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Lionel Richie

Rock and Soul Magazine, 1984 (Summary/quotes from Chris Cadman’s “Michael Jackson the Maestro”)

“The Commodores held a group meeting right before we went on stage that first night and we all decided that these little kids were really nice and we didn’t want to hurt their feelings. So we decided to hold back a little on our show. You know, not blow away the audience because we knew we were a hard act to follow. Then after our performance we watched from the wings and from that night on, through the rest of the tour, we had to pull out all the stops just to keep up with them. They were incredible.”

Lionel remembered particularly the mischievous things they used to pull on each other during their visits from city to city on the tour.

“He would put itching powder in your hat. Or ice in your shoes when you left them outside your hotel door to get polished.”

“We’d pull pranks on each other late at night in the hotel rooms. We had food fights. Personally, I miss the old days.”

Contactmusic (August 30, 2010)

ContactMusic: Richie enjoyed a long friendship with the Thriller hitmaker, who was godfather to his daughter Nicole, and he was devastated when he passed away last year.

And more than a year after the tragedy, Richie admits he is still grieving the King of Pop.

He tells Britain's The Sun, "I think about Michael every single solitary day. If you have ever lost a parent, you'll know that you'll do something and think, 'Oh I'll ring mum and tell her.' Then you remember you can't ring mum. It's the same with Michael. I think of something I want to tell him and then I remember. How can you even comprehend that? It's just too much. He was a big part of my life..."

Sofia Richie, daughter of Lionel Richie, Fitzy and Wippa (September 6, 2018)

Fitzy and Wippa: I had no idea about this, but your godfather is Michael Jackson.

Sofia Richie: Yeah.

Fitzy and Wippa: So, what are your memories of Michael Jackson, because when he passed, you were around ten years of age?

Sofia Richie: I was really young. Yeah. I mean, he was a really sweet guy, and really close with his daughter, Paris.

Fitzy and Wippa: Oh, that's good.

Sofia Richie: So, a lot my memories are with her. I was so young that I couldn't really tell you just vivid stories off the top of my head, but Paris is the sweetest girl, and she's like family to me.

Fitzy and Wippa: Did you go to Neverland?

Sofia Richie: I did... it was Disneyland at Beverly Hills. [Laughs] My dad was like, "Do not think we're building this at our house."