From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!npoiv!npois!houxm!houxa!houxi!houxz!ihnp4!ihuxw!tommyo
Newsgroups: net.music
Title: Re: Lionel Richie
Article-I.D.: ihuxw.289
Posted: Fri Feb 25 12:38:19 1983
Received: Sat Feb 26 03:17:36 1983
Reply-To: tommyo@ihuxw.UUCP (Tom O`Connor)


Is Lionel Richie a black Manilow or Rogers?

I took some time to think about this, and I`d have to say he`s more of
a Kenny Rogers.  Why?  Both artists originally belonged to a group
The First Edition and The Commodores.  Both are successful crossover
artists, Kenny from CW to pop and Lionel from R&B to pop, and get
great success on both charts.  So far, both Richie songs since he went
solo, TRULY and YOU ARE, plus his duet with Diana Ross, ENDLESS LOVE,
are positive love songs.  Rogers also has had basically all up-feeling
songs - LOVE WILL TURN YOU AROUND, LADY, A LOVE SONG, LOVE THE WORLD
AWAY, etc.  Manilow, though he`s had great positive love songs, has
also had downers - EVEN NOW, TRYIN TO GET THE FEELING, WHEN I WANTED
YOU, etc.  So Lionel Richie, by these standards, is a black Kenny Rogers.

Paul Anka?  GEEZ, when did he come back to life?  O.K. yeah he put out
an album celebrating his 25 years in the business, and had a minor
adult-contemporary hit I`VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU ALL OF MY LIFE 2 years
ago, but he`s joined the ranks of such guys as Ed Ames, Bob Goulet,
Bobby Vinton who just do Vegas and T.V. specials.  I like his music,
but I think his time on the top hits list is over.  But as I type this
I remember that a guy who had Billboards first #1 back in the 40s also
had a bit hit in 1980 about the Big Apple, so who really knows.

I want to be a part of it, net.music, net.music!

To O`Connor
ihuxw!tommyo (Hey, who took the `m` out of my first name in the last line)