Checking in with LIONEL RICHIE

With “American Idol” now in its home stretch for this TV year, there’s plenty of it to be seen — and, therefore, a lot of Lionel Richie as well. The veteran singer-songwriter remains on the panel of judges as the ABC talent contest now airs both Sundays and Mondays on the way to the finale of its current season, slated for May 19. It’s the seventh season for the competition in its ABC era, but the 22nd overall, including the 15 seasons it spent on Fox in its original run. Ryan Seacrest has remained as host, and for the ABC version, Richie and fellow music superstars Katy Perry and Luke Bryan have formed the judging panel, though Perry intends to leave after the current season. Richie’s career dates back to the late 1960s, when he became a member of The Commodores, whose hits included “Machine Gun” and “Brick House.” However, Richie’s soft style found a home on such other Commodores tunes as “Easy,” “Three Times a Lady” and “Sail On,” all of which he also wrote. He wrote “Lady” as well, and after the other Commodores opted not to record it, it went to Kenny Rogers — who had his top-selling hit as a solo artist with it. In 1982, Richie went solo himself, and he’s never looked back in doing recording-studio work as well as a number of major performance tours, including those he has shared with Mariah Carey in 2017 and Earth, Wind & Fire in 2023. He also has been celebrated with a number of the top honors in entertainment, including four Grammys, an Oscar and the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. Though Richie didn’t necessarily need another major chapter in his career, “American Idol” has furnished just that as he helps other singers to find their own voices, quite literally. Birthdate: June 20, 1949 Birthplace: Tuskegee, Ala. Current residence: Los Angeles