Black Music Legends of the 1980s

Episode Synopsis

After 15 years of soaring success with the Commodores, Lionel Richie left the group to go solo in what many considered to be a risky move. His first solo album, Lionel Richie, grabbed the world's attention, whilst the follow-up, Can't Slow Down, turned him into a global superstar. But could he maintain sustained popularity without the group he'd known as brothers behind him? This documentary shows how Lionel achieved his dream of becoming 'as big as the Beatles' and how much of what he learnt from his years with the Commodores prepared him for that success.