History of John Legend in Timeline
John Legend, born John Roger Stephens, is an accomplished American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He initially gained recognition working behind the scenes for established artists like Lauryn Hill, Jay-Z, and Alicia Keys. He signed with Kanye West's GOOD Music, launching his solo career with the debut album, Get Lifted (2004). This album achieved commercial success, reaching the Billboard 200 top ten, earning double platinum certification, and featuring his breakthrough hit, "Ordinary People."
1965: Selma to Montgomery Marches
In 1965, the Selma to Montgomery marches took place, which would later be chronicled in the film Selma, for which John Legend co-wrote the song "Glory".
December 28, 1978: John Legend's Birth
On December 28, 1978, John Roger Stephens, known professionally as John Legend, was born. He is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist.
1998: Featured on 'Best of Collegiate a Cappella'
In 1998, John Legend's lead vocals on the Counterparts' recording of "One of Us" was featured on the 1998 Best of Collegiate a Cappella compilation CD.
1999: Graduation from University of Pennsylvania
In 1999, John Legend graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Pennsylvania.
2000: Release of Self-Titled Demo Album
In 2000, John Legend released his self-titled demo album independently.
2001: Release of Live at Jimmy's Uptown
In 2001, John Legend released his album Live at Jimmy's Uptown, which he sold at his shows.
2001: Introduction to Kanye West and Stage Name Origin
In 2001, John Legend was introduced to Kanye West. He was given the name John Legend by poet J. Ivy and adopted it as his stage name.
December 2004: Release of 'Get Lifted'
In December 2004, John Legend released his debut studio album, Get Lifted, which debuted at number seven on the US Billboard 200.
2004: Stokes claims demo was given to Legend
In 2004, Anthony Stokes claimed he gave John Legend a demo of his song after a concert, which later led to a copyright lawsuit in 2011.
2004: Release of Debut Album 'Get Lifted'
In 2004, John Legend released his debut studio album, Get Lifted, through GOOD Music. It reached the top ten of the Billboard 200 and was certified double platinum by the RIAA and spawned his first hit song, "Ordinary People".
2004: Parents Reunion
In 2004, John Legend stated that his parents were divorced for 12 years before reuniting.
2005: Different Strokes by Different Folks
In 2005, John Legend collaborated with Sly & the Family Stone, Joss Stone and Van Hunt for his cover of "Family Affair", from the former's remix album, Different Strokes by Different Folks.
2005: Springfield Benefit Concert
In 2005, John Legend performed a benefit concert in Springfield, Ohio, to support a tax levy for the Springfield City School District.
August 2006: Appearance on Sesame Street
In August 2006, John Legend appeared in an episode of Sesame Street, where he performed the song "It Feels Good When You Sing a Song", a duet with Hoots the Owl.
October 2006: Release of 'Once Again' album
In October 2006, John Legend's second album, Once Again, was released and reached number three on the Billboard 200.
2006: Meeting Chrissy Teigen
In 2006, John Legend met Chrissy Teigen while filming the music video for his song "Stereo".
2006: Release of Once Again Album
In 2006, John Legend released his album, Once Again, which would later become the center of a copyright lawsuit.
2006: Grammy Awards for 'Get Lifted'
In 2006, John Legend won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album for Get Lifted, and won two additional awards for Best New Artist and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.
2006: Continued success with 'Once Again'
In 2006, John Legend's second album, Once Again, was met with continued success, supported by the lead single "Save Room".
May 2007: Partnership with Tide
In May 2007, John Legend partnered with Tide to raise awareness for families in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, affected by Hurricane Katrina.
July 7, 2007: Live Earth Concert Performance
On July 7, 2007, John Legend participated in the Live Earth concert in London, performing "Ordinary People".
2007: Grammy Award
In 2007, John Legend won Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for the song "Heaven" at the Grammy Awards. He also won Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for "Family Affair".
2007: Hal David Starlight Award
In 2007, John Legend won the Hal David Starlight Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
January 2008: Appeared in "Yes We Can" Video
In January 2008, John Legend sang in a video for Barack Obama, produced by will.i.am called "Yes We Can".
March 30, 2008: Performed at WrestleMania XXIV
On March 30, 2008, John Legend performed "America the Beautiful" at WWE's WrestleMania XXIV.
2008: Release of 'Evolver' and live album
In 2008, John Legend released his third album, Evolver, which diversified his artistry. That same year, Legend also released the live album John Legend: Live from Philadelphia.
2008: Touring with Alexus Ruffin and Professor Jeff Sachs
In early 2008, John Legend began touring with Alexus Ruffin and Professor Jeff Sachs to promote sustainable development.
