Lionel Richie Hoping for Glastonbury Comeback with Diana Ross

**jobeterob** · 12-09-2015, 11:18 AM

http://m.insidehalton.com/whatson-st...ith-diana-ross

**florence** · 12-09-2015, 01:50 PM

It seems a rumour starts every year about Diana performing Glastonbury - I've given up hoping.

**marybrewster** · 12-09-2015, 02:22 PM

Lionel sounds desperate for some publicity.

**REDHOT** · 12-09-2015, 02:52 PM

I have to agree Marybrewster.

**jobeterob** · 12-09-2015, 03:08 PM

Maybe. But I think that Lionel is one of the most successful of the big Motown stars today. If you peek at the Itunes, Billboard, Amazon Charts ~ his hits packages still are on those charts from time to time ~ more so than the Temptations, Wonder, Ross, Supremes, Gaye even.

That being said, the overall sales aren't what they used to be and the money that comes out of digital isn't alot.

So maybe he, too, is looking at the concert market and trying to hit while he still has the draw.

Diana doesn't seem to want to do a lot of overseas at this stage of her life; but she did seem to go to India when they offered the big bucks.

**marv2** · 12-09-2015, 03:11 PM

Lionel is looking for a way, any way to be perceived as relevant. Why doesn't just reunite with the Commodores? He must be desperate.

**jobucats** · 12-09-2015, 04:01 PM

One of my favorite things to do lately on Facebook and on this board is to see who will write the first "Debbie Downer" comment as a response to a post that's intending to be positive.

Hold your entries. We have a winner[[s).

**Bluebrock** · 12-09-2015, 05:18 PM

It is a good way for Lionel to promote his UK tour next year. Diana has been asked to do Glastonbury at least 8 times and she has turned it down the same amount of times. It almost happened 5 or 6 years ago but it looks increasingly unlikely now for several reasons which we shall not go into here. Lets move on.

**midnightman** · 12-09-2015, 06:46 PM

Look, Lionel, if Diana says she's not doing it, guess what, buddy, SHE'S NOT DOING IT.

You better call on Walter and 'em...

**marv2** · 12-09-2015, 07:30 PM

Originally Posted by midnightman

Look, Lionel, if Diana says she's not doing it, guess what, buddy, SHE'S NOT DOING IT.

You better call on Walter and 'em...

It's strange. Lionel Richie was wildly successful back in the 80s, but that's nearly 30 years ago. I don't know anyone that's looking for him today. He never made it over with a lot of people like Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Rick James, Bob Marley or original members of the Temptations for some reason. You know how an artist can be revered, I never got that from Lionel Richie LOL!

**copley** · 12-09-2015, 07:35 PM

Diana Ross will NEVER EVER appear at Glastonbury until hell freezes over! It's a bit like saying that ABBA are going to reform!

**marv2** · 12-09-2015, 07:37 PM

Originally Posted by copley

Diana Ross will NEVER EVER appear at Glastonbury until hell freezes over! It's a bit like saying that ABBA are going to reform!

I am sorry, I do not what Glastonbury is? Can you help?

**copley** · 12-09-2015, 07:48 PM

http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/

Biggest music festival in the UK. Been running since 1970

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glastonbury_Festival

**marv2** · 12-09-2015, 07:48 PM

Originally Posted by copley

http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/

Biggest music festival in the UK. Been running since 1970

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glastonbury_Festival

Thank you Copley..........you're a star!

**jobeterob** · 12-09-2015, 07:52 PM

Maybe they are paying Lionel something to try and get Diana! Everybody seems to want Diana - Tyler Perry, Lee Daniels, Taranji Henson, and Lionel.

Copley, why would Diana not appear at Glastonbury?

Maybe saying Diana will appear at Glastonbury is like saying there will be a Supremes Reunion! Oh, right, Mary wants her too!

**copley** · 12-09-2015, 07:55 PM

Wrong venue, wrong audience, just wrong. Dolly did it, Shirley did it in wellingtons but Diana - nope just can't see it.

**jobeterob** · 12-09-2015, 08:16 PM

Originally Posted by copley

Wrong venue, wrong audience, just wrong. Dolly did it, Shirley did it in wellingtons but Diana - nope just can't see it.

Thanks for the good response.

**jobeterob** · 12-09-2015, 08:17 PM

Originally Posted by jobucats

One of my favorite things to do lately on Facebook and on this board is to see who will write the first "Debbie Downer" comment as a response to a post that's intending to be positive.

Hold your entries. We have a winner[[s).

Spectacular response. Another winner.

This response ranks with Roberta's when she told someone "He has you on ignore, dear, so he simply didn't see what you wrote".

