On the eve of Valentine’s Day, there was a temporary traffic jam in Thackerville, Oklahoma when music fans of all stripes converged at the Global Event Center at the Winstar Casino to witness a musical extravaganza from the former Commodore, Lionel Richie. The house was fully packed; the audience was in sync with the performer as revelers waived hands and sang along. The enthusiastic crowd appeared to recite lyrics with clarity and as Lionel Richie acknowledged, “Well, you’re the show. Feel free to sing along.” Some Dallas residents traveled to Oklahoma to enjoy Mr. Richie’s timeless hits. “We remember him from the seventies,” one Dallas resident said. “Our daughter bought us the tickets as a Valentine’s gift and she paid for our stay at a hotel,” the elderly man revealed.  The show was slated to start at 8pm but there was a slight delay. Nevertheless the crowd anticipated a great show and they waited patiently. When the five-time Grammy and one-time Oscar award winner showed up on stage in black attire, there was a standing ovation. Mr. Richie whose youthful appearance appears to defy the aging process looked jovial, and grinned as he marvelled at an adoring crowd. He quickly belted his old hits Three Times a Lady, Ballerina Girl, Sail on and invoked memories when he sat behind the piano which he masterfully played without the backing band.

Each time he got a towel to wipe his face he would throw it to the crowd.  Mr. Richie seems to have an eye to read the mood of the crowd. He quickly noticed that the audience was more excited each time he churned out Commodore hits, so he sang more of those hits such as Brickhouse. When he sang My Love female fans got into frenzy. “Call security,” Mr. Richie joked. “I have not seen such behavior before.”  The crowd laughed. His band was tight and the sound was sharp. Mr. Richie certainly has a loyal following. His music will remain timeless because it touches on human emotions and romance. At times music is faddish, it expires with time and artistes disappear quietly. Not with the old timer Lionel Richie whose stage charisma is hard to beat. He walked along the edge of the stage, shaking hands and earning endless smiles from adoring female fans.  When he sang All Night Long people danced and sang along. One of the most emotional moments was when he summoned a young girl probably 4 years old. She had a Teddy Bear doll that she presented to Mr. Richie. He was touched and posed for few pictures with the girl on stage. He then performed with the Teddy Bear on top of the piano.When he sang ‘Stuck on you’ he was joined by a chorus of fans who knew each line of the hit and then he paused, briefly staring at the crowd. “For all my friends at Winstar Casino, might glad you stayed,” he continued thumbing the piano to a rousing applause.

But Mr. Richie is more than a mere entertainer. He was recently honored by the United Negro College Fund for his contribution to education. He has donated a lot of money to his alma mater Tuskgee University and legend has that he even bought suits for anti-apartheid icon, Nelson Mandela after he was released from prison. His generosity has made him a cultural icon and a role model for young people who strive to make a difference. As many recall Lionel Richie partnered with the late pop music legend Michael Jackson to pen the song ‘We are the World’ which raised millions of dollars to fight starvation in Africa.  Now 25 years later he partnered with Quincy Jones to recruit a new generation of musicians to sing a rendition of ‘We are the World’ to help the people of Haiti that were recently devasted by a powerful earthquake. This community outreach makes Lionel Richie an American treasure and his musical genius will live forever in people’s hearts as each generation is introduced to his vast catalog that includes hits like Endless Love and Hello. Lionel Richie has sold more than 100 million records.