Lionel Richie is pulling back the curtain on his decades-long friendship with Michael Jackson — quirks and all.
In his just-released memoir Truly, the Grammy-winning singer shares never-before-heard stories about his eccentric collaborator, including the surprising origin of Jackson’s unusual nickname, “Smelly.”
According to Richie, producer Quincy Jones often teased the King of Pop with the moniker because of his habit of wearing the same clothes for days. “Michael would laugh too, realizing he was oblivious to the fact that he hadn’t changed or washed his clothes,” Richie recalls.
Richie explains that Jackson’s poor hygiene stemmed less from neglect and more from the challenges of living in a world where everyday tasks like shopping or doing laundry were impossible. On tour, he rotated between ornate stage costumes, pajamas in the studio, or casual jeans that were often ill-fitting — and, sometimes, unwashed.
“He just got into the habit of wearing the same pants until they were unwearable,” Richie writes, adding that fans and staff often kept his belongings as souvenirs, making replacements difficult.
One incident Richie shares saw him handing Jackson a fresh pair of jeans, underwear, and even urging him to shower — only to later discover the pop star had left his discarded clothes on Richie’s carpet “like roadkill.”
For all his eccentricities, Richie emphasizes that Jackson’s genius was undeniable. While he might have been careless in daily life, in music he was unmatched: “He could compare 15 different mixes of the same song and could tell them apart.”
Truly by Lionel Richie is available now wherever books are sold.