At 76, Lionel Richie Finally Confesses the Truth About His Marriage

Lionel Richie is a music legend whose smooth voice and iconic mustache have charmed the world for decades. But behind the chart-topping hits like “Hello,” “All Night Long,” and “Stuck On You,” Richie’s personal life has been filled with just as much drama as his songs.

Raised in a strict yet musical household in Tuskegee, Alabama, Richie grew up under the influence of a classically trained pianist mother and a disciplined Army analyst father. While he was a promising tennis player in his youth, music ultimately won his heart, leading him to join the Commodores in the late 1960s.

The band started as an opening act for the Jackson 5 but soon shot to stardom with hits like “Brick House” and “Three Times a Lady,” with Richie’s songwriting at the forefront.

By the early 1980s, Richie launched a solo career, and his success skyrocketed. His second album, “Can’t Slow Down,” sold over eight million copies and won a Grammy for Album of the Year. Richie’s career has since spanned over 100 million records sold, 10 solo albums, and countless awards, including four Grammys, a Golden Globe, and an Oscar.

But Richie’s romantic life has been anything but smooth. He married his college sweetheart, Brenda Harvey, in 1975, and together they adopted Nicole Richie.

However, in 1986, while still married, Richie began an affair with dancer Diane Alexander. Brenda discovered the affair in a hotel room in dramatic fashion, leading to a notorious confrontation that ended with police involvement. The couple divorced in 1993, and Richie married Diane two years later. They had two children, Sofia and Miles, but divorced in 2004 due to irreconcilable differences.

Richie’s daughter Nicole went on to become a reality TV star, dragging her famous father into the madness of early 2000s pop culture. Richie has always been candid about the chaos Nicole and her friend Paris Hilton brought into his life, joking in interviews about their wild antics.

In recent years, Richie has found companionship with Lisa Parigi, a Swiss model 40 years his junior. While their age gap has raised eyebrows, Richie credits her with bringing peace and stability to his life. He’s ruled out marriage, calling it “too expensive,” but hasn’t dismissed the idea of fatherhood again, even in his seventies.

Richie’s career hasn’t been without controversy. He faced plagiarism lawsuits in the 1980s, but the courts ruled in his favor. Rumors of plastic surgery persist, with Richie himself joking that his youthful looks are thanks to “sleep, sweat, and s3x.”

Even his performance at King Charles III’s coronation in 2023 drew mixed reactions, but nothing has slowed his enduring appeal.

Beyond music, Richie is a savvy businessman, with a fragrance line, a fashion brand, and a charitable foundation supporting education and healthcare. Today, Lionel Richie is worth around $200 million and continues to perform, judge on “American Idol,” and inspire new generations.

Through all the ups and downs, Richie’s honesty about his marriages and personal life reveals a man who is unafraid to admit his flaws and learn from them. At 76, Lionel Richie remains an icon—classy, a little messy, and beloved worldwide.