Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan’s Friendship: A Look at How It Has Evolved Since American Idol

Luke Bryan is not only a friend of Lionel Richie, but also an avid admirer. During the 2016 Grammy Awards, Bryan joined John Legend, Demi Lovato, Tyrese Gibson and Meghan Trainor to perform some of Richie’s greatest hits, with the Grammy winner himself joining them to sing “All Night Long”. In May 2022, Bryan honored his fellow “American Idol” judge by performing “Lady” at the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize ceremony. After his performance, Bryan shared a video of him embracing Richie, captioning it with a loving message. A year later, Richie surprised fans at one of Bryan’s concerts in return.