Lionel Richie
"Tuskege"
© Mercury
February 16 - 22, 2025
Year of Release: 2012
Rating:
You Are
(with Blake Shelton)
Say You Say Me
(with Jason Aldean)
Stuck On You
(with Darius Rucker)
Deep River Woman
(with Little Big Town)
My Love
(with Kenny Chesney)
Dancing On The Ceiling
(with Rascal Flatts)
Hello
(with Jennifer Nettles)
Sail On
(with Tim McGraw)
Endless Love
(with Shania Twain)
Just For You
(with Billy Currington)
Lady
(with Kenny Rogers)
Easy
(with Willie Nelson)
All Night Long
(with Jimmy Buffett)
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In 2012, Lionel Richie recorded his previous hits as Country, releasing the album Tuskegee. What made this
album even more interesting, was that each song were duets - Lionel Richie and a popular Country artist/group: Blake
Shelton, Jason Aldean, Darius Rucker, Little Big Town, Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts, Jennifer Nettles, Tim McGraw,
Shania Twain, Billy Currington, Kenny Rogers, Willie Nelson, Jimmy Buffett. But, do all of the songs SOUND Country?
"You Are" (with Blake Shelton) - The original has always been one of Lionel's best. His Country version
is very good, however, it has more of a Pop sound than what you were expecting to sound as as a "true country" version.
Nothing wrong with it, but, if you're expecting a Country sound, it's not. Another great original Lionel Richie song,
"Say You Say Me" (with Jason Aldean), the Country version is way different than the original. It does fit Country
so to speak. With it sounding way different than the original, it is done well here. "Stuck On You" (with Darius
Rucker) is another great sounding version. Both Lionel and Darius sing it well together. "Deep River Woman"
(with Little Big Town) gets a big WOW! The harmonies are superb.
"My Love" (with Kenny Chesney) is one of lesser popular songs that I remembered originally. It's different
than the original (of course), It's good to hear both Lionel and Kenny switch off on the verses, and join in on the
choruses and throughout. On "Dancing On The Ceiling" (with Rascal Flatts), it does get more Country, and with the
energy that this song has from its original, that energy gets Countryfied here. Excellent! "Hello" (with Jennifer
Nettles) is a beautiful song originally. And the Country version (yes, it does fit Country), is another beautiful version,
with Jennifer (of Sugarland). "Sail On" (with Tim McGraw), (orignally by The Commodores) gets the Country sound, and
this one really works well. And again, it's great to hear both Lionel and Tim switch on the verses and joining together.
"Endless Love" (with Shania Twain) is good, however the orignal (Lionel and Diana Ross) would have to be the
better of the two. "Just For You" (with Billy Currington) is the title track from Lionel's 2004, so this song is
most likely not remembered as his other hits. (Lionel had recorded studio albums after Dancing In The Ceiling;
where that album had hits from it that everyone remembered. He recorded six studio albums before Tuskegee.
"Just For You" has more of a Pop sound (as many of the songs througout this album). "Lady" was written
by Lionel Richie, yet most famous by Kenny Rogers. And there wouldn't be any other artist to duet with Lionel on this song,
it would just have to be Kenny. A beautiful version here, yet Kenny shines better on this one, just as he did on the
original version. "Easy" (originally by The Commodores) (with Willie Nelson) - the original certainly received
more popularity after it was recorded. The original is never tiring. With Willie, this song you would think would be
out of his league. However, he does very with with Lionel on this version. Is it Country sounding? Not really, but,
like many "Pop sounding than Country songs" on this album, it works. And ending the album is "All Night Long" (with
Jimmy Buffett). Truly another most memorable song from Lionel Richie's career. It has that "Jimmy Buffett Sound,"
and what a great way to end this album, with a Lionel Richie classic, Countryfied.
Lionel Richie's Tuskegee was named after the Alabama city where Richie was born, and later, he completed his
undergraduate degree at Tuskegee Institute. All of the songs on this album are more Pop, yet there are the Country sounds
sprinkled throughout. Tuskegee is a great album; it's Lionel Richie, and giving each of his well-known songs a
different approach, Country style. In "Today's Country," the Pop/Country heard on Tuskegee would easily fit.
Tuskegee is a great album for Lionel Richie fans, and Country fans alike. In 2018, he would join the judges on
American Idol, looking for the next big talent. Unfortunately, I stopped watching the show, due to lack of talent.
However, the judges, with Lionel, Katy Perry, and Luke Bryan were good judges to watch, for the time I did go back and try
to watch the show. Now, Carrie Underwood (an American Idol winner (Season 4), is replacing Katy Perry in 2025.
Lionel Richie is a legend. His popular songs as Country works well on Tuskegee. As mentioned, for fans of
Richie and Country alike, this is an album worth listening to, and enjoyable.
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