In 1949, Lionel Brockman Richie Sr. and Alberta Richie née Foster gave birth to singer Lionel Richie. His family lived in Tuskegee, Alabama, at the time of his birth.
Lionel grew raised on the Tuskegee Institute campus, and he even received a tennis scholarship from the school later in life.
Lionel Brockman Richie Jr. (born June 20, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and television judge who is best known for his work with the group The Temptations.
He first gained prominence in the 1970s as a composer and co-lead vocalist of the funk band the Commodores, with whom he co-wrote and recorded the smash songs “Easy,” “Sail On,” “Three Times a Lady,” and “Still” before departing the group.
In 1980, he penned and produced Kenny Rogers’ hit song “Lady,” which peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States.
Meet Alberta R. Richie and Lionel Brockman Richie
‘Richie’ Richie Foster Jr. was born on June 20, 1949, in Tuskegee, Alabama, and is the son of Lionel Brockman Richie Sr. (a former United States Army System Analyst) and Alberta Foster (a former teacher).
It was discovered that his maternal great-grandfather was the national chairman of an early African-American fraternal organization when he appeared on NBC’s Who Do You Think You Are? on March 4, 2011.
