Lionel Richie back in hospital and undergoes heart procedure with tour dates cancelled

Lionel Richie back in hospital and undergoes heart procedure with tour dates cancelled The next three dates on Richie's tour with the band Earth, Wind & Fire have now been cancelled. Singer Lionel Richie is set to miss more concert dates after returning to hospital. A rep for the All Night Long star, 77, explained that he has had a procedure to treat atrial fibrillation - a condition where the upper chambers of the heart beat irregularly. The next three dates on Richie's demanding live tour with the band Earth, Wind & Fire have now been cancelled. It is the third time in less than three months that Lionel has been admitted into the hospital for heart-related issues. A rep for the singer told Variety: "Lionel underwent a common procedure for Atrial fibrillation. The doctor said everything went perfectly." They added: "Lionel is doing great but will take some time off and will be back on stage soon.” Last month Richie was rushed to an intensive care unit during a live show in St. Louis, USA. He was closing his set with All Night Long when he told the crowd he was feeling "dizzy" and gestured for a stool to be brought onto the stage so he could finish the song sitting down. As a precaution, Richie admitted himself to hospital and underwent tests. Some sources suggested he was temporarily observed in intensive care, while medics examined severe dehydration. Two months earlier he suffered a similar health scare on the opening night of his Sing Along All Night Long tour with Earth, Wind & Fire in June and was taken to hospital. Richie halted proceedings almost an hour into his show, during a performance of Dancing on the Ceiling. He told fans: "When you're feeling dizzy, sit your ass down" before perching on the stairs. He then announced an unscheduled interval but proved unable to continue with his saxophonist, Dino Soldo, telling the audience the performance was being called off. Richie was taken to a nearby hospital by ambulance for assessment and rescheduled his following tour appearances while recuperating. A source said in June that Richie had been determined to give fans the full show they've bought tickets to because he "hates disappointing people". They told the Mail: "Family, friends, and even his bandmates are definitely concerned about Lionel's health, but nobody is about to tell him to slow down. They all want him better and to do what he loves to do. "Right now, Lionel is actually more upset that fans didn't get the full show they paid for than he is about himself and his health. That's where his head is. He hates disappointing people and feels terrible that the concert couldn't continue as planned."