Now Playing
Credit: Alan SilfenLionel Richie is adding another special accolade to his immense trophy case.
The former lead singer of The Commodores will receive the Songwriters Hall of Fame’s highest honor, the Johnny Mercer Award, during the organization’s annual awards dinner on June 9 in New York City. Named after the famed lyricists behind dozens of classic standards, the award is presented to a composer who is already a member of the Hall of Fame. Richie was inducted in 1994.
Hall of Fame co-chairmen, Kenneth Gamble and Leon Huff, say the four-time Grammy Award winner is “one of the greatest and most prolific songwriters and identifiable music voices in our century.” They add, “Lionel’s songs made you love and dance and will last forever in American culture, but he truly demonstrated the power of songwriting with his masterful co-writing of the global song ‘We Are the World’ with Michael Jackson. We consider our dear friend Lionel Richie a songwriting phenomenon”
Richie is one of only two composers to achieve number-one songs in nine straight years. He was named the 2016 MusiCares Person of the Year, and John Legend and Tyrese were among the stars performing a tribute to him at the Grammy Awards.
This year’s Songwriters Hall of Fame inductees include Marvin Gaye and Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards of Chic.
Copyright © 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
