John Legend

Sunday, 09 September 2012

John Legend - Tonight (Best You Ever Had) ft. Ludacris

John Legend - Rolling in the Deep (Adele cover)

John Legend: 'Redemption Song' Acoustic Session

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Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York (Columbia University) is a private research university in New York City and a member of the Ivy League. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution. It was founded in 1754 as King's College by royal charter of George II of Great Britain, and is one of only three United States universities to have been founded under such authority.
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Denver, Colorado
http://wn.com/Denver_Colorado
Ghana
http://wn.com/Ghana
Gulfstream Park
Gulfstream Park Racing & Casino is a racetrack and county-approved racino in Hallandale Beach, Florida, in the United States. During its annual meet, which spans January through April, it is one of the most important venues for horse racing in America.
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Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation (officially The President and Fellows of Harvard College) chartered in the country.
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Las Vegas, Nevada
:This article is about the city of Las Vegas, Nevada proper, not to be confused with the Las Vegas Strip or the Las Vegas metropolitan area. For other uses of "Las Vegas", see Las Vegas (disambiguation).
http://wn.com/Las_Vegas_Nevada
Morehouse College
Morehouse College is a private, all-male, historically black college located in Atlanta, Georgia. Along with Hampden-Sydney College and Wabash College, Morehouse is one of three remaining traditional men's colleges in the United States.
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Orlando, Florida
Orlando () is a major city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan region. The Orlando metropolitan area has a population of 2,082,628 and it is the 27th largest metropolitan area in the United States. The city-proper population is 235,860 making Orlando the 80th largest city in the United States. It is Florida's fifth largest city by population. Orlando was incorporated on July 31, 1875, and became a city in 1885.
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Philadelphia
Philadelphia () is the largest city in Pennsylvania, sixth-most-populous city in the United States and the fifty-first most populous city in the world.
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Springfield, Ohio
Springfield is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Clark County. The municipality is located in southwestern Ohio and is situated on the Mad River, Buck Creek and Beaver Creek, approximately 45 miles (72 km) west of Columbus and 25 miles (40 km) northeast of Dayton. Springfield is home to Wittenberg University, one of the nation's top liberal art and science colleges.
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St. Bernard Parish
#REDIRECTSt. Bernard Parish, Louisiana
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United States
The United States of America (also referred to as the United States, the U.S., the USA, or America) is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district. The country is situated mostly in central North America, where its forty-eight contiguous states and Washington, D.C., the capital district, lie between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, bordered by Canada to the north and Mexico to the south. The state of Alaska is in the northwest of the continent, with Canada to the east and Russia to the west across the Bering Strait. The state of Hawaii is an archipelago in the mid-Pacific. The country also possesses several territories in the Caribbean and Pacific.
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Adele (singer)
Adele Laurie Blue Adkins (born 5 May 1988), known professionally as Adele (), is an English singer songwriter. She was the first recipient of the BRIT Awards ''Critics' Choice'' and was named the number-one predicted breakthrough act of 2008 in an annual BBC poll of music critics, Sound of 2008. She is a multi-Grammy Awards nominee who has won two awards, Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 2009.
http://wn.com/Adele_(singer)
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans or Afro-Americans, and formerly as American Negroes) are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa. In the United States, the terms are generally used for Americans with at least partial Sub-Saharan African ancestry.
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Alexandre Rodrigues
http://wn.com/Alexandre_Rodrigues
Alice Braga
http://wn.com/Alice_Braga
Alicia Keys
Alicia Augello Cook (born January 25, 1981), better known by her stage name Alicia Keys, is an American recording artist, musician and actress. She was raised by a single mother in the Hell's Kitchen area of Manhattan in New York City. At age seven, Keys began to play classical music on the piano. She attended Professional Performing Arts School and graduated at 16 as valedictorian. She later attended Columbia University before dropping out to pursue her music career. Keys released her debut album with J Records, having had previous record deals first with Columbia and then Arista Records.
http://wn.com/Alicia_Keys
Amy Goodman
Amy Goodman (born April 13, 1957) is an American progressive broadcast journalist, syndicated columnist, investigative reporter and author. Goodman is the principal host of Democracy Now!, an independent global news program broadcast daily on radio, television and the internet.
