Lionel Richie in Concert

Imagine a world where Lionel Richie became a priest. That was the career path the Alabama singer, songwriter, and saxophone player had picked out for himself as a kid, but it was in his college years as an economics student at Tuskegee that he fell in with a little group called The Commodores. Today, of course, he's known as one of the greatest romantic balladeers of the 20th century — a man who cut his teeth with a deeply funky and incredibly fun R&B act, then dominated the 1980s as a sentimentally gifted solo star, then moved into the new millennium as a respected elder statesman who's still pushing himself to stretch stylistically. His 2009 album Just Go finds him paired with contemporary R&B writer-producers like Stargate, The-Dream, and Akon, while 2012's Tuskegee reimagines the man's timeless classics as country duets: "You Are" with Blake Shelton, "Hello" with Jennifer Nettles, and "Easy" with Willie Nelson.

Richie's showmanship reflects his five decades in the spotlight. Whether dancing across the stage in a suit to his old band's "Brick House," or singing "We Are the World" (which he and Michael Jackson cowrote) from a piano bench, the man delivers, typically backed by a small army of seasoned touring musicians. He's earned it. Though Richie was one of seven when the Commodores formed in 1968, he made his presence known penning some of their most enduring hits ("Easy," "Sail On," "Three Times a Lady"), which also stood out as soul ballads in a patently upbeat oeuvre. After moonlighting on collaborations with Kenny Rogers ("Lady") and Diana Ross ("Endless Love"), Richie launched his inevitable solo career with a self-titled album in 1982. By the end of 1986, he'd have an incredible 13 consecutive Top 10 singles.

It was 1983's Can't Slow Down, which went on to sell more than 10 million copies, that gave listeners the Lionel Richie who can deploy his gift for unforgettable love songs across various genres: soft rock on "Hello" and Caribbean pop on "All Night Long (All Night)." After a third smash LP, Dancing on the Ceiling, Richie took some time off before returning in 1996 with a series of albums showcasing his musical diversity, from the New Jack Swing–influenced Louder Than Words on through Tuskegee. Meanwhile, Richie continues to collect awards and honors for his illustrious career, and shares his knowledge as a judge on American Idol.