Lionel Richie leaves fans concerned as he's forced to leave stage during gig due to medical scare

Lionel Richie was forced to cut short the opening performance of his new joint tour with Earth, Wind & Fire after falling ill on stage in Minnesota on Wednesday evening.

The 77-year-old music icon experienced dizziness during his set at the Grand Casino Arena in St Paul, forcing him to sit down on multiple occasions whilst performing.

Videos circulating on social media captured the singer lowering himself to the stage floor during a rendition of his hit Dancing on the Ceiling.

The incident occurred approximately one hour into the show, which marked the launch of the Sing A Song All Night Long tour.

Mr Richie addressed the crowd about his condition, reportedly stating: "When you're feeling dizzy, sit your a** down," according to the Minnesota Star Tribune.

Following his comments to the audience Mr, Richie moved to the piano to deliver Three Times a Lady before announcing an unplanned intermission.

One concertgoer recounted to the Minnesota Star Tribune that the singer explained his decision to pause, saying "he has been in this business long enough" and had learnt that "if you don't feel right, you sit down."

The band remained on stage for approximately 15 minutes after Mr Richie's departure before they too exited.

Fans who attended the performance shared footage online showing the veteran entertainer visibly struggling, repeatedly taking seated positions throughout his set.

The unexpected break stretched on, with the audience left waiting for news of whether the show would resume.

After roughly 40 minutes had passed, saxophonist Dino Soldo returned to the stage to deliver the disappointing news to the waiting crowd.

"Unfortunately, Lionel is not feeling well," Mr Soldo announced. "He won't be able to continue. Additional information will be available."

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The abrupt conclusion to the evening left fans concerned about the wellbeing of the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer.

Prior to the concert, Mr Richie had expressed his gratitude on Instagram Stories to his touring team.

He penned: "Thank you to everyone in my band and crew for all the hard work, dedication, and long hours getting us ready for this tour."

The Sing A Song All Night Long tour comprises 26 dates across North America, with performances scheduled at prestigious venues including Madison Square Garden in New York and the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.

The tour is set to conclude at Austin's Moody Center on August 14.

Richie and Earth, Wind & Fire are due to perform in Chicago on Friday, though it remains unclear whether the show will proceed as planned given the singer's health concerns.

No official statement has been issued regarding whether the illness will impact the remainder of the tour schedule.

The incident echoes recent health scares involving other veteran performers, with Rod Stewart having experienced similar difficulties on stage, requiring an oxygen tank after nearly fainting during a Utah performance.

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