American singer Lionel Richie has been hospitalised again after being diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat condition, marking his third hospitalisation in recent months.
The health setback has forced Richie and Earth, Wind & Fire to cancel their next three scheduled shows on the ‘Sing a Song All Night Long’ tour. The affected concerts were slated for September 26 in San Francisco, September 30 in Chicago, and October 2 in Columbus, Ohio .
Richie underwent an AFib ablation, a procedure used to treat irregular heart rhythms. His representative confirmed that the procedure was successful and that the singer is currently recovering before returning to the stage.
“The doctor said everything went perfectly,” the representative said in a statement. “Lionel is doing great but will take some time off and will be back on stage soon” .
The 77-year-old’s health struggles began in June during the opening night of his tour in St. Paul, Minnesota, when he felt dizzy on stage and cut the performance short . He was taken to a hospital as a precautionary measure and postponed two shows on doctor’s advice .
Less than a month ago, Richie was admitted to a hospital in St. Louis after performing at The Muny on August 29, where he spent three days undergoing tests for cardiac-related issues after appearing unwell toward the end of the concert . During that performance, he was seen sitting on a chair while singing his hit “All Night Long” and sipping electrolytes on stage .
He was photographed looking healthy just days before his latest hospitalisation, attending a dinner party in Beverly Hills with his girlfriend, Lisa Parigi .
Despite the cancellations, Richie’s upcoming Las Vegas residency shows beginning October 14 are still listed as scheduled .
