Lionel Richie has been hospitalized for the third time in three months amid his recent health woes, and underwent a procedure on his heart to correct an irregular heartbeat.
The 77-year-old was forced to cancel three of his tour dates with Earth, Wind and Fire as he recovered from his surgery.
“Lionel underwent a common procedure for atrial fibrillation (AFib),” his representative shared in a statement. “The doctor said everything went perfectly.”
Lionel was taken to hospital for the third time in three months
“Lionel is doing great but will take some time off and will be back on stage soon,” they concluded. Atrial fibrillation occurs when the heart is beating in an irregular rhythm that begins in the upper chambers of the organ.
The medical issue can be corrected via a catheter ablation, a minimally invasive procedure that scars the heart tissue to prevent faulty electrical signals.
Lionel’s September 26 show in San Francisco, his September 30 show in Chicago and his October 2 show in Columbus have been canceled, and his upcoming six-night residency in Vegas in October and November has been thrown into question.
The “All Night Long” singer has been struggling with his health in recent months and was forced to leave the stage early during a show in June due to a dizzy spell.
“What I have learned from my years of being in the business, when you’re feeling dizzy, sit your [expletive] down,” he told the crowd as he took a seat on stage. He checked into hospital later that night as a precaution.
He returned to the stage on June 30, joking with the crowd: “Had you worried there for a minute, huh? You have no idea what I have been through in the last 24 hours, listening to my friends tell me their advice on what I should be doing.”
Lionel later took to Instagram in July to share a health update with fans, writing: “Thank you for every message, every kind word, and for all your love. I’m doing well, and I’m grateful for all of you.”
Lionel was forced to cancel several tour dates amid his hospitalization
The father of three returned to the hospital on August 29 following a performance in St. Louis, after taking a seat and sipping on an electrolyte drink.
“Some things have been happening on this tour that kind of shook me up a little bit, because I couldn’t figure out what the hell was going on,” he said during the show. “I went back to the doctor, and he said, ‘You are suffering from dehydration.'”
The singer had to take a seat partway through his show
Lionel was released from the hospital days later, and his representative confirmed he was “doing great” amid his recovery.
He was then spotted at a dinner party in Beverly Hills with his girlfriend, Lisa Parigi, on September 19, in what was his first appearance since his hospital stay. The singer appeared in good spirits at the event and gave photographers the thumbs-up gesture and a smile.
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