2009: Performance in The People Speak
In 2009, John Legend performed in The People Speak, a documentary film based on Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States.
2009: "If You're Out There" Remix for AIDS Awareness
In 2009, John Legend permitted AIDS Service Center NYC to remix his song "If You're Out There" for a music video promoting HIV/AIDS awareness.
January 22, 2010: Hope for Haiti Now Telethon Performance
On January 22, 2010, John Legend performed "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child" on the Hope for Haiti Now telethon show.
September 8, 2010: Joins Teach For America Board
On September 8, 2010, John Legend joined the national board of Teach For America.
September 9, 2010: "Coming Home" Performance on Colbert Report
On September 9, 2010, John Legend performed "Coming Home" on the Colbert Report as a tribute to the end of combat operations in Iraq.
September 21, 2010: Release of Wake Up! with The Roots
On September 21, 2010, John Legend and The Roots released their collaborative album, Wake Up! The first single was "Wake Up Everybody."
November 2010: Featured on Kanye West's Album
In November 2010, John Legend was featured on Kanye West's My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy album, on the song 'Blame Game'.
2010: Release of 'Wake Up!' with The Roots
In 2010, John Legend released the collaborative album, Wake Up!, with Philadelphia-based hip hop band the Roots.
February 2011: Grammy Wins
In February 2011, John Legend won three Grammy Awards, including Best R&B Song for "Shine" and Best R&B Album for "Hang On in There" with The Roots.
March 2011: NAACP Image Awards
In March 2011, John Legend and the Roots won two NAACP Image Awards, one for Outstanding Album (Wake Up!) and one for Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration.
July 5, 2011: Copyright Infringement Lawsuit
On July 5, 2011, songwriter Anthony Stokes filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against John Legend, alleging that "Maxine's Interlude" derived from Stokes' demo "Where Are You Now".
December 2011: Engagement to Chrissy Teigen
In December 2011, John Legend and Chrissy Teigen became engaged.
2011: Contribution to Red Hot+Rio 2
In 2011, John Legend contributed the track "Love I've Never Known" to the Red Hot Organization's album Red Hot+Rio 2.
2011: Touring with Sade and Working on New Album
In 2011, John Legend toured with Sade and confirmed he was working on his next studio album, which would be titled Love in the Future.
March 6, 2012: Appointed as Young Global Leader by World Economic Forum
On March 6, 2012, John Legend was appointed by the World Economic Forum to the Forum of Young Global Leaders.
May 12, 2012: Honorary Doctorate from Howard University
On May 12, 2012, John Legend was granted an honorary doctorate degree from Howard University.
May 24, 2012: Debut as a Judge on Duets
On May 24, 2012, John Legend debuted as a judge on the ABC music show Duets.
June 1, 2013: Performs at Gucci's Chime for Change Concert
On June 1, 2013, John Legend performed at Gucci's global concert event in London for the "Chime for Change" campaign, which aims to raise awareness of women's issues.
September 3, 2013: Love in the Future Album Release
On September 3, 2013, John Legend released his fourth studio album, Love in the Future, which debuted at number 4 on the Billboard 200.
September 14, 2013: Marriage to Chrissy Teigen
On September 14, 2013, John Legend married Chrissy Teigen in Como, Italy.
2013: Release of 'Love in the Future'
In 2013, John Legend's fourth studio album, Love in the Future, was preceded by the hit single "All of Me."
2014: Partnership with Common on "Glory"
In 2014, John Legend collaborated with Common to create the song "Glory" for the film Selma, chronicling the Selma to Montgomery marches.
2014: Founding of FREEAMERICA Campaign
In 2014, John Legend founded the FREEAMERICA campaign, which aims to help reform incarceration in the United States.
2014: Grammy Nomination and Chart Success
In 2014, John Legend's album "Love in the Future" was nominated for Best R&B Album at the Grammy Awards, and his single "All of Me" became an international chart-topper.
February 1, 2015: Super Bowl XLIX Performance
On February 1, 2015, John Legend sang "America the Beautiful" at the opening ceremony of Super Bowl XLIX.
February 22, 2015: Performance at the 87th Academy Awards
On February 22, 2015, John Legend and Common performed "Glory" at the 87th Academy Awards.
2015: Collaboration with Meghan Trainor
In 2015, John Legend co-performed with Meghan Trainor on her single "Like I'm Gonna Lose You", which peaked at number seven on the chart.
2015: Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for "Glory"
In 2015, John Legend won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and Golden Globe Award for his single "Glory" (with Common), which was released for the film Selma.
April 2016: Birth of First Daughter
In April 2016, John Legend and Chrissy Teigen welcomed their first daughter.
October 9, 2016: Performs at the John Legend Theater
On October 9, 2016, John Legend performed at the John Legend Theater.