Thanks for the laugh.

**midnightman** · 12-09-2015, 08:34 PM

Originally Posted by marv2

It's strange. Lionel Richie was wildly successful back in the 80s, but that's nearly 30 years ago. I don't know anyone that's looking for him today. He never made it over with a lot of people like Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Rick James, Bob Marley or original members of the Temptations for some reason. You know how an artist can be revered, I never got that from Lionel Richie LOL!

That's because he was [[and is) such a corny artist lol

Phil Collins had more brawn than he did lmao [[and I love Phil Collins lol)

Time hasn't helped his reputation either... they say he's the reason [[or one of them) that the '80s was considered pop drivel by critics nowadays lol

**midnightman** · 12-09-2015, 08:37 PM

Originally Posted by copley

Diana Ross will NEVER EVER appear at Glastonbury until hell freezes over! It's a bit like saying that ABBA are going to reform!

Lol you got it! And how many years have people been trying to get ABBA back together for one more show? LOL

Diana never really did festivals, I don't think... that's the ONE thing she hasn't done and I don't honestly expect her to do it. I don't think she ever did the festival thing. Lionel joked that he brought her there to do "Endless Love" but made some lame joke lol:

http://www.nola.com/essencefest/inde...to_an_eve.html

**marv2** · 12-09-2015, 09:06 PM

Originally Posted by copley

Wrong venue, wrong audience, just wrong. Dolly did it, Shirley did it in wellingtons but Diana - nope just can't see it.

She's playing a cruise ship. She's played county fairs this year.

**marv2** · 12-09-2015, 09:08 PM

Originally Posted by midnightman

That's because he was [[and is) such a corny artist lol

Phil Collins had more brawn than he did lmao [[and I love Phil Collins lol)

Time hasn't helped his reputation either... they say he's the reason [[or one of them) that the '80s was considered pop drivel by critics nowadays lol

I think you are right now the money Midnightman. In fact, I've heard people refer to Lionel Richie as "the black Barry Manilow"! LOL! it's partly his fault too.

**marv2** · 12-09-2015, 09:09 PM

Originally Posted by midnightman

Lol you got it! And how many years have people been trying to get ABBA back together for one more show? LOL

Diana never really did festivals, I don't think... that's the ONE thing she hasn't done and I don't honestly expect her to do it. I don't think she ever did the festival thing. Lionel joked that he brought her there to do "Endless Love" but made some lame joke lol:

http://www.nola.com/essencefest/inde...to_an_eve.html

She did the Jamaican Jazz Festival in 2008, but that didn't go so good. They booed her off the stage.

**vgalindo** · 12-09-2015, 09:34 PM

Originally Posted by marv2

She's playing a cruise ship. She's played county fairs this year.

She did do the Big Fair in Fresno CA. But it was not the normal county fair stage show. It was held in an amphitheater where you had to buy separate tickets to see her. I seen Gladys Knight and Smokey Robinson on two separate occasions a few years ago at my local county fair and they were great. However you didn't have to pay extra to see them. Their performance was included with the price of admission.

**marv2** · 12-09-2015, 09:59 PM

Originally Posted by vgalindo

She did do the Big Fair in Fresno CA. But it was not the normal county fair stage show.

Nothing Diana Ross does is normal to you, ok? LOL!

**copley** · 12-09-2015, 10:08 PM

Just a final comment for now. When Dolly & Lionel played Glastonbury both achieved huge album sales in the UK. 'Blue Smoke - The Best of Dolly Parton' double CD reached #2. Lionel went one better this year and made #1 with a re-entry of Lionel Richie & The Commodores: 'The Definitive Collection'. If Diana wanted some big time chart action in the UK it's 99.9% guaranteed to happen if she was to appear at Glastonbury. Of course I don't really think that she gives a damn as she's got nothing to prove. She is probably very happy living in semi retirement doing what she wants when she wants!

**vgalindo** · 12-09-2015, 10:43 PM

Originally Posted by marv2

Nothing Diana Ross does is normal to you, ok? LOL!

Just stating the facts. It isn't the norm to pay separate for a concert at a county fair!

**marv2** · 12-09-2015, 11:13 PM

Originally Posted by copley

Just a final comment for now. When Dolly & Lionel played Glastonbury both achieved huge album sales in the UK. 'Blue Smoke - The Best of Dolly Parton' double CD reached #2. Lionel went one better this year and made #1 with a re-entry of Lionel Richie & The Commodores: 'The Definitive Collection'. If Diana wanted some big time chart action in the UK it's 99.9% guaranteed to happen if she was to appear at Glastonbury. Of course I don't really think that she gives a damn as she's got nothing to prove. She is probably very happy living in semi retirement doing what she wants when she wants!

