At the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival earlier this month, I said, "Well my friends, the time has come to raise the roof and have some fun..." Let us go and see Lionel Richie close down the festival on Sunday!  Everybody sing, everybody dance!   Fiesta, forever!  I just had to see this icon of the 80's, just to see what shape that sweet afro was in, just to hear his pop anthems of childhood, and there were more anthems than you'd think.  And oh what a feelin, we were dancin on the ceiling!  It was Sunday and everyone was at the tail end of a long weekend of music, so he eased us in with "Easy" (like Sunday morning) before busting into funky full band versions of "Brick House" and "Lady (You Bring Me Up)."  I don't think my friends who split realized just how deep his career has been, people around me had no idea he was in The Commodores, a funk force to be reckoned with.  And when Lionel slowed down, hands were held and you reminded you that your girl was once, twice, "Three Times A Lady."  Look, don't get on his case just because of his infamous daughter, or because he cheesed out in the 80's.  Who didn't get a little synth-y back then?  Believe me, if you were there, you would have waved and asked "Hello!  Is it me you're looking for?"  You would have admitted that "Stuck On You" provided a feeling down deep in your soul that you just can't lose.  So many of these songs were irresistible pop pleasures, it looked like everybody was having a ball!   Walking out of the fairgrounds knowing that "everyone you meet, they'll be jammin' in the streets...All Night Long."  Oh, what a feeling!  Guess I'm on my way...mighty glad I stayed. - TK