Lionel Richie pauses tour schedule following hospitalization and heart procedure

The 77-year-old singer’s representative says the procedure went well as Richie takes time to recover before returning to the stage.

Lionel Richie’s health has now affected his tour three times this year, and this round required an operation.

PEOPLE reported that the 77-year-old was hospitalized this week and underwent a procedure to treat atrial fibrillation. A representative told the outlet that the doctor described the operation as having gone perfectly, adding that Richie is doing great but will take time away before returning to the stage.

The immediate consequence is three canceled performances. Shows with Earth, Wind & Fire scheduled for Sept. 26 in San Francisco, Sept. 30 in Chicago and Oct. 2 in Columbus, Ohio, are off the calendar.

The condition itself is common and treatable. Atrial fibrillation involves an irregular rhythm originating in the heart’s upper chambers, and the standard treatment, an ablation, is minimally invasive. It works by creating scar tissue that interrupts the faulty electrical signals driving the irregular rhythm, which also reduces stroke risk.

What makes the news notable is the pattern preceding it. Richie checked himself into a hospital in late August following a St. Louis performance and spent three days there, including time in the ICU undergoing cardiac testing. He was released Sept. 2 and reported as doing well. Before that, he cut a June concert short after telling the crowd he felt dizzy, then postponed two dates to recover.

He had appeared to be back on solid footing. Over the weekend, Richie was photographed smiling outside Mr. Chow in Beverly Hills at a dinner party with his girlfriend, Lisa Parigi, his first public sighting since the August hospitalization.

Richie has handled the year’s setbacks with characteristic humor and gratitude. Returning to the stage on June 30, he joked about the advice friends had thrown at him in the preceding 24 hours. In July he posted thanks to fans for their messages, writing that he was doing well and grateful for the support.

No timeline has been given for his return, and remaining tour dates beyond the canceled three have not been addressed.