Lionel Richie is back in the hospital, and this marks his third stay in roughly three months. The singer is being treated for atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat, and is currently receiving an AFib ablation, a minimally invasive procedure that creates small scars inside the heart to stop abnormal electrical signals. He remains hospitalized for monitoring.
The treatment has forced the cancellation of three dates on his Sing a Song All Night Long tour with Earth, Wind&Fire: San Francisco, Chicago on September 30, and Columbus on October 2. It follows earlier hospitalizations in St. Louis in August and St. Paul in June. So far, no makeup dates have been announced, and there’s no timeline for his return to the stage.
Lionel Richie’s catalog is basically the soundtrack to multiple generations, from the Commodores era through solo classics that still pack dance floors. So news like this lands hard for fans who’ve grown up with his music. AFib is also extremely common, which makes this a moment worth paying attention to for anyone who’s ever felt their own heart skip or race.
Are you holding tickets to one of the canceled shows, or do you have a Lionel Richie memory you want to share? Drop it in the comments.
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.