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The master of writing was a hit in love songs, Lionel Richie revisits a time when his real-life love stories were not harmonious.
The Grammy Award winner and American idol judge (76) opens up about his journey like a new memoir.
“There are certain things that you realized you walked through them because you were trying to forget,” Richie told people about his memoirs. “It’s just been a book that made many turns as it began to get deeper into the emotions of my life. There were moments I definitely wanted to remember, but there were other moments that I had to dig deeper into trying to forget.”
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One such moment was undoubtedly a shocking brawl that took place between his then wife, Brenda Harvey, and Diane Alexander, the woman he was watching at the time.
Richie and Harvey were college lovers at Tuskegee University, a historically black school, and became members of Alpha Fi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., joining the first singing group, “Comodore.” The band became one of the outstanding R&B soul acts of the late 70s. Meanwhile, Richie and Harvey got married in 1975 and later adopted a daughter, Nicole Richie (44).
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However, in his high reputation, their couple’s bliss did not last long.
“In June 1988, there was a point of no revival,” writes Richie of the domestic incident, which he calls “the scandal of my century.” He said, “A very few people were saying that Brenda and I were separated. I got a place on the beach. And I was trying to hide there, killing everyone, trying to decompress in some way.”
Richie explains that she returned to Los Angeles that morning to stop by to meet Alexander. Then they heard a knock at the door.
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“When the door opens, Brenda is standing there,” he writes. “There’s a massive conflict. Diane is completely shocked and is about to leave to pull Brenda apart. It’s the worst scream of life, all in this little entrance.”
Richie reveals that he left in the midst of confusion, hoping that his wife would continue. “But once I was gone, she went back and resumed the discussion. The neighbor called the police. The charges were brought and then dropped.”
The scandal took place throughout the press, but “the most painful part, the tragedy of our lives” was that “Brenda was heartbroken.
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The whole ordeal was “just a life, ugly, miserable,” Richie recalls. It was also the last straw in his fought relationship with Brenda.
“It’s the saddest day of my marriage,” he lamented. “When you know you might love each other, you still have a history that you always have, but it’s over. And you know that.”
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After her divorce from Brenda, Richie married Diane in 1995. They later welcomed son Miles (31) and daughter Sofia, 27, but eventually split in 2004.
Richie tells people that by truly sharing the ups and downs of his life, he hopes to help others on their journey.
“My old expression is, “If I can tell you how I passed it, I might remind you of some of the things you are going through, help you, and guide you through your life.” ”
Truly, Lionel Richie has made it available where the book is for sale.