The Covelli Center in Youngstown,Ohio was bursting at its seams Saturday with fans that had packed the place to get a glimpse of Grammy winner Lionel Richie.

Youngstown was a stop on the music icon’s Hello Tour 2019, where the singer performs many of his well known hits throughout his time in the industry. All of which had gained him Grammy’s and other various awards.

After opening the show with “Running in the Night”, Lionel informed fans that he would probably talk more than he would sing. That by the way was probably about 50/50 through out the night. However, that was okay with the fans because he was hilarious. Richie had a quick wit about him and his ability to engage the crowd was really endearing, as the crowd didn’t seem to mind for the almost two hour set.

The crowd was made up of a variety of ages, and while many of the younger fans may now know Richie from ABC’s American Idol. Where’s he’s been a judge on the show for the past few seasons of 2018 through 2019. The more seasoned fans know him for him for longevity that he’s had in the music industry. Lionel started with The Commodores writing some of the bands biggest ballads before going solo and continuing on to write some of the music industry massive hits including the charity single “We Are The World” the mega hit he cowrote with the late Michael Jackson. This single has garnered more than 100 million albums sold and numerous awards including four Grammys, an Oscar and a Golden Globe.

This was a fun concert! Richie takes fans on memorable journey of his career as he sings songs from over the past five decades such hits like “Penny Lover”, “Stuck on You”, and “Dancing on the Ceiling”. Richie also covered songs from his time with the Commodores, the set included a medley of their biggest hits like “ Sail On”,”Easy”, “Three Times a Lady”,  and “Brick House”.

Before singing “Endless Love”” Richie told fans for the past 35 years he had asked Diana Ross to join him on stage. Hoping she help him sing the duet from the 1981 movie with the same title. At every invitation, she has turned him down. So on Saturday he invited the audience to sing her part, they weren’t Diana but, they were a very close second as they poured their heart into the song. He said he hoped someone uploaded a video to YouTube in hopes that she’ll change her mind. Before closing out his set, fans were treated to more classics including “Hello” and “Dancing on the Ceiling”.

The fun doesn’t have to stop for fans, as they can relive all of Lionel Richie’s hits on his upcoming album Hello from Las Vegas
scheduled to be released August 23rd (2019). Anyone who buys tickets online to any of the 33 dates of the tour, gets a copy of the soon to be released album, as the tour runs through to the end of August.