HEALTHLionel Richie Showed Signs of Deteriorating Health Before Hospitalization, Eyewitness Claims: 'His Legs Were Getting Weak'
Lionel Richie was hospitalized after his St. Louis concert last month.
Sept. 2 2026, Published 11:15 a.m. ET
New details surrounding Lionel Richie's recent hospitalization have come to light following his St. Louis, Miss., concert on August 29.
The songwriter, 77, checked himself into a hospital where he was placed in the ICU after his show was held at the Muny in Forest Park.
Lionel Richie Was Sweating Profusely During His Show
Lionel Richie checked himself into the ICU following his show.
Eyewitness Judy Picarella told 5 On Your Side on Tuesday, September 1, Richie was sweating heavily early in the performance, and also drank electrolytes throughout the evening.
The musician also sat down for some of his songs, and briefly went backstage before returning to conclude the event.
A concertgoer claimed he was sweating heavily during the concert.
"The first 20 minutes he was sweating profusely, and I thought, 'Oh no, he's not gonna be able to finish this,'" the concertgoer went on.
"He had this leather jacket on, and I thought, please take that leather jacket off, so he did at one point, and then they put another one on him," she said. "He had to have been hot up on that stage. With all the lights and they had some fire cannons going."
The music producer was also hospitalized back in June during his concert in St. Paul, Minn., after feeling dizzy.
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Lionel Richie Was Also Hospitalized in June
The singer sipped on electrolytes throughout the show.
Picarella then noted Richie told the audience why he was sipping on electrolytes, linking it to the health scare he experienced earlier this summer.
"He said in June at a concert that he had passed out, and he had to go to the ER, and they told him that it was electrolytes. And he told them, 'I drink a lot of water,' and they said that has nothing to do with it, 'You have to drink your electrolytes,'" she alleged.
According to Picarella, Richie said "he felt like he needed to sit down because his legs were getting weak" after he performed his final song, "All Night Long."
Lionel Richie was admitted to the hospital in June.
She added Richie had a "big jug on stage with red drink in it" during his show. "'These are my electrolytes, and these are nasty,'" she recalled the "We Are the World" songwriter saying.
Another source dished to 5 On Your Side they were "impressed" by Richie's 90-minute performance. "I thought that he sounded and looked good for being 77 years old. He made light of his situation," the individual said.
Despite not feeling too well, Richie reportedly stayed for a meet-and-greet following his show. "I spoke to him for a while after the concert," fan Kwofe Coleman said. "He did a meet-and-greet with some of our sponsors and donors and saw him on the way out to the car."
According to TMZ, Richie's doctors were concerned he suffered with possible dehydration after Saturday's concert. An insider also told the outlet Richie underwent cardiac testing as he still currently remains in the medical facility.
