John Legend is an American singer, songwriter, pianist, record producer, and actor. He gained recognition through collaborations with artists like Lauryn Hill, Jay-Z, and Alicia Keys before signing with Kanye West's GOOD Music. His debut album, "Get Lifted" (2004), achieved both critical and commercial success, reaching the top ten of the Billboard 200 and going double platinum. The album featured his breakthrough hit "Ordinary People."
1965: Selma to Montgomery Marches
The historic Selma to Montgomery marches for voting rights took place in 1965. These events served as the backdrop for the film "Selma" and its powerful theme song, "Glory," co-written and performed by John Legend.
December 28, 1978: Birth of John Legend
John Roger Stephens, who would later be known as John Legend, was born on December 28, 1978.
1991: Original "Beauty and the Beast" Release
The animated Disney classic "Beauty and the Beast," featuring the iconic title track sung by Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson, was released in 1991. This film inspired a live-action remake in 2017, for which John Legend and Ariana Grande recorded a new version of the title song.
1998: "One of Us" and Collegiate Recognition
In 1998, John Legend's a cappella group, the Counterparts, gained recognition for their rendition of "One of Us." The song was featured on the "Best of Collegiate a Cappella" compilation CD.
1999: Graduation from University of Pennsylvania
John Legend graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania in 1999 with a degree in English and a focus on African-American literature.
2000: Independent Music Releases
After graduating, John Legend worked as a management consultant while independently releasing his self-titled demo in 2000.
2001: Meeting Kanye West and Stage Name Origin
In 2001, John Legend was introduced to Kanye West and began working with him. It was during this time that poet J. Ivy suggested the stage name "John Legend" based on his "old-school" sound.
2001: Live Album and Early Career
John Legend released his live album "Live at Jimmy's Uptown" in 2001, which he sold at his shows while working on his demo and sending it to record labels.
December 2004: Release and Success of "Get Lifted"
John Legend's debut album, "Get Lifted," was released in December 2004 under Kanye West's label, GOOD Music. The album achieved both critical and commercial success, reaching number seven on the Billboard 200 and earning platinum certification.
2004: Debut Album and Early Success
In 2004, John Legend released his debut album, "Get Lifted," which reached the top ten of the Billboard 200. The album went double platinum and featured the hit song "Ordinary People."
2004: Early Life and Family Background
In 2004, John Legend shared that his parents had divorced when he was young but later reunited. He also spoke about being homeschooled and his early musical beginnings, starting with piano at age four.
2004: Alleged Song Demo Sharing
According to songwriter Anthony Stokes, he shared a demo of his song "Where Are You Now" with John Legend in 2004 following a concert at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This event became a point of contention in a later copyright lawsuit.
2005: Benefit Concert in Springfield
In 2005, John Legend held a benefit concert in Springfield, Ohio, to support a tax levy aimed at aiding the Springfield City School District.
August 2006: Notable Appearances and Collaborations
In August 2006, John Legend made a guest appearance on Sesame Street, performing a duet with Hoots the Owl. He also performed at Super Bowl XL and the NBA All-Star Game that year.
October 2006: Once Again Album Release
In October 2006, John Legend released his second studio album, "Once Again," which he co-wrote and co-produced. The album featured collaborations with artists like Kanye West and will.i.am and achieved significant commercial success, reaching number three on the Billboard 200.
2006: Meeting Chrissy Teigen
John Legend and Chrissy Teigen first met in 2006 on the set of his music video for "Stereo".
2006: Release of "Once Again"
John Legend released his second studio album, "Once Again," in 2006, which featured the popular single "Save Room."
2006: Grammy Awards and Recognition
John Legend's album "Get Lifted" won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album in 2006. He also won awards for Best New Artist and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.
2006: Release of "Maxine's Interlude"
John Legend's song "Maxine's Interlude" was released as part of his album "Once Again" in 2006. This song later became the subject of a copyright lawsuit.
May 2007: Partnership with Tide
John Legend partnered with Tide in May 2007 to raise awareness for families affected by Hurricane Katrina in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana.
July 7, 2007: Live Earth Performance
John Legend performed his song "Ordinary People" at the Live Earth concert in London on July 7, 2007.
2007: Songwriters Hall of Fame Award
John Legend received the Hal David Starlight Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2007.
2007: Grammy Awards Recognition
At the 2007 Grammy Awards, John Legend's song "Heaven" won the award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. His single "Save Room" was nominated for Best Male Pop Vocal. He also received a Grammy for his collaboration on "Family Affair" with Sly & the Family Stone.
January 2008: "Yes We Can" and "Soul Men"
John Legend participated in a will.i.am-produced video for Barack Obama's campaign titled "Yes We Can" in January 2008. That same year, he played a supporting role as the deceased lead singer of a fictional soul group in the movie "Soul Men," starring alongside Samuel L. Jackson and Bernie Mac.
March 30, 2008: WrestleMania Performance
On March 30, 2008, John Legend performed "America the Beautiful" at WWE's WrestleMania XXIV in front of a capacity crowd at the Orlando Citrus Bowl (now known as Camping World Stadium).
