Lionel Richie Recalls Touring With Jackson 5 On 'Late Show With David Letterman'
Lionel Richie hooked up with the other boys that would make up the initial lineup of The Commodores while in college in 1968. They realized they had something here, leading Richie to tell his parents that they had decided going to quit school and make music instead.
"We're the black Beatles and we're going to take over the world," he recalled telling them on "Late Show" (Weeknights, 11:35 p.m. ET on CBS). He also recalled his father's response, but said he couldn't repeat it on national television. Needless to say, his father wasn't supportive of the decision.
But then they started to get noticed as they toured around the country opening for The Jackson 5, and Richie recalled a different story his father started telling during interviews. "We're now sitting there and my father's doing an interview and he's going, 'You know, parents should stand behind their children,'" Richie told David Letterman.
Of the experience of touring with the Jacksons, Richie had nothing but fond memories. They were all young boys and men, so there was a lot of goofing around, pillow fights and basketball games. But the Jackson brothers didn't always play fair, putting their smallest and youngest members up front because they knew Richie and his guys wouldn't wail on the young ones as hard.
Watch "Late Show" every weeknight at 11:35 p.m. ET on CBS.
Launch Slideshow
HIDE THUMBNAILS
1 of 22
PLAY ALL
VOTE ON THIS SLIDE
ADVERTISEMENT
[{"entry_id":"3320404","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/22\/emma-roberts-american-horror-story-coven_n_3320404.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/248638\/slide_248638_2019870_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/248638\/slide_248638_2019870_small.jpg","title":"American Horror Story: Asylum Photos","slideshow_id":"248638","vertical":"tv"},{"entry_id":"3317057","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/22\/dont-be-tardy-kim-wants-more-kids-video_n_3317057.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/293035\/slide_293035_2376161_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/293035\/slide_293035_2376161_small.jpg","title":"Summer TV Guide","slideshow_id":"293035","vertical":"tv"},{"entry_id":"3321839","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/22\/bad-teacher-cbs-ari-graynor_n_3321839.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/297620\/slide_297620_2452526_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/297620\/slide_297620_2452526_small.jpg","title":"CBS New Shows 2013-2014","slideshow_id":"297620","vertical":"tv"},{"entry_id":"3317872","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/22\/jason-bateman-never-nudes-arrested-video_n_3317872.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/280719\/slide_280719_2103903_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/280719\/slide_280719_2103903_small.jpg","title":"Late Night Talk Shows","slideshow_id":"280719","vertical":"tv"},{"entry_id":"3318531","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/22\/jennifer-aniston-friends-reunion-matthew-perry-courteney-cox_n_3318531.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/292399\/slide_292399_2346410_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/292399\/slide_292399_2346410_small.jpg","title":"\"Friends\"","slideshow_id":"292399","vertical":"tv"},{"entry_id":"3318979","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/22\/farrah-abraham-show-reality-series_n_3318979.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/295464\/slide_295464_2408054_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/295464\/slide_295464_2408054_small.jpg","title":"Farrah Abraham Sex Tape Photos Leak Online","slideshow_id":"295464","vertical":"tv"},{"entry_id":"3322552","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/22\/the-walking-dead-ending_n_3322552.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/250643\/slide_250643_1522359_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/250643\/slide_250643_1522359_small.jpg","title":"The Walking Dead Season 3 Portraits","slideshow_id":"250643","vertical":"tv"},{"entry_id":"3321438","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/22\/arrested-development-salaries-season-4_n_3321438.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/243709\/slide_243709_2469867_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/243709\/slide_243709_2469867_small.jpg","title":"Arrested Development Photos","slideshow_id":"243709","vertical":"tv"},{"entry_id":"3321465","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/22\/billy-crystal-fx-the-comedians_n_3321465.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/297095\/slide_297095_2442169_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/297095\/slide_297095_2442169_small.jpg","title":"Fox New Shows 2013-2014","slideshow_id":"297095","vertical":"tv"},{"entry_id":"3317064","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/22\/19-kids-and-counting-moving-away-video_n_3317064.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/280226\/slide_280226_2094342_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/280226\/slide_280226_2094342_small.jpg","title":"2013 Renewal Index: Canceled, Renewed & On The Bubble Shows","slideshow_id":"280226","vertical":"tv"},{"entry_id":"3321949","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/22\/homeland-season-3-casting_n_3321949.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/241810\/slide_241810_1875923_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/241810\/slide_241810_1875923_small.jpg","title":"Homeland Season 2 Photos","slideshow_id":"241810","vertical":"tv"},{"entry_id":"3321070","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2013\/05\/22\/modern-family-ed-o-neill_n_3321070.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/297433\/slide_297433_2448693_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/297433\/slide_297433_2448693_small.jpg","title":"ABC's New Shows 2013-2014","slideshow_id":"297433","vertical":"tv"}]
Lionel Richie hooked up with the other boys that would make up the initial lineup of The Commodores while in college in 1968. They realized they had something here, leading Richie to tell his parents ...
Lionel Richie hooked up with the other boys that would make up the initial lineup of The Commodores while in college in 1968. They realized they had something here, leading Richie to tell his parents ...
Looks like "The Voice" gave Kelly Clarkson, Lionel Richie and Robin Thicke the TV mentoring bug. ABC has revealed that those three music superstars and...
In support of Lionel Richie's upcoming album, Tuskegee, artists Tim McGraw, Jennifer Nettles, Luke Bryan and Sara Evans have been added to lineup mix for...
Growing up in Tuskegee, Ala., Lionel Richie was immersed in country music. In an exclusive interview with The Boot, the legendary singer-songwriter recalled listening to...
Miss Piggy -- with whom I competed fiercely at the CMA host auditions this year -- has it out for me, I'm pretty sure. I caught her rehearsing "Remind Me," in her dressing room.
Though we were largely underwhelmed by last week's Battle Rounds, the second installment this week certainly made up for it. But this episode also brought two competitive duets that tore our hearts out because we loved both contestants so much.
It's the unofficial song of the summer, spending weeks at the top of the iTunes and Billboard dance charts. So how's Martin Solveig going to top his infectious single "Hello?"
Posted: 03/28/2012 4:39 am Updated: 03/28/2012 5:00 am