Lionel Richie is the eponymous debut solo studio album by Lionel Richie. It was recorded and released while Richie was still a member of the Commodores. He would leave the group shortly after. It was released on October 6, 1982 on Motown Records. The first single, “Truly”, topped the Billboard Hot 100. Follow-up single “You Are” reached number four, and “My Love” reached number five. The album was also a hit, reaching number one on the Cashbox albums chart on December 11, 1982.
In 2003, Lionel Richie was re-released as part of a remaster series that saw two additional tracks added to the overall package. A solo version of “Endless Love” and an instrumental version of “You Are” now round out the CD.
As well as featuring English musician Thomas Dolby on synthesizers, Joe Walsh provided the guitar solo for the song “Wandering Stranger”. It was his first album appearance since playing all tracks on John Entwistle’s fifth solo album, Too Late the Hero.
Tracks 1 Serves You Right (John McClain, Greg Phillinganes, Lionel Richie) 5:14 2 Wandering Stranger (Lionel Richie) 5:36 3 Tell Me (Lionel Richie, David Foster) 5:33 4 My Love (Lionel Richie) 4:08 5 Round And Round (David Cochrane, Lionel Richie) 4:56 6 Truly (Lionel Richie) 3:24 7 You Are (Brenda Harvey Richie, Lionel Richie) 5:05 8 You Mean More To Me (Lionel Richie) 3:07 9 Just Put Some Love In Your Heart (Lionel Richie) 1:24
Musicians
1 Serves You Right Bass - Nathan Watts Drums - JR Robinson Guitar - Paul Jackson Jr Fender Rhodes - Greg Phillinganes Synthesizer - Greg Phillinganes Percussion - Lenny Castro Background Vocals - Howard Kenney Background Vocals - Richard Marx Vocals - Lionel Richie
2 Wandering Stranger Drums - Leon Chancler Guitar (solo) - Joe Walsh Guitar - Paul Jackson Jr Acoustic Guitar - Fred Tackett Fender Rhodes - Clarence McDonald Piano - Mike Lang Harp - Gayle Levant Percussion - Paulinho Da Costa Background Vocals - Deborah Thomas Background Vocals - Richard Marx Vocals - Lionel Richie
3 Tell Me Drums - Paul Leim Guitar (solo) - Richie Zito Guitar - David Cochrane Synthesizer - Michael Boddicker Vocoder - Michael Boddicker Synthesizer - David Cochrane Flute - Louise Di Tullio Background Vocals - Deborah Thomas Background Vocals - David Cochrane Background Vocals - Jimmy Connors Vocals - Lionel Richie
4 My Love Bass - Nathan East Drums - Leon Chancler Guitar - Darryl Jones Piano - Lionel Richie Harp - Gayle Levant Trombone - Bill Reichenbach Trombone - Lew McCreary Trumpet - Gary Grant Trumpet - Jerry Hey Trumpet - Warren Luening Woodwinds - Don Ashworth Woodwinds - Gary Herbig Woodwinds - Gene Cipriano Woodwinds - Larry Williams Background Vocals - Kenny Rogers Background Vocals - Kin Vassy Background Vocals - Terry Williams Vocals - Lionel Richie
5 Round And Round Bass - David Cochrane Drums - JR Robinson Guitar - Darryl Jones Piano - David Cochrane Synthesizer - Michael Boddicker Vocoder - Michael Boddicker Sax - Gary Herbig Sax - Ernie Watts Sax - William Green Sax - David Cochrane Trombone - Bill Reichenbach Trombone - Lew McCreary Trumpet - Bobby Findley Trumpet - Gary Grant Trumpet - Jerry Hey Trumpet - Walter Johnson Trumpet - Warren Luening Percussion - Paulinho Da Costa Percussion - Rick Shlosser Background Vocals - Deborah Thomas Background Vocals - David Cochrane Background Vocals - Howard Kenney Vocals - Lionel Richie
6 Truly Bass - Joe Chemay Drums - Paul Leim Guitar - Paul Jackson Jr Acoustic Guitar - Tim May Fender Rhodes - Bill Payne Piano - Lionel Richie Flute - Louise Di Tullio Vocals - Lionel Richie
7 You Are Bass - David Cochrane Drums - JR Robinson Guitar - Darryl Jones Guitar - David Cochrane Fender Rhodes - Lionel Richie Synthesizer - Michael Boddicker Vocoder - Michael Boddicker Sax - Ernie Watts Sax - Gary Herbig Sax - William Green Trumpet - Bobby Findley Trumpet - Gary Grant Trumpet - Jerry Hey Trumpet - Walter Johnson Trumpet - Warren Luening Percussion - Paulinho Da Costa Background Vocals - Deborah Thomas Background Vocals - David Cochrane Background Vocals - Richard Marx Vocals - Lionel Richie
8 You Mean More To Me Bass - Joe Chemay Drums - Paul Leim Acoustic Guitar - Darryl Jones Piano - Lionel Richie Woodwinds - Don Ashworth Woodwinds - Gary Herbig Woodwinds - Gene Cipriano Woodwinds - Larry Williams Background Vocals - Richard Marx Vocals - Lionel Richie
9 Just Put Some Love In Your Heart Fender Rhodes - Mike Lang Piano - Mike Lang Harp - Gayle Levant Flute - Louise Di Tullio Vocals - Lionel Richie
Other Musicians
Strings – Allan Harshman, Armand Kaproff, Assa Drori, David Schwartz, David Speltz, Dennis Karamazyn, Erno Neufeld, Frederick Sekura, Henry Ferber, Joy Lyle, Mari Botnick, Myron Sandler, Nathan Ross, Paul Shure, Rollice Dale, Ronald Folsom, Tibor Zelig, William Henderson , William Kurash (Tracks 4, 5, 7, 8) Strings – Harry Bluestone (Tracks 5, 7) Viola – Alan DeVertich, Allan Harshman, Gareth Nuttycombe, Virginia Majewski (Tracks 2, 3, 6, 9) Violin – Assa Drori, Bonnie Douglas, Charles Veal Jr, Donald Palmer, Endre Granat, Henry Roth, Jack Shulman, Joy Lyle, Mari Tsumura-Botnick, Paul Shure, Sheldon Sanov (Tracks 2, 3, 6, 9)
Liner Notes
Arranged By – Lionel Richie, James Anthony Carmichael Producer (Assistant) – Brenda Harvey-Richie Arranged By – Greg Phillinganes (Track 1) Arranged By – James Anthony Carmichael (Track 3) Arranged By (Backing Vocals) – Kenny Rogers (Track 4) Arranged By – David Cochrane (Track 5) Arranged By – Gene Page (Tracks 2, 6, 9) Arranged By (Strings) – James Anthony Carmichael (Track 3) Concertmaster – Harry Bluestone (Tracks 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) Engineer (Mix, Recording) – Calvin Harris Engineer (Second) – Jim Cassell Mastered By – Bernie Grundman Mixed By – Fred Law, Michael Johnson, Stephan Smith Art Direction – Johnny Lee Photography – David Alexander Mixed At Motown Recording Studios Recorded At A&M Studios Phonographic Copyright Motown Record Corporation Copyright Motown Record Corporation
