25 Songs, 25 Stories: Behind the Music of LIONEL RICHIE

Lionel Richie is one of the most successful architects of modern pop, yet his true artistry has long been hidden in plain sight. While his melodies have soundtracked millions of weddings, heartbreaks, and celebrations for five decades, the stories behind their creation reveal a surprising degree of grit, pressure, and unexpected genius. This is the definitive look at the craft of a songwriter who turned personal emotion into global anthems.In 25 Songs, 25 Stories, Daniel Harper pulls back the curtain on twenty-five defining masterpieces. You may know the tunes, but you don't know the secrets they carry. From the funk-fueled grooves of the Commodores to the multi-platinum heights of a solo career, this is not a book of mere nostalgia — it is an incisive study of a songwriter of lasting significance who refused to be boxed into a single genre. It is time, at last, to take the man behind the music seriously.Inside this book, you'll discover:• Why "Hello" was nearly abandoned — because Richie feared it was "too corny" to finish • The unbelievable truth behind "Lady" — its second verse written inside a toilet stall while Kenny Rogers waited impatiently down the hall • How the iconic "African" chants in "All Night Long" were entirely invented on the spot because a translator couldn't be found in time • The quiet Alabama Sunday mornings that inspired the effortless cool of "Easy" • The raw, terminal heartbreak that fueled the soulful depth of "Zoom" • The historic night forty-five of the world's biggest superstars checked their egos at the door to record "We Are the World" — a session unlike any before or sinceEssential reading for fans of Lionel Richie, music lovers, and anyone fascinated by the stories behind the songs that defined an era. Read more