Hello! Is it a memoir you’re looking for?
If so, you’re in luck. HarperOne will publish an as-yet-untitled autobiography by iconic singer Lionel Richie next year, the press announced in a news release.
Richie, an Alabama native, became a member of the band Commodores in 1968 while a student at Tuskegee University. The band scored a number of hit singles throughout the 1970s, including “Easy,” “Brick House,” and “Three Times a Lady.”
Richie left the band in 1982, and embarked on a solo career, quickly becoming a star on the strength of hit singles such as “You Are,” “All Night Long (All Night),” “Hello,” and “Say You, Say Me.” He is currently a judge on the singing competition series American Idol.
In the book, HarperOne says, “Richie seeks to inspire all who doubt themselves or feel their dreams don’t matter by chronicling lessons learned in the course of his most unlikely of success stories—from a painfully shy, ‘tragically’ late bloomer grappling with ADHD to his dramatic transformation into a world-class entertainer and composer of love songs that have played like the soundtrack of our lives.”
Judith Curr, the president and publisher of HarperOne Group, said in a statement, “We are thrilled to not only be providing his fans and friends with a nuanced, detailed, emotional telling of what his life has held, but his view of the world—what has changed and what has remained the same, the difficulties, and the causes for celebration.”
Richie’s memoir is scheduled for publication on Sept. 30, 2025.
Michael Schaub is a contributing writer.
