John Legend: A Pianist With Soul

With a sound that mixes raw fervour with precision, neo-soul singer John Legend has carved a special niche for himself in the music world.

The singer-pianist was born John Stephens on December 28, 1978 in Springfield, Ohio. Influenced by his grandmother he started playing the piano when he was four and was soon singing gospel in the church choir.

Graduating from school as Salutatorian at the age of 16, Legend moved to Philadelphia where he enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania to major in English. It was while studying at the university that Legend began pursuing his musical ambitions.

Recording with his cappella group and performing solo at college talent shows, Legend also became the director of the choir at Bethel AME Church, a post that he would retain for 9 years. In 1998 he played the piano on Lauryn Hill’s Everything is Everything.

After graduating Legend began working for the Boston Consulting Group, preferring to pursue music as a sideline. He moved to New York, where he would perform on the club circuit in the city as well as in Philadelphia and Washington DC. He recorded several CDs at this time that he would sell at his shows.

Gradually Legend came to be much in demand as a sessions musician. He went on to work with artistes as varied as Alicia Keys, Janet Jackson and Twista. He also performed as an independent artiste and released LPs like a self titled demo in 2000 and Live at Jimmy’s Uptown in 2001. During these early years Legend would perform under his given name, John Stephens.

Legend’s friend Devon Harris introduced him to his cousin hip hop artist Kayne West and the two began a long lasting collaboration. In 2003 Legend signed to GOOD Records, a label owned by West,as its first artiste and released Solo Sessions: Vol. 1 Live at the Knitting Factory in 2004.

It was at this time that the singer adopted his stage name of John Legend. “Legend” was actually nickname that he had acquired earlier because a friend felt that he sounded like the old school singers. The name stuck and he adopted it as his stage name as he felt it would make him stand out.

A deal with Colombia resulted in Legend releasing his first studio album Get Lifted in 2004. Peaking at #4 on the charts, the album brought Legend to the notice of R&B fans across the country with the single Ordinary People becoming a huge hit. The album earned Legend Grammys for Best R&B Album, Best R&B Male Vocal Performance and Best New Artist in 2005.

2006 saw Legend’s next studio album Once Again topping the R&B charts and going to #3 on the Billboard lists. Two more albums Live in Philadelphia and Evolver followed in 2008.

So far, John Legend has won six Grammys. His collaborations include artistes like Colombian rock star Juanes, the Black Eyed Peas, Stephan Colbert, Sergio Mendes, Fergie and Rick Ross. Several of his songs have also appeared in soundtracks of films like The Second Chance (2006), Pride (2007) and August Rush (2007). He himself had a small non-speaking part in 2008’s Soul Men.