2008: Musical Exploration and Collaborations
In 2008, John Legend released his third studio album, "Evolver," which featured the hit single "Green Light." He also released a live album and collaborated with the Roots on the album "Wake Up!".
2008: Touring for Sustainable Development
John Legend embarked on a tour in early 2008 with Alexus Ruffin and Professor Jeff Sachs, advocating for sustainable development.
2009: HIV/AIDS Awareness Campaign
John Legend allowed the AIDS Service Center NYC to remix his song "If You're Out There" in 2009 for a music video promoting HIV/AIDS awareness and testing.
2009: Appearance in "The People Speak"
John Legend made an appearance in the documentary film "The People Speak" in 2009. The film, inspired by Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States," uses dramatic and musical performances to bring to life the words of ordinary Americans throughout history.
January 22, 2010: Performance for Hope for Haiti Now
John Legend sang "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child" on the "Hope for Haiti Now" telethon on January 22, 2010.
September 8, 2010: Joining Teach for America
John Legend became a member of Teach for America's national board on September 8, 2010.
September 9, 2010: Tribute Performance on Colbert Report
John Legend performed "Coming Home" on the Colbert Report on September 9, 2010, as a tribute to US troops involved in Iraq.
September 21, 2010: Release of "Wake Up!"
John Legend and The Roots released their collaborative album, "Wake Up!," on September 21, 2010. The album featured the single "Wake Up Everybody" with Melanie Fiona and Common.
November 2010: Collaboration on "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy"
John Legend was featured on Kanye West's album "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" in November 2010, lending his vocals to the track "Blame Game."
2010: Collaboration with The Roots
John Legend's collaborative album with the Roots, titled "Wake Up!," was released in 2010.
February 2011: Grammy Wins for "Wake Up!"
At the 53rd Annual Grammy Music Awards in February 2011, John Legend won Best R&B Song for "Shine." He also won awards for Best R&B Album and Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance for "Hang On in There" with The Roots.
March 2011: NAACP Image Awards for "Wake Up!"
John Legend and The Roots were honored with two NAACP Image Awards in March 2011 for their album "Wake Up!" They received awards for Outstanding Album and Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration.
July 5, 2011: Copyright Infringement Lawsuit
Songwriter Anthony Stokes filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against John Legend on July 5, 2011. Stokes alleged that Legend's song "Maxine's Interlude" from his album "Once Again" (2006) infringed on his demo "Where Are You Now," which he claimed to have shared with Legend in 2004.
December 2011: Engagement to Chrissy Teigen
John Legend and Chrissy Teigen got engaged in December 2011.
2011: Tour with Sade and Work on "Love in the Future"
In 2011, John Legend embarked on a 50-date tour as a guest performer with the British soul band Sade. During this tour, he revealed he was working on a new album, later titled "Love in the Future." He aimed to create a modern soul album, drawing inspiration from classic elements.
2011: Contribution to Red Hot + Rio 2
John Legend contributed the track "Love I've Never Known" to the Red Hot Organization's album "Red Hot+Rio 2" in 2011, supporting the fight against AIDS/HIV.
March 6, 2012: Appointment to Young Global Leaders Forum
John Legend was appointed to the World Economic Forum's Forum of Young Global Leaders on March 6, 2012.
May 12, 2012: Honorary Doctorate from Howard University
John Legend received an Honorary Doctorate Degree from Howard University during their 144th Commencement Exercises on May 12, 2012.
May 24, 2012: Debut of "Duets"
John Legend joined Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Nettles, and Robin Thicke as a judge on the ABC music competition show "Duets," which premiered on May 24, 2012. He replaced Lionel Richie, who had scheduling conflicts.
June 1, 2013: Performance for Gucci's "Chime for Change"
John Legend performed at Gucci's "Chime for Change" concert in London on June 1, 2013, advocating for women's rights in education, health, and justice.
September 3, 2013: Release of "Love in the Future"
John Legend's fourth studio album, "Love in the Future," was released on September 3, 2013. It debuted at number 4 on the Billboard 200 and received a Grammy nomination for Best R&B album.
September 14, 2013: Marriage to Chrissy Teigen
John Legend and Chrissy Teigen got married on September 14, 2013, in Como, Italy.
2013: Release of "Love in the Future"
John Legend's fourth studio album, "Love in the Future," was released in 2013. It featured the hit single "All of Me," which topped the Billboard Hot 100.
2014: Success of "All of Me"
In 2014, John Legend's single "All of Me," dedicated to his wife Chrissy Teigen, achieved international success, topping the Billboard Hot 100 and other charts globally. It became one of the best-selling digital singles and was performed at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards.
2014: "Glory" for the Film "Selma"
John Legend collaborated with Common to write "Glory" for the film "Selma" in 2014. The song, reflecting on the 1965 Selma to Montgomery marches, earned them both a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for Best Original Song.
2014: FREEAMERICA Campaign Launch
John Legend established the FREEAMERICA campaign in 2014, focusing on reforming the US incarceration system.
