionel Richie story is about a five-time Grammy winner who has sold more than million albums worldwide. For nine consecutive years he had no 1 singles in America, a feat matched only by Irving Berlin. It is also the story of two broken marriages, personal insecurities, near-death experiences and an insight into the man behind a success story that broke the rules.

Lionel Richie is the first book written about Lionel Richie and the Commodores and draws on Sharon Davis’ unique access to the Motown archive, her numerous in depth interviews with Richie as well as her time as the Commodores’ publicist.

Series: Popular Music History

Table of Contents

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This chapter explores Lionel Richie&#;s life since his birth in Tuskegee, Alabama, in , as well as his early career as part of the Commodores, who, in , produced the hit &#;Keep on dancing&#;.

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The instrumental ‘Machine Gun’ was issued in April , by Yvonne Fair and the Jackson 5. Originally titled ‘The Ram’ and written by Milan Williams, the song zipped from R&#;B into mainstream funk to chart in the US top thirty, earning the Commodores their first gold disc.

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The chapter continues the presentation
    Lionel richie biography book
  • Publisher, ‎McGraw-Hill; First Edition (January 1,

    • Lionel Richie: Hello

    For over thirty years Lionel Richie has never looked back as a performer. From fronting his group the Commodores - the premier R&B pop unit of the seventies - he became the most popular singer/songwriter in the world by the eighties. A decade later he was the ultimate star entertainer with a 'nice guy' image. The Lionel Richie story is about a five-time Grammy winner who has sold more than million albums worldwide. For nine consecutive years he had no 1 singles in America, a feat matched only by Irving Berlin. It is also the story of two broken marriages, personal insecurities, near-death experiences and an insight into the man behind a success story that broke the rules.

    Lionel Richie is the first book written about Lionel Richie and the Commodores and draws on Sharon Davis' unique access to the Motown archive, her numerous in depth interviews with Richie as well as her time as the Commodores' publicist.

  • Lionel Richie is the
  • Lionel Richie's untitled memoir

    • Lionel Richie Announces New Memoir: 'A Soaring Celebration of His Life and Legendary Career' (Exclusive)

    Lionel Richie has a lot of credits to his name, and now he's adding "author" to the list.

    The Grammy, Oscar and Golden Globe–winning star has sold over million records worldwide over his decades as a recording artist, songwriter, producer. Additionally, the longtime entrepreneur, philanthropist and TV icon is set to begin his eighth season as a celebrity judge on American Idol, when the music competition returns to ABC early next year.

    His new book, as yet untitled, will come out on Sept. 30, from HarperOne. In what the publisher promised will be an "intimate, deeply candid memoir," Richie, 75, "seeks to inspire all who doubt themselves or feel their dreams don’t matter by chronicling lessons learned in the course of his most unlikely of success stories — from a painfully shy, 'tragically' late bloomer grappling with ADHD to his dramatic transformation into a world-class entertainer and composer of love songs that have played like the soundtrack of our lives," according to a press release shared with PEOPLE.

    Lionel Richie's Life in Photos

    “Lionel Richie is not only a music legend who has long been a multicultural and generational bridge, he has witnessed monumental shifts in history and entertainment while working with some of the most significant talents of our age,” said Judith Curr, president and publisher of HarperOne Group.

    She added, “We are thrilled to not only be providing his fans and friends with a nuanced, detailed, emotional telling of what his life has held, but his view of the world — what has changed and what has remained the same, the difficulties and the causes for celebration.”

    As Richie explained, “I have always been the reluctant hero of my own story.” Per the publisher, that story begins with his coming of age on a university campus in Tuskegee, Ala. at the height of the civil rights m

  • Lionel Richie: An Illustrated Biography. David

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