For Lionel Richie creating one hit after another is a given.

His records have sold more than 100 million – making him one of the world’s best selling musician.

His awards for his music – a sting of them, four Grammies, one Academy Award, one Golden Globe.

He received the Songwriters Hall of Fame, its highest recognition, the Johnny Mercer Award.

And there are lots more.

Richie – in his youth – was a tennis player and at one point, considered becoming an Episcopalian priest, but eventually decided music was his calling.

In 1968 he was a member of the funk and soul band, the Commodores.

In 1982 he went solo and the hits kept coming and coming.