This is the true story behind “My Love,” the quiet 80s song that helped Lionel Richie begin his life as a solo singer.
“Will you still love me… if it is just me?”
The answer was “yes,” and one of the clearest proofs is a gentle little song called “My Love.”
“My Love” is soft rock with a country heart. It has that warm piano sound, a slow sway, and lyrics that feel like a thank-you letter to the person who never gave up on you.
There is another quiet detail: the harmony voice you hear is country legend Kenny Rogers. Just two years earlier, Lionel wrote “Lady” for him. On this track, they meet again, blending pop, soul, and country into something that feels like a long hug you did not know you needed.
Back then, “My Love” climbed into the Top 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed at No. 1 on Adult Contemporary radio. Today, it feels less like a “hit” and more like a time machine to a softer 80s world.
Lionel Richie – My Love
Before “My Love” proved that Lionel Richie’s solo album had staying power, there was the song that started it all: “Truly.” This was his first single as a solo artist, the moment he stood in front of the world without The Commodores and said, “This is who I am now.” It went all the way to No. 1 in the United States and even won him a Grammy for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, so it was not just a hit, it was a statement.
Lionel Richie – Truly
Right after the gentle world of “My Love” and “Truly,” he took a sharp turn. In 1983, he brought out a song that sounded like a street party where every country was invited. It turned him from “soft voice from the Commodores” into a true global superstar.