Story

Ok so Lionel Richie is kind of not conforming to my usual pattern or genre of rock star painting, but as much as some might cringe, we all know Lionel is a legend, and I find it hard to believe that not all of us like some of his music. As much as this is true for me, I did hesitate in painting him, but a friend of mine kept on asking me to do it, so I finally gave in and in retrospect im very pleased that I did.

Where’s the autograph you ask, well there is an upside to this story.

I was waiting at the venue hoping to see Lionel arrive, I’d waited for 5 hours, and made it through a massive torrential rain storm during which I was so annoyed, for even if I was prepared to stand in the rain there would be no chance that Lionel was going to stop for me in it was there. Well the storm passed and it was looking very unsettling weather wise still. With just about 15 minutes to go before Richie was due to appear on stage, there was still no sign of him, I wondered if he was already in there and had arrived exceptionally early or was he going to arrive, walk in and go straight on stage. As I was thinking this, a man came to me and asked if I was waiting for Lionel, I told him that indeed I was and I showed him my painting saying that I was hoping he might stop and autograph for me, the man asked me If I was going to the show straight away, I told him I did not have a ticket and instantly he told me he would give me two tickets for myself and my wife ! Great! I thanked him and he said he would take my painting and get Lionel to sign it for me suggesting I come back to where we were at the end of the show to collect it. Now I was a little reluctant to do this, because in past experiences I’d lost a painting this way with another rock star. The man told me his name and I realised that it was his tour manager, he promised me he would be true to his word. So I gave my painting to him and went inside to watch the show, front row tickets !

Once inside the manger came over to see if I was ok, and then said he had shown the painting to Lionel Richie, and then informed me that Lionel liked it so much that he wanted to keep it and wanted to meet me and ask me to sign it for him ! What the ! This was complete role reversal, I was stunned. I couldn’t say no, so I accepted in a moment of what seemed like a dream.

All through the show I was nervous and going through my head what to say to Mr Richie. As soon as he finished on stage, security and the manger escorted my wife and I back stage to meet the man.

We were introduced to Lionel and he was fantastic ! Very funny and all smiles, he shook my hand saying that he loved my work and wanted to hang it on his wall at home, I couldn’t believe Lionel Richie wanted to hang my art on his wall, how could I say no to this. I said he could keep it and he suggested we have a photo together. An experience I will never forget, it left me feeling nothing but proud and more committed to creating more paintings and to follow my dreams.

Lionel if you ever read this, you’re fantastic, and I feel like I can’t stop listening to your music since that night, thank you to everyone that evening, and very special thanks to the tour manger ! One of the kindest I’ve met.