NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • USA TODAY BESTSELLER • LOS ANGELES TIMES BESTSELLER
“Richie is refreshingly open in the book, which functions as both a fun memoir and a love letter to music and his beloved Tuskegee… There’s an abundance of love and gratitude in this wildly entertaining, utterly charming memoir.” – Kirkus, STARRED review
"Satisfying... vulnerable and powerful." — New York Times
The long-awaited memoir of the legendary Lionel Richie.
As a storyteller second to none, Lionel Richie is ready to tell it all. In this intimate, deeply candid memoir, Lionel revisits hilarious and harrowing events to inspire all who doubt themselves or feel their dreams don’t matter. Lionel chronicles lessons learned during his unlikely story of remarkable success—his dramatic transformation from painfully shy, “tragically” late bloomer to world-class entertainer and composer of love songs that have played as the soundtrack of our lives.
Funny, warm, and riveting, Lionel recalls his childhood in Tuskegee, Alabama, where he grew up on its university campus during the heyday of the Civil Rights movement, raucous adventures as a member of The Commodores, coming-of-age in late 1960s Harlem, culture shock playing gigs on the French Riviera, the big break of being signed to Motown, his meteoric solo career that included an Olympics performance witnessed by two billion around the globe, all the way through to writing and recording “We Are the World” and his current multi-generational fame as a judge on American Idol. Even with its turbulence, loss, and near-calamity, Lionel’s journey takes us on a thrill ride and delivers a memoir for the ages—reminding us of the power of love to elevate our own lives and our world.
Lionel Richie’s memoir includes three eight-page photo inserts.
In this candid music memoir, Richie tells the unforgettable stories behind his legendary career:
- The Commodores: From campus talent shows in Tuskegee to getting robbed—and buying back their own instruments—on their first night in Harlem.
- Motown and Beyond: The untold story of his big break with the legendary record label, his meteoric solo career, and performing for two billion people at the Olympics.
- Writing the Hits: Go behind the scenes of the creative process that produced timeless love songs and the legendary anthem "We Are the World."
- From Glastonbury to American Idol: Richie's journey to multi-generational fame, from a legendary festival performance that shocked him to his beloved role as a judge on American Idol.