In the aftermath of a fiery performance, close sources to superstar Lionel Richie are stepping forward to clarify his comments about fellow icon Diana Ross. During the Sing A Song All Night Long tour with Earth, Wind & Fire, Richie addressed the absence of Ross, his longtime collaborator, during an intermission. Expressing his frustration, Richie stated, “There is a song I want to do, and for 37 years, I have tried my best to get Ms. Diana Ross to show up on this stage right here…tonight.” He went on to candidly share, “37 years! Diana has said ‘NO.’ What made you think tonight she was gon’ show up? She ain’t coming! She’s over there singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to Beyoncé. Pissed me off.”
While the clip may have suggested a tiff between Richie and Ross, insiders have informed TMZ that the situation is quite the opposite. According to the source, Richie’s remarks were “simply a friend joking around,” dispelling any notion of animosity. They further explained that although Ross has declined Richie’s invitation multiple times, there are no hard feelings, and Richie still holds “lots of love” for her.
