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When it got here time for the 2022 American Music Awards to have fun the legacy and influence of Lionel Richie, it took a number of superstars – together with one among Lionel’s fellow icons. Charlie Puth and Stevie Wonder kicked off the tribute to Lionel, 73, this yr’s recipient of the Icon Award. Stevie, 72, and Charlie, 30, teamed up for a medley of Lionel’s hits, turning the Microsoft Theatre into the largest piano bar in Los Angeles. The two every took a flip enjoying a snippet of a Lionel Richie hit, exhibiting the person’s influence all through the a long time. The tribute ended with “We Are The World,” and everybody within the theatre joined.
Icons solely pic.twitter.com/idLpYZeLA8
— Lyndsey Havens (@LyndseyAlana) November 21, 2022
Some of the evening’s greatest stars — like Ari Lennox — got here out to sing, and Lionel couldn’t assist himself. He jumped on stage and joined in.
#AMAs King Stevie redeemed himself with the We Are The World sing-along as a result of I do know at one level Lionel was wanting like Da F 🥴😳. There was nobody else who may’ve executed the tribute??? 😂😂😂. #AMAs pic.twitter.com/ZAMfwJoNTC
— whataboutpromblane (@whataboutpromb1) November 21, 2022
Linda homenagem ao #lionelrichie no #AMAs cantando “We Are The World” 🥺 pic.twitter.com/2Ct0Y520gv
— Rafael dos Anjos 1️⃣3️⃣ (@_rafa84) November 21, 2022
“I started out here, at the AMAs, and my career, to this day, forty years later, I’m back at the AMAs,” mentioned Lionel when accepting the Icon Award, who thanked Dick Clark, earlier than thanking his children – Sofia Richie, Nicole Richie, and Miles Richie – and their moms, for serving to elevate them.
Smokey Robinson, the primary host of the AMAs again in 1972, mentioned he was “honored” to current the award to his “brother,” Lionel Richie. From there, audiences have been handled to a retrospective of Lionel’s profession, from his time with the Commodores, to his breakout as a solo artist.
#AMAs Icon Award winner: Lionel Richie 👏 pic.twitter.com/YbDtFUbuV2
— E! News (@enews) November 21, 2022
The AMAs introduced in early November that Lionel would obtain the Icon Award on the 2022 ceremony and make historical past as nicely: along with his 2022 efficiency, he turns into the one artist to be featured on the AMAs stage each decade for the reason that present’s creation in 1974 (per Billboard). The Icon Award is his 18th total AMA, along with his first two coming with the ban, the Commodores, and the remaining gained as a solo artist. In 1984, Richie was the primary to host the AMAs by himself. The following yr, he returned because the host and gained a then-record six awards that evening.
“I’m immensely grateful for a career that has taken me to places I never imagined that I’d go, from arenas worldwide to studio sets to the AMA stage,” Lionel Richie mentioned in an announcement in regards to the Icon Award. “I can recall one of the first times I got to perform at the AMAs. It was to sing ‘We Are the World’ among the most iconic musicians of my generation, so it is surreal to be receiving this recognition 36 years later.”
“Lionel Richie has had a profound impact on countless people around the world and on the music industry as a whole,” government producer and showrunner Jesse Collins mentioned in an announcement. “From the millions of dollars raised due to ‘We Are the World’ to the global influence his unique sound still has today, Richie is the definition of a living legend, and honoring him with the AMAs Icon Award is a no-brainer.”
This efficiency will cap off a banner yr for Lionel. In 2022, Lionel was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a part of the Class of 2022, which included Eminem, Dolly Parton, Carly Simon, Eurythmics, Duran Duran, and Pat Benatar.
Lionel Richie (Alexis C Glenn/UPI/Shutterstock) “I must say also that there are people that have actually had to tolerate quite a bit,” he mentioned within the speech, admitting he most popular tour life over home life. “Sometimes when you fall in love with the music business, you tend to fall out of love and people don’t understand what the hell you’re doing over. I missed 25 years of pep rallies, bonfires, and family reunions.”
From there, he thanked his three youngsters – together with Sofia Richie and Nicole Richie – earlier than including, “I want to thank them for actually sitting through my magical mystery tour. And I want to let everyone know that I am probably not coming home for quite a while. I’m in love with this business. I love what I do. Thank you so much for this amazing moment.” (h/t Vulture)