http://wn.com/Amy_Goodman
Amy Winehouse
Amy Jade Winehouse (born 14 September 1983) is an English singer-songwriter, known for her eclectic mix of various musical genres including R&B;, soul, jazz. Winehouse is best known for her powerful contralto vocals.
http://wn.com/Amy_Winehouse
Ana Carolina
Ana Carolina Sousa (born September 9, 1974 in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil) is a Brazilian singer, composer, and musician.
http://wn.com/Ana_Carolina
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II (; born August 4, 1961) is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned after his election to the presidency in November 2008.
http://wn.com/Barack_Obama
Bernie Mac
Bernard Jeffrey McCullough (October 5, 1957August 9, 2008) better known by his stage name Bernie Mac, was an American actor and comedian. Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, Mac gained popularity as a stand-up comedian. He joined comedians Steve Harvey, Cedric the Entertainer, and D. L. Hughley as The Original Kings of Comedy.
http://wn.com/Bernie_Mac
Bette Midler
Bette Midler (born December 1, 1945) is an American singer, actress and comedian, also known (by her informal stage name) as The Divine Miss M. She has starred in live-action films such as Ruthless People, Beaches and Hocus Pocus, as well as featuring in animated films such as Oliver & Company and Fantasia 2000.
http://wn.com/Bette_Midler
Bob Newhart
George Robert Newhart (born September 5, 1929), known professionally as, Bob Newhart, is an American stand-up comedian and actor. Noted for his deadpan and slightly stammering delivery, Newhart is best known for playing psychologist Dr. Robert "Bob" Hartley on the 1970s sitcom The Bob Newhart Show and as innkeeper Dick Loudon on the 1980s sitcom Newhart.
http://wn.com/Bob_Newhart
Bobbie Gentry
Roberta Lee Streeter (born July 27, 1944), professionally known as Bobbie Gentry, is a former American singer-songwriter notable as one of the first female country artists to write and produce her own material. Her songs typically drew on her Mississippi roots to compose vignettes of the Southern United States.
http://wn.com/Bobbie_Gentry
Bobby Darin
http://wn.com/Bobby_Darin
Carrie Underwood
Carrie Marie Underwood (born March 10, 1983) is an American country singer-songwriter and actress who rose to fame as the winner of the fourth season of American Idol.
http://wn.com/Carrie_Underwood
Cassandra Wilson
Cassandra Wilson (born December 4, 1955) is an American jazz musician, vocalist, songwriter, and producer from Jackson, Mississippi. Described by critic Gary Giddins as "a singer blessed with an unmistakable timbre and attack [who has] expanded the playing field" by incorporating country, blues and folk music into her work, Wilson has won two Grammy Awards.
http://wn.com/Cassandra_Wilson
Christina Aguilera
http://wn.com/Christina_Aguilera
Christine Teigen
Christine Teigen (born November 30, 1985; Delta, Utah) is an American model of Thai-Norwegian heritage. She made her rookie debut in the annual Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in 2010. She is from a small town called Snohomish, WA.
http://wn.com/Christine_Teigen
Common (entertainer)
Lonnie Rashied Lynn, Jr. (born March 13, 1972), better known by his stage name Common (previously Common Sense), is an American hip hop artist and actor.
http://wn.com/Common_(entertainer)
Corinne Bailey Rae
Corinne Bailey Rae (born Corinne Jacqueline Bailey on 26 February 1979) is a British singer-songwriter and guitarist from Leeds, who released her debut album Corinne Bailey Rae in February 2006.
http://wn.com/Corinne_Bailey_Rae
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Curb Your Enthusiasm is an American comedy television series created, scripted and starring Seinfeld co-creator, writer and executive producer Larry David. It is produced and broadcast by HBO.
http://wn.com/Curb_Your_Enthusiasm
Cyhi the Prynce
http://wn.com/Cyhi_the_Prynce
Cyndi Lauper
Cynthia Ann Stephanie "Cyndi" Lauper (born June 22, 1953) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. She achieved success in the mid-1980s with the release of the album ''She's So Unusual'' and became the first female singer to have four top-five singles released from one album. Lauper has released 11 albums and over 40 singles, and as of 2008 had sold more than 30 million records worldwide.
http://wn.com/Cyndi_Lauper
D'banj
Dapo Daniel Oyebanjo (popularly known as '''D'banj', born June 9, 1980), is a Nigerian singer-songwriter and harmonica player. He has won several music awards including the awards for Best African Act at the MTV Europe Music Awards 2007 and Artist of the Year'' at the MTV Africa Music Awards 2009. He adopted the stage name D'banj, a combination of his first name Dapo and his surname Oyebanjo.
http://wn.com/D'banj
Debby Boone
Debby Boone (born Deborah Anne Boone on September 22, 1956) is an American singer and theater actress. She is best known for her 1977 hit, "You Light Up My Life," which spent a then-record ten weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and won her a Grammy Award the following year for Best New Artist.
http://wn.com/Debby_Boone
DJ Khaled
Khaled Bin Abdul Khaled (born November 26, 1975), better known by his stage name DJ Khaled, is an American record producer, radio personality, DJ, and record label executive. He is a radio host for the Miami-based urban music radio station WEDR and the DJ for the hip hop group Terror Squad. In 2006, Khaled released his debut album Listennn... the Album. Following were We the Best (2007), We Global (2