Lionel Richie’s Marriages & Relationships: A Comprehensive History

Lionel Richie
BERLIN, GERMANY - JULY 17: American singer Lionel Richie performs live during a concert at the Zitadelle Spandau on July 17, 2016 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Frank Hoensch/Redferns)

Millions of core and R&B music stations all over the world have Lionel Richie’s honeyed tones adorning their radio frequencies. His well-known songs, including “Hello,” “Truly,” “Three Times A Lady,” and “Say You, Say Me,” have been given the “evergreen” designation and elevated him to stardom. He initially established a lucrative career with the “Commodores” and later had a lucrative solo career. With most of his songs reaching the top of significant music charts, Grammy Award winner Richie is regarded as among the most accomplished singer-songwriter of the 20th century.

After a protracted and fruitful period with the “Commodores,” he started writing and recording country singles and became one of the most well-known musicians of his day. Nearly 100 million recordings have been sold globally by this singer-songwriter, record producer, and artist. He is best recognized for the brilliance of his solo career rather than the previous glory he had with the “Commodores,” which he did not rely on.

Lionel Richie
Lionel Richie(credit: cleveland.com)

While in the limelight, Lionel Richie has been in three committed relationships. Since 2014, he has been dating Lisa Parigi, a woman who is 40 years younger than him. Let’s dig deep into Richie’s past marriages and his present relationship.

Lionel Richie and Brenda Harvey(1974-1993)

Lionel and Brenda Harvey were best friends in college after meeting at Tuskegee University, where Lionel received a bachelor’s degree in economics. In 1990, they adopted Nicole Richie, then 9 years old, after getting married in 1974. When asked about Nicole’s adoption, Lionel remarked that it was one of the wisest choices he and Brenda had ever made. “Nicole was a blessing. He made It known in February 2022 that she was a young child who needed a shot. She was accustomed to people arriving and departing, and I would respond, “I’m not going away,” when she would stare at me.

Sadly, Brenda and the American Idol judge split up in 1993. The woman who would become Lionel’s second wife allegedly had a relationship with him. Brenda was detained in 1988 for attacking Lionel and his mistress after she saw them together at her flat.

Lionel Richie and Brenda Harvey
Lionel Richie and Brenda Harvey(credit: MEAWW)

2008 saw the birth of a daughter by Good Charlotte’s lead singer Joel Madden and Nicole Richie, making Lionel a grandfather. In 2009, the couple welcomed Richie’s second grandchild.

Lionel Richie and Diane Alexander(1995-2004)

For his 1986 smash “Dancing on the Ceiling,” Lionel included Diane Alexander as a performer in the music video. After then, their purported affair probably started, and in 1995 they married, making their love legal. He shares Sofia Richie, a daughter (born in 1998), and Miles Brockman, a son, born in 1994, with his second wife. Both are current models. Due to their inability to reconcile their disagreements, their marriage was terminated in 2004.

According to the magazine, Diane and Lionel “lived an incredible, luxurious lifestyle,” which is why she requested $300,000 per month in child and living expenses. About their current connection, not much is known.

Lionel Richie and Diane Alexander
Lionel Richie and Diane Alexander(credit: Tuko)

At the time, Lionel wasn’t too pleased that Sofia was rumored to be dating reality TV personality and part of the Kardashian family Scott Disick. Along with Justin Bieber and Brooklyn Beckham, she has also dated Lewis Hamilton. Following his denial of boarding an aircraft and threats that he carried a bomb, Miles was detained at Heathrow Airport in 2018. Later, the man was freed.

Lionel Richie And Lisa Parigi(Since 2014)

Since 2014, Lionel has been romantically involved with Lisa Parigi, a Swiss, Chinese, and Caribbean model and fashion designer. Despite occasionally walking the red carpet together, they keep their relationship private. On the other hand, Lionel said Lisa gives him a sense of security in a rare comment about their relationship. He gushed to People in 2019: “She’s extremely attractive, but more importantly, she’s intelligent and helps me navigate my crazy world. “At this time in his life, when he might be so jaded about things, he commented, “[My partner] Lisa kind of makes everything feel a bit comfortable.”

Lionel Richie and Lisa Parigi
Lionel Richie and Lisa Parigi(credit: Closer weekly)

Lisa occasionally walks the red carpet with Lionel and his kids before an awards presentation or other big event, but they keep their relationship very discreet.

Major Works

The self-titled record by his band, the “Commodores,” published in 1977, had a complete eight weeks on the rankings and is also considered among the band’s top five albums. The 1986 launch of his solo effort, “Dancing on the Ceiling,” is regarded as one of his most extraordinary commercially successful efforts to date. With sales of almost 4 million copies, it premiered at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 200. He actively supports the “Breast Cancer Research Foundation,” for which he has raised almost $3.1 million.