Lionel Richie is getting candid like never before.
In an interview with "Good Morning America" co-anchor Robin Roberts, which aired Thursday, the legendary singer-songwriter opened up about deeply personal moments from his life story featured in his new memoir, "Truly."
Sharing a story he said he has never spoken aloud until now, Richie revealed that he "grew up totally in fear."
Raised in Tuskegee, Alabama, Richie recalled feeling anxious and uncertain as a child.
"I didn't know what ADHD was. 'Can you play baseball?' 'Eh.' 'Football?' 'No.' 'Basketball?' 'No.' 'Tennis?' 'Kinda,'" he said. "You know, it was just everything was 'kinda.' I was very anxious about everything. And at the same time, I kept tryin' to fake it. I kind of found some new areas of my life that I didn't know I had in me."
Lionel Richie is a dad of 3 and grandad of 3: Get to know his familyMusic eventually became his refuge. Despite a grandmother who was classically trained in piano, Richie admits he can't read music.
"Listen, I don't know, and I've asked God that several times," he said with a laugh. "And it was said to me by Marvin Gaye, 'There is an answer to this. Don't go lookin' for it. Just accept it.'"
That acceptance paved the way for one of the most celebrated careers in pop music history.
Performing in talent shows as a freshman at the then–Tuskegee Institute in the late '60s led him to join the funk band The Commodores, where he first became a household name.
With more than 125 million albums sold worldwide, Richie turned songwriting into his superpower, delivering classics like "Dancing on the Ceiling" and "All Night Long."
Over the years, he has earned four Grammy Awards, a Golden Globe, an Academy Award, and in 2022, a place in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Today, Richie continues to inspire new generations as a judge on "American Idol," a role he has held for eight seasons and counting.
"The kids remind me of two things. A) How blessed I am. And what I need to do as a mentor. I'm not there to humiliate them. They're already scared to death," he explained. "And then I realize that they need something, probably more than a criticism. They need a hug and you feel them sink into your arms."
That spirit of compassion runs throughout "Truly."
"We need a hug," he added. "The world needs a hug right now."
With stories of triumph, self-discovery and an enduring love for music, Richie's memoir offers an intimate portrait of an artist whose songs and heart continue to inspire fans across generations.
"The stories are great," he said. "But what turned me into me was the world said, 'Hey, Lionel. I like what you're doin'. Keep up the good work.'"
Watch more of Robin Roberts' interview with Lionel Richie on "IMPACT x Nightline" streaming now on Hulu.