December 2, 2016: Darkness and Light Album Release
On December 2, 2016, John Legend released his new album Darkness and Light, featuring the single "Love Me Now".
2016: Release of 'Darkness and Light' and departure from GOOD Music
In 2016, John Legend released his fifth album Darkness and Light and departed from GOOD Music.
2016: NAACP President's Award
In 2016, John Legend won the NAACP's President's Award.
April 2017: Crow: The Legend Premiere at Tribeca Film Festival
In April 2017, the short animation film Crow: The Legend, in which John Legend voiced the title character and served as executive producer, premiered its prologue at the Tribeca Film Festival.
December 19, 2017: Cast in Jesus Christ Superstar
On December 19, 2017, it was announced that John Legend would star in the title role of Jesus Christ Superstar.
2017: Named Salem Advocate for Social Justice and Donation to Springfield City School District
In 2017, John Legend was recognized as the inaugural Salem Advocate for Social Justice and donated $500,000 to Springfield City School District.
2017: Tony Award for Jitney
In 2017, John Legend won a Tony Award for co-producing the stage play Jitney.
April 1, 2018: Jesus Christ Superstar Live Broadcast
On April 1, 2018, the live concert production of Jesus Christ Superstar, starring John Legend, was broadcast on NBC television.
May 8, 2018: Google Assistant Voice
On May 8, 2018, John Legend was chosen as one of the new voices for Google Assistant.
May 2018: Birth of First Son
In May 2018, John Legend and Chrissy Teigen welcomed their first son.
2018: EGOT Status
In 2018, John Legend received a Primetime Emmy Award for his role as a producer of Jesus Christ Superstar, making him the first Black male and second youngest recipient of all four of the major American entertainment awards: Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony (EGOT).
2018: Release of 'A Legendary Christmas'
In 2018, John Legend released A Legendary Christmas.
2018: Stars in Animated VR Short Film
In 2018, John Legend starred in an animated virtual-reality short film titled Crow: The Legend.
2018: Support for Florida Amendment 4
In 2018, John Legend supported the ballot initiative to pass Florida Amendment 4, which restored voting rights to Floridians with felony convictions.
2018: Crow: The Legend Wins at LA Film Festival
In 2018, John Legend's film Crow: The Legend made its North American premiere at the LA Film Festival and went on to win Best Animation VR Experience at the Raindance Film Festival.
May 21, 2019: Winning Coach on The Voice
On May 21, 2019, John Legend won The Voice as a coach with his artist Maelyn Jarmon.
2019: Vocal Coach on The Voice
Since 2019, John Legend has served as a vocal coach for The Voice.
May 13, 2020: Announcement of Bigger Love Album
On May 13, 2020, John Legend announced that his seventh album would be titled Bigger Love.
May 28, 2020: Honorary Doctorate from Berklee College of Music
On May 28, 2020, John Legend received an honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music.
June 19, 2020: Release of Bigger Love and Verzuz Performance
On June 19, 2020, John Legend's album Bigger Love was released, and he performed alongside Alicia Keys for Verzuz.
2020: Pregnancy Loss
In 2020, John Legend and Chrissy Teigen experienced the loss of their baby at twenty weeks due to a pregnancy complication.
2020: Release of 'Bigger Love' and Grammy Win
In 2020, John Legend released Bigger Love, which won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album.
November 12, 2021: Signs with Republic Records
On November 12, 2021, John Legend signed with Republic Records after completing his contract with Sony Music.
February 2022: Launch of OurSong Music Platform
In February 2022, John Legend launched the music-based NFT platform, OurSong.
September 9, 2022: Legend Album Release
On September 9, 2022, John Legend released his eighth studio album titled Legend.
2022: Teigen Clarifies Pregnancy Loss
In 2022, Chrissy Teigen clarified that the pregnancy loss in 2020 was an abortion to save her life.
2022: Release of 'Legend'
In 2022, John Legend released his ninth album, Legend.
January 2023: Birth of Third Daughter
In January 2023, John Legend and Chrissy Teigen welcomed their third daughter.
June 19, 2023: Birth of Fourth Child via Surrogacy
On June 19, 2023, John Legend and Chrissy Teigen welcomed their fourth child, a son, born via surrogacy.
June 28, 2023: Announcement of Fourth Child
On June 28, 2023, Chrissy Teigen announced that she and John Legend had welcomed their fourth child, a son, born via surrogacy on June 19, 2023.
2023: Senior Coach on The Voice
In 2023, John Legend became the senior coach on The Voice following Blake Shelton's departure.
2024: Endorses Kamala Harris
In 2024, John Legend endorsed Kamala Harris for the US Presidential election.
