Lionel Richie receives major Joe Alwyn songwriting honor in PBS special ON HULU
OF ‘CONVERSATIONS WITH FRIENDS’
For those unaware that Lionel Richie also wrote many of the hits he has sung, a prestigious honor offers a major reminder.
The four-time Grammy Award winner and current “American Idol” judge received The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song in a March ceremony in Washington, D.C. – adding him to the ranks of such earlier winners of the accolade as Paul Mccartney, Smokey Robinson, Carole King and Garth Brooks. The event was taped for a PBS special to be televised Tuesday, May 17 (check local listings).
“They epitomize the word ‘popular,’ ” Richie reflects of George and Ira Gershwin, the composing siblings who contributed numerous classics to the American popular-music catalog. “When you mention ‘Gershwin’ and your name happens to be next to it or associated with it, it is the best honor you can have.”
Anthony Anderson serves as host of Richie’s Gershwin salute, and the performers include fellow “American Idol” panelist Luke Bryan, past Gershwin Prize honoree Gloria Estefan, Yolanda Adams, Chris Stapleton, Andra Day, Miguel and Boyz II Men. Richie reflects, “All of these artists walk on stage and they start singing these songs, and a lot of times I say to them, ‘I am so happy God gave me those songs first.’ It’s very sobering when people actually acknowledge that not only do they like your songs, but they know all the lyrics.”
While a Commodores member, Richie wrote such tunes for the group as “Easy,” “Sail On” and “Three Times a Lady.” Then as a solo artist, he gave himself popular material including “Endless Love” (a duet with Diana Ross), “All Night Long (All Night),” “Truly,” “Hello,” “Stuck on You” and “Say You, Say Me.” He also co-wrote “Dancing on the Ceiling,” “Penny Lover” and (with Michael Jackson) one of the entertainment industry’s most successful charity efforts ever, “We Are the World.”
Had fate not intervened, Richie might be applying his talents to another sort of numbers. “I went to Tuskegee (Institute) to be an economist,” he explains. “I ran into a guy who said, ‘I understand you brought your horn to school. Would you like to be in a talent show?’ The rest is history.”
The better part of 60 years later, Richie says that in getting the Gershwin Prize, “I am kind of taking a deep breath in and thinking about my grandmother, who in her time – in the early 1900s – she was going to be, and was, should I say, a concert pianist. Think about that ambition back at that time, and to have her grandson actually end up where I’m ending up now, it’s pretty astounding. I must tell you, I am quite humbled by this honor.”
How would you describe your “Fallen Angels Murder Club” character?
Well, for one thing, she doesn’t do any martial arts, which I’m pretty thankful for these days. I love that I
don’t have to get beat up physically. This was a fun character for me. She’s very determined. She’s got a stepson that she is not getting along with. I really don’t know how Joelle lived in that house with that guy, but
this was just a fun role.
Singer-actress Toni Braxton is another star of “Fallen Angels Murder Club,” and she’s also an executive producer of the franchise. How did you find working with her on it?
Working with Toni was a blast. I mean, seriously, I have never met a kinder, more generous actress. I have to just tell this story because
she’s just so unbelievable, We were on set, and there was an extra who was such a huge fan of hers. And in-between scenes, I went up to her and I said, “Oh, there’s a guy over there. He’s a musician. He’s just a big fan of yours.” And she immediately stood up and said, “Where is he? Let me go meet him.” And she was so amazing. I had to put this out there just to show how awesome a human being Toni is, and how awesome it was to work with
her.
Since many mystery stories are used to fuel audiobooks, are you a listener of them?
I’m a big fan of audiobooks. I’m the kind of person who will listen to audiobooks while I’m doing housework and driving. That’s how I get all of my reading in, which I guess doesn’t really count ... I don’t know, does it? I am currently going through the “Harry Potter” series and watching every movie after reading every book. It’s been
really fun. I’m on Book 4.