WednesdayApr072021
Lionel Richie and Tina Turner in 1984; Jerry Wachter/IMAGES/Getty Images
Lionel Richie reflected on some of his most memorable moments with his longtime friend Tina Turner in a new Vogue profile.
"When I think of my dear friend Tina, I think of determination, strength, and an incredible work ethic," Lionel tells Vogue. "There are performers, there are singers and there are entertainers. Tina is all three."
The "Hello" singer recalls Tina opening up for him on his Can't Slow Down world tour in 1984, following the release of her comeback album Private Dancer.
"I remember her walking into the rehearsal. She was very quiet, almost shy, with this amazing smile and personality," Lionel remembers. "Then the music started and she turned into Tina Turner — to the point where I couldn't perform. I would just sit and watch what she was doing."
Lionel said being on stage with Tina "was the most incredible feeling of my entire life." Like many, he said he was mesmerized by Tina's "singing, her performance, [and] her energy."
"From the moment, she stepped on stage with me during her comeback…to recording 'We Are the World,' to the time she took me on her Twenty Four Seven tour after I took a break, we have shared moments in history that I will never forget," he gushes. "My friend is a star and a living legend. A one-of-a-kind spirit that the world is blessed to have."
Tina is currently nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist, having already been inducted as part of Ike & Tina Turner. If she makes the cut, she'll be only the second woman to be inducted twice: Stevie Nicks was the first.
By Rachel George
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