Lionel Richie & Earth, Wind & Fire Light Up Hard Rock Live — And the Surprising Jewish Connections in Lionel’s Family

Earth, Wind & Fire Set the Tone

Earth, Wind & Fire opened the night with a string of fan favorites, including: “Let’s Groove,” “September,” “Boogie Wonderland,” “Fantasy” and “Shining Star.” Their energy set the stage perfectly for Lionel’s entrance.

Lionel Richie Takes Over

Lionel followed with a set of his big hits. Although he performs solo now, he was once a lead singer of The Commodores. His biggest songs include: “Three Times a Lady,” “All Night Long (All Night),” “Endless Love” (with Diana Ross) and “Hello.”

Crowd Reaction

The crowd clearly loved both acts. Melissa Rubin of Miami said of the concert, “It was beyond my expectations. I had seen Earth, Wind & Fire before, but not Lionel Richie. Both of them were great.”

Wendy Peters of Delray Beach was all smiles after the concert. She said, “The concert was phenomenal. We saw them both performing together last year. Earth, Wind & Fire has so much energy, and the crowd was fired up. Three original singers are still with the group.”

Wendy added, “I loved when Lionel Richie was talking with the crowd. I had tears in my eyes when Lionel paid tribute to his late friend and singer Kenny Rogers. It was so exciting when Lionel sang “We are the World.” I enjoyed every minute of the concert.”

Madeleine Romanello of Miami said, “It was unbelievable how they are so good and better than their records. It was two big stars which made it special as it was 2 for 1. I love music from the 1970s and 1980s. I also loved hearing Lionel Richie talking about Live Aid as that brought back great memories of these movements of people coming together.”

Family Matters — And a Surprising Jewish Connection

Family has always been central to Lionel Richie’s life. His classic song “Three Times a Lady” was inspired by a toast his father gave to Lionel’s mother at their 37th wedding anniversary.

Learning how important family is to Lionel led me to research the Jewish connections within his family, which many fans at Hard Rock likely did not know.

Lionel has three children: Nicole Richie, 44, Miles Richie, 32 and Sofia Richie Grainge, 27

There has long been confusion about whether Lionel’s second wife, Diane Alexander (mother of Miles and Sofia), is Jewish. Some people claim she is, but there is no confirmed evidence.

Sofia Richie Grainge

Sofia has been in the public eye since her teens. She dated actor Scott Disick, who is Jewish, for three years. Their relationship drew heavy paparazzi attention, especially because Scott was a figure on Keeping Up with the Kardashians. Sofia and Scott were often seen vacationing with the Kardashian family.

Seven months after that relationship ended, Sofia began dating Elliot Grainge, a Jewish music executive. Elliot is the son of Sir Lucian Grainge, Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group since 2010. Once again, the paparazzi followed Sofia closely.

In April 2022, Sofia announced her engagement to Elliot. Although she was born Christian, she chose to convert to Judaism before the wedding. She told Vogue:

“It was very important to Elliot’s family and to me, now that I have converted, that it be a traditional Jewish ceremony.”

Sofia and Elliot were married on April 22, 2023, in Antibes, France, a beautiful city on the French Riviera. Rabbi Thomas Salamon of England officiated. The ceremony included a chuppah and ketubah signing.

Sofia explained that they legally married in the United States just before leaving for France:

“We got married at home with just our parents. We read our vows then because we felt it was very personal — something for just our families to hear.”

Her sister Nicole emceed the event in the United States. Sofia added, “It was hysterical. It was filled with comedy. My dad, Elliot’s dad, and Elliot’s best friend, Jack, gave incredible speeches. It was very sweet—truly unbelievable!” Lionel proudly walked his daughter down the aisle. Sofia and Elliot now have two children and are raising them Jewish. Lionel’s family story adds a fascinating cultural layer to one of America’s most beloved entertainers.

Nicole & Miles Richie

Nicole, Lionel’s oldest, became famous through the reality show “The Simple Life” with Paris Hilton (2003–2007). She has appeared in numerous TV shows and films. She dated DJ Adam Goldstein (DJ AM) for three years, and later married singer Joel Madden. Some people claim Joel has a Jewish mother, but there is no verified evidence.

Miles, Lionel’s middle child, is a model. As with Diane Alexander, some claim she is Jewish, but again, no confirmed proof exists.

A Fun Night at Hard Rock Live

Fans at Hard Rock Live came for the hits — and they got them. But few likely knew about the Jewish connections within Lionel Richie’s family, especially Sofia’s conversion and her traditional Jewish wedding. Lionel Richie and Earth, Wind & Fire continues to bring joy to audiences worldwide.

Neil Keller is a Jewish historian. Visit www.NeilKeller.com to learn who is Jewish.

Photo credits to Wendy Peters.