You are most probably right.

**marv2** · 12-09-2015, 11:14 PM

Originally Posted by vgalindo

Just stating the facts. It isn't the norm to pay separate for a concert at a county fair!

Maybe that's why she came in 3rd place in terms of ticket sales this year there behind two acts I never heard of.

**jobeterob** · 12-09-2015, 11:35 PM

I think the real hope of about 3 posters is that there must be some way to get the Queen of Motown down to the level of the only other original Supreme - no hits, appearances before 30 seat audiences, having to borrow money!

And please oh please they can't hear about $500000 appearances, more hits, sold tours for years on end, invitations from Lionel Oprah Tyler Taranji smokey berry et al

But facts are facts

**midnightman** · 12-09-2015, 11:38 PM

Originally Posted by copley

Just a final comment for now. When Dolly & Lionel played Glastonbury both achieved huge album sales in the UK. 'Blue Smoke - The Best of Dolly Parton' double CD reached #2. Lionel went one better this year and made #1 with a re-entry of Lionel Richie & The Commodores: 'The Definitive Collection'. If Diana wanted some big time chart action in the UK it's 99.9% guaranteed to happen if she was to appear at Glastonbury. Of course I don't really think that she gives a damn as she's got nothing to prove. She is probably very happy living in semi retirement doing what she wants when she wants!

WELL she's a new-ish grandmother now so that is probably taking much of her time. Then again, Diana stopped doing really big things after that tour to be honest.

**midnightman** · 12-09-2015, 11:40 PM

Originally Posted by marv2

She did the Jamaican Jazz Festival in 2008, but that didn't go so good. They booed her off the stage.

Oh my God, I forgot about that one. I think I remember people talking about it on the old SDF site!

**midnightman** · 12-09-2015, 11:41 PM

Originally Posted by marv2

I think you are right now the money Midnightman. In fact, I've heard people refer to Lionel Richie as "the black Barry Manilow"! LOL! it's partly his fault too.

Yep. He was the unfunkiest black man of the 1980s. LOL and yep you're right, he was indeed the black Manilow.

**marv2** · 12-09-2015, 11:44 PM

Originally Posted by midnightman

Oh my God, I forgot about that one. I think I remember people talking about it on the old SDF site!

They had many videos of "the event" on Youtube and TMZ! TMZ should have moderated their comments section because those Jamaicans roasted Diana over coals something awful. LOL!

**marv2** · 12-09-2015, 11:45 PM

Originally Posted by midnightman

Yep. He was the unfunkiest black man of the 1980s. LOL and yep you're right, he was indeed the black Manilow.

It was a stark contrast to the Lionel Richie of the Commodores and the arena concerts I saw them do in the 70s. They were funky then.

**marv2** · 12-09-2015, 11:47 PM

Originally Posted by midnightman

WELL she's a new-ish grandmother now so that is probably taking much of her time. Then again, Diana stopped doing really big things after that tour to be honest.

I think THAt tour had a more devastating effect to her career than some of her fans like to admit or even accept.

**midnightman** · 12-10-2015, 04:20 AM

Originally Posted by marv2

They had many videos of "the event" on Youtube and TMZ! TMZ should have moderated their comments section because those Jamaicans roasted Diana over coals something awful. LOL!

Yeah I googled it. I forgot how bad it was. But that's what you get when you don't want the big screens on ya lol

**midnightman** · 12-10-2015, 04:21 AM

Originally Posted by marv2

It was a stark contrast to the Lionel Richie of the Commodores and the arena concerts I saw them do in the 70s. They were funky then.

Yeah. Makes you think what happened lol but I guess as Lionel began to make money off those ballads, he figured he would make peanuts doing funky R&B stuff. A shame but it kinda shows you where he was at at the time [[and now). It was more about money and stardom than it was music. Lionel was addicted to it.

**midnightman** · 12-10-2015, 04:22 AM

Originally Posted by marv2

I think THAt tour had a more devastating effect to her career than some of her fans like to admit or even accept.

Yeah. I think that tour threw her in a tailspin... even her family said she was struggling for a while because of it.

**Bluebrock** · 12-10-2015, 06:22 AM

Final word - If Diana wanted to do Glastonbury she would do it. Virtually anyone who is anyone has played this festival over the past 40 years. Just google the guest lists over the years if anyone in the USA does not believe me, but the fact remains Diana does not want to do Glastonbury. The organisers ask her every year and every year she says no. Glastonbury is a very big deal. Beyoncé said it was the highlight of her career so let's not pretend that Diana would be lowering herself by playing there. The demand for her to play Glastonbury is immense but it won't happen because she does not wish to do it. End of story.

