Lionel Richie’s opening night performance in Minnesota came to an abrupt end when the singer fell ill during his set on Thursday, as reported [1] by Page Six.
The 77-year-old performer was about an hour into his show at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul when he began showing signs of distress while performing “Dancing on the Ceiling.”
Audience videos captured Richie needing to sit multiple times during the song.
“When you’re feeling dizzy, sit your ass down,” Richie told the crowd, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune.
BREAKING: Lionel Ritchie concert in St Paul at Grand Casino Arena canceled mid-show. Ritchie sat down on stage during “Dancing on the Ceiling”, said he felt dizzy. Performed one more song at piano, “Three Times a Lady”, then announced unplanned intermission. Did not return. pic.twitter.com/RNalkYHnmG [2]
— Patrick Kessler (@PatKessler) June 25, 2026 [3]
After his comment, Richie moved to the piano and played “Three Times a Lady.” He then asked for an intermission, while his band stayed on stage as the audience waited.
Fifteen minutes passed before the band members also exited, and around 40 minutes later saxophonist Dino Soldo returned to address the audience.
“Unfortunately, Lionel is not feeling well,” Soldo said. “He won’t be able to continue. Additional information will be available.”
The night had started with high anticipation. Earlier that day, Richie shared his excitement on Instagram, posting, “Opening night. Rehearsals. Sound check. Showtime tonight. Saint Paul, you’re up!!!”
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Just days earlier, the “All Night Long” singer had expressed gratitude to his team for their dedication in preparing for the tour.
“Thank you to everyone in my band and crew for all the hard work, dedication, and long hours getting us ready for this tour,” Richie wrote on his Instagram Stories.
“It takes an incredible team behind the scenes to make it all happen
, and I’m grateful for each and every one of you.”
The St. Paul date was the first stop of a 26-city North American tour with Earth, Wind & Fire, scheduled to continue in Chicago the following night at the United Center.
It remains unclear whether Richie will be able to perform as planned. Page Six has reached out to his representative for comment.
Despite this setback, Richie has previously made it clear that he does not plan to retire anytime soon.
In a 2020 Rolling Stone interview, the Grammy winner laughed off the idea of quitting music, saying, “They’re gonna have to carry me out, babe.”
“Someone asked me years ago, ‘When do you plan on retiring?’ And I said, ‘From what?’ I’ve never had a job. People who work want to retire,” he said at the time.
Richie also shared that he still feels like a 19-year-old and continues to find joy in the “fun and adventure” of life on the road.
Fans are now waiting for updates on his condition, hoping the singer will recover quickly to resume his tour.