February 1, 2015: Super Bowl XLIX Performance
John Legend delivered a performance of "America the Beautiful" during the opening ceremony of Super Bowl XLIX on February 1, 2015.
February 22, 2015: "Glory" Performance at the Academy Awards
John Legend and Common performed their Oscar-winning song "Glory" at the 87th Academy Awards on February 22, 2015.
2015: Collaboration with Meghan Trainor
In 2015, John Legend collaborated with Meghan Trainor on her single "Like I'm Gonna Lose You," which reached number seven on the charts.
2015: Academy Award and Golden Globe Win
John Legend, along with Common, won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and a Golden Globe Award for their single "Glory" from the film "Selma" in 2015.
April 2016: Birth of Daughter
John Legend and Chrissy Teigen's first child, a daughter, was born in April 2016.
October 9, 2016: Performance at John Legend Theater
John Legend performed at the newly renovated John Legend Theater in Springfield, Ohio, on October 9, 2016.
December 2, 2016: Release of "Darkness and Light"
John Legend released his album "Darkness and Light" on December 2, 2016. The album features collaborations with artists such as Chance the Rapper and Miguel.
2016: NAACP President's Award
John Legend received the NAACP President's Award in 2016.
2016: Departure from GOOD Music
John Legend released his fifth album, "Darkness and Light," in 2016 and left Kanye West's label, GOOD Music.
April 2017: Premiere of "Crow: The Legend"
The prologue for the animated short film "Crow: The Legend," featuring John Legend as the voice of Crow, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in April 2017. Legend also executive produced the film and performed the original song "When You Can Fly."
December 19, 2017: Casting in Jesus Christ Superstar
On December 19, 2017, John Legend was cast as the lead in a live production of Jesus Christ Superstar, set to air on NBC.
2017: Advocacy for Humane Drug Policy
John Legend co-signed a letter to the UN Secretary-General in 2016, urging for a more humane approach to drug policies.
2017: Tony Award for "Jitney"
John Legend won a Tony Award as a co-producer of the Broadway play "Jitney" in 2017.
May 8, 2018: New Google Assistant Voice
On May 8, 2018, Google added John Legend's voice as one of six new options for the Google Assistant.
May 2018: Birth of Son
John Legend and Chrissy Teigen's second child, a son, was born in May 2018.
2018: Emmy Awards and EGOT Status
In 2018, John Legend achieved EGOT status by winning an Emmy Award for his role as a producer of "Jesus Christ Superstar."
2018: Appearance in "Crow: The Legend"
John Legend starred in "Crow: The Legend," an animated VR short film directed by Eric Darnell, in 2018.
2018: Support for Florida Amendment 4
John Legend showed his support for Florida Amendment 4 in 2018, aiming to restore voting rights to Floridians with felony convictions.
2018: Release of "A Legendary Christmas"
John Legend released his first Christmas album, "A Legendary Christmas," in 2018.
2018: "Crow: The Legend" Success at Film Festivals
"Crow: The Legend" enjoyed success at various film festivals in 2018, including the LA Film Festival. It garnered awards, including Best Animation VR Experience at the Raindance Film Festival and a nomination for Best Virtual Reality Production at the Annie Awards.
May 21, 2019: The Voice Victory
John Legend secured a win as a coach on The Voice with artist Maelyn Jarmon on May 21, 2019.
May 13, 2020: Bigger Love Announcement
On May 13, 2020, John Legend revealed the title of his upcoming seventh album, "Bigger Love".
May 28, 2020: Honorary Doctorate
John Legend received an honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music on May 28, 2020.
2020: Pregnancy Loss
John Legend and Chrissy Teigen experienced the loss of their child at 20 weeks gestation in 2020 due to pregnancy complications.
2020: Release of "Bigger Love"
John Legend's seventh studio album, "Bigger Love," was released in 2020 and later won a Grammy for Best R&B Album.
February 2022: Launch of OurSong
In February 2022, John Legend launched "OurSong," a platform dedicated to music-based NFTs.
April 3, 2022: Performance at Grammy Awards
John Legend performed "Free" at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards on April 3, 2022, dedicating it to Ukrainian citizens affected by the Russo-Ukrainian War.
September 9, 2022: Release of "Legend"
John Legend's eighth studio album, "Legend," was released on September 9, 2022.
2022: Clarification on Pregnancy Loss
In 2022, Chrissy Teigen provided further details about their 2020 pregnancy loss, characterizing it as an abortion necessary to save her life.
2022: Release of "Legend"
John Legend released his ninth studio album, titled "Legend," in 2022.
January 2023: Birth of Daughter
John Legend and Chrissy Teigen welcomed their third child, a daughter, in January 2023.
June 19, 2023: Son's Birth via Surrogacy
John Legend and Chrissy Teigen welcomed their son, born via surrogacy, on June 19, 2023.
June 28, 2023: Birth of Fourth Child
Chrissy Teigen announced the birth of their fourth child, a son, via surrogacy, on June 28, 2023.
April 2024: Support for Joe Biden
John Legend stated his intention to campaign for President Joe Biden again in April 2024.