Lionel Richie is looking back on the downfall of his first marriage.
The legendary singer, 76, who rose to fame as a songwriter and a member of the iconic Commodores, was catapulted to superstardom in the ’80s with a wildly successful solo career, thanks to hit songs like “All Night Long” and “Dancing on the Ceiling.” But under the surface, trouble was brewing for the music star.
In his revealing new memoir, Truly, Richie opens up about the fateful night that ended his marriage. According to details published by Fox News, in June 1988, Richie’s first wife, Brenda Harvey-Richie, was arrested after confronting Richie while he was with his future second wife, Diane Alexander.
“What very few people knew was that Brenda and I were separated,” Richie wrote in the book, according to the publication. “I got a place at the beach, and I was hiding out there, trying to be alone, trying to decompress somehow, because it was killing everyone. It’s early in the morning when I drive into town, and I happen to stop to see Diane, who has an apartment in a house there. Shortly after I arrive, there is a knock at the door.”
Richie continued by saying that there was then a massive confrontation with Brenda.
“It’s the most awful screaming match of my life, and it’s all in this small entryway,” Richie recalled. “The story became the scandal of my century. It took on a life of its own. Thankfully, there was no social media.”
The couple soon divorced.
Richie Suffered a Nervous Breakdown
By the time the ’90s arrived, things were still tough for Richie. In addition to the repercussions of his divorce, he lost his father in 1990 and underwent several unsuccessful procedures to repair a vocal cord issue, according to details in the book published by USA TODAY.
“If anyone questioned whether this could be labeled a nervous breakdown, I answered it when I found myself in Jamaica, alone,” Richie wrote, adding that he spent five days drinking bottles of Cristal and sitting at the water’s edge until the hotel staff would bring him back to dry land.
“Ladies and gentleman, this is what a nervous breakdown looks like,” Richie wrote.
However, he found inspiration in an unexpected place. A local Jamaican man who was also a fan approached him and said, “You must survive because you are our beacon of hope.”
This story was originally reported by Parade on Sep 30, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.yahoo.com ’
