Brenda Harvey-Richie Once Got Arrested after She Found Her Husband Cheating – Who Is Lionel Richie's First Wife?

Brenda Harvey-Richie left her small-town beginnings in her rear mirror when getting hitched to rising star Lionel Richie. The couple's relationship broke down in the late eighties after she caught the singer cheating.

Brenda Harvey-Richie is a CEO and the first wife of Grammy Award winner Brenda Harvey-Richie. Their marriage fizzled after she walked in on him and his mistress, leading to a violent integration involving the authorities.

The former Alabama native now has deep roots in Los Angeles, California, and owns a music publishing company. Following the ugly end of their marriage, the exes repaired the relationship to one of love and support. She is a grandmother of two and an aunty to many.

Who is Brenda Harvey-Richie?

Brenda grew up in Brewton, Alabama, a small Southern town with a population of 5,000. Her mother, Lucille Harvey, was her English and Social Studies teacher at Southern Normal High School, where she graduated in 1970. Marshall Harvey, her father, was a WWII veteran.

She pursued a degree in social work at the historically black private institution, Tuskegee University. It is unclear if she practiced as a social worker after obtaining her degree in 1974.

The Southern Belle is a Virgo and celebrates her birthday on September 2. As of August 1993, Brenda has held the position of CEO and president at BRP Music Publishing Company.

College Sweethearts

Brenda met Tuskegee native Lionel at college, and the pair started dating around the time he went on tour with his music group Commodores. The duo tied the knot a year after Brenda's graduation, on October 18, 1975.

Lionel admits that while he and Brenda did not agree much, the couple agreed on their daughter.

A source close to the pair claims the college sweethearts were estranged for some time before they split for good after 18 years. Lionel filed for divorce in 1988 following an ugly altercation between himself, Brenda, and his mistress.

Brenda and Lionel Richie's Daughter was a 'Godsend'

Nicole Richie was born into an unstable household on September 21, 1981. Her biological parents, Karen Moss and Peter Escovedo, a drummer who briefly toured with Lionel, agreed to let her stay with their friends, the Richies, when she was three. Lionel told PEOPLE:

"Nicole was actually a godsend. She was a little girl who needed a shot. She was used to people coming and going. She looked at me, and I'd say, 'I'm not going anywhere.'"

The little girl was the superstar's grounding force, and they officially adopted her when she was nine. Lionel admits that while he and Brenda did not agree much, the couple agreed on their daughter.

Brenda Harvey-Richie's Scandal

Brenda found her crooner husband in the arms of a family friend, Diane Alexander, during the early hours of June 29, 1988. Brenda reportedly kicked her husband in the "stomach area" and beat his mistress. A neighbor alleges seeing the singer on frequent visits to the dancer.

Police were called in after the commotion of screaming and breaking glass alerted neighbors. The scorned wife was charged with "corporal injury to a spouse, resisting arrest, trespassing, vandalism, battery and disturbing the peace." A witness of the arrest claims:

"They had to push her down on her chest on the ground to get the cuffs on her. She kept screaming for Diane to help her; she kept screaming, 'Diane, don't let them do this to me. Please, Diane.'”

Is Brenda Harvey-Richie a Real Housewife?

The CEO tweeted in support of friend Kathy Hilton who made a divisive appearance on Bravo's "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills." She corrected fans that implied her friend of 34 years had a tantrum. Her tweets sparked interest in her RHOBH involvement, which she shot down:

"I was asked to be on that Show when it first started…….NO WAY…..!!! I really don’t watch any of the House Wives Shows, only a few of this one when I heard what they were doing to Kathy the last 2 weeks."

The mom defended her own child's reality show tenure with Kathy's daughter Paris Hilton, lauding "The Simple Life" as a funny show that she insisted was "not mean-spirited.."

Lionel Richie's Relationships After Brenda

Lionel and Alexander are rumored to have met at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, where they both performed. She appeared in the video of his smash hit, "Dancing on the Ceiling." The couple welcomed their son Miles on May 27, 1994, and married the following year.

Divorce Magazine cites "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for their union's 2005 delusion. Their daughter Sofia Richie was born on August 24, 1998. Miles is a model signed with Wilhelmina, and his sister followed his example with major campaigns like Adidas.

Over the years, Lionel and Brenda found a happy medium to co-parent their daughter and are still in each other's lives. He shared his Mother's Day itinerary with Us Weekly in 2019, which comprised a busy day of sending flowers, dinners, and a mini-family reunion with his first wife.

The "American Idol" judge has been in a long-term relationship with model and designer Lisa Parigi since 2014. The couple is reserved about their relationship and rarely walks the red carpet together. "Lisa kind of makes everything feel a bit safe," he said in an interview.