Lionel Richie fell ill on stage, ended the concert early and was rushed to the hospital.
On Wednesday, St. Paul Fire Department Lt. Jamie Smith confirmed to Page Six that “last night we transported an adult male from the arena to a local hospital.”
However, the “All Night Long” singer’s current condition remains unclear.
Page Six reached out to Ritchie’s representatives for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.
On the opening night of Richie’s 26-city North American tour at the Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, Minnesota, the four-time Grammy Award winner fell ill on stage.
According to a video shared online, Richie, who co-headlines with Earth, Wind & Fire, was forced to sit several times while singing “Dancing on the Ceiling.”
“If you feel dizzy, get on your butt,” Ritchie, 77, told the crowd, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune.
Richie continued to perform, but took a break and left the band on stage to play to the crowd for about 15 minutes.
Almost an hour later, saxophonist Dino Sordo announced to the audience that Richie was “not feeling well” and was canceling the show.
“He will not be able to continue playing. Further information will become available,” Sordo told the crowd.
Before the show, Richie talked about how excited he was to be on tour.
“Opening night. 🚀 Rehearsal. Soundcheck. Showtime tonight. 📍St. Paul, you’re awake!!!,” he captioned an Instagram carousel of himself rehearsing.
In the snap, the ‘We Are the World’ co-writer gave fans an inside look at how he prepared for the tour.
Richie celebrated his birthday on June 20th and thanked his band and tour crew for surprising him with ice cream and pie.
“Perfect start to the tour!! 🤣 Thank you!! See you tonight, St. Paul, MN 🫶,” he captioned the post.
Richie’s next tour stop is scheduled for Friday at the United Center in Chicago.