**midnightman** · 12-10-2015, 07:18 AM

Yeah, like I said, if she really wanted to do it, she would. She just don't want to.

**Bluebrock** · 12-10-2015, 07:56 AM

Originally Posted by midnightman

Yeah, like I said, if she really wanted to do it, she would. She just don't want to.

100% correct midnightman.

Same goes for the Producers of "Empire" pursuing her. If she wanted to do it she would but she does not want to.

**Roberta75** · 12-10-2015, 09:37 AM

Originally Posted by Bluebrock

Final word - If Diana wanted to do Glastonbury she would do it. Virtually anyone who is anyone has played this festival over the past 40 years. Just google the guest lists over the years if anyone in the USA does not believe me, but the fact remains Diana does not want to do Glastonbury. The organisers ask her every year and every year she says no. Glastonbury is a very big deal. Beyoncé said it was the highlight of her career so let's not pretend that Diana would be lowering herself by playing there. The demand for her to play Glastonbury is immense but it won't happen because she does not wish to do it. End of story.

Thank you for your classy and honest response dear Bluebrock. Miss Ross and Mr Ritchie are still real big draws on the concert circuitts and theres no need for people here to be disrespecting them or rehashing old stories from decades Ago.

Fondly,

Roberta

**marybrewster** · 12-10-2015, 10:07 AM

Originally Posted by jobucats

One of my favorite things to do lately on Facebook and on this board is to see who will write the first "Debbie Downer" comment as a response to a post that's intending to be positive.

Hold your entries. We have a winner[[s).

I reread the article just to see if I may have been premature in my criticism of Lionel.

Nope. Still sounds desperate.

**Ollie9** · 12-10-2015, 12:51 PM

I think she will do it.... I'm saving half my pocket money a week in anticipation.

**jobeterob** · 12-11-2015, 11:47 AM

Does the artist normally get paid to do this show?

**Bluebrock** · 12-11-2015, 12:30 PM

Originally Posted by jobeterob

Does the artist normally get paid to do this show?

Yes they do. It is a good pay day but it is more lucrative because of all the publicity over Europe where the festival is broadcast live, so the potential audience is massive and of course this means extra sales whether it be physical or downloads.
Despite this Diana Ross will not be participating anytime soon unless she has a big change of heart. If she is to travel overseas she would prefer more intimate private gigs which of course pay handsomely but do not provide the same amount of publicity.

**jobeterob** · 12-11-2015, 01:25 PM

Originally Posted by Bluebrock

Yes they do. It is a good pay day but it is more lucrative because of all the publicity over Europe where the festival is broadcast live, so the potential audience is massive and of course this means extra sales whether it be physical or downloads.
Despite this Diana Ross will not be participating anytime soon unless she has a big change of heart. If she is to travel overseas she would prefer more intimate private gigs which of course pay handsomely but do not provide the same amount of publicity.

It's been a long time since she's been to Europe. Travelling wears on people as they age. But she did make the trek to India. So she might........

However she doesn't seem to respond to public pleas to make appearance in movies and here and there ~ so I wouldn't expect the public plea to push this high up her list.

But she basically does have a show ready; all she would need to do is insert I'm Still Waiting and a couple of the other big European hits.

**marv2** · 12-11-2015, 01:30 PM

Originally Posted by jobeterob

It's been a long time since she's been to Europe. Travelling wears on people as they age. But she did make the trek to India. So she might........

However she doesn't seem to respond to public pleas to make appearance in movies and here and there ~ so I wouldn't expect the public plea to push this high up her list.

But she basically does have a show ready; all she would need to do is insert I'm Still Waiting and a couple of the other big European hits.

Problem is, it is the SAME show that she's had ready for 30 odd years! She's working like a dog here in the States, she might as well go and get the money.

**TheMotownManiac** · 12-11-2015, 03:20 PM

One would think that, after 50 years, people would realize Diana does what she wants and doesn't care how it looks to others. To most, The Wiz seemed a bad idea, but she wanted it and rejected A Star Is Born, The Bodyguard and The Main Event, but liked doing The Wiz and that's that. If she chooses to play small theaters that seat 1500 instead of Glastonberry which is huge, it's how she feels about it. She did several European arena tours after 2000 that sold out everywhere, but hasn't been in 7 years, yet she plays the same smaller venues over and over in The US or does arenas in Asia and South America. Why would she choose to fly to Japan and Singapore but not England or Holland?
She only did her Hawaii shows because of the wedding and all four sold out - yet will not go back.

I'll never figure her out and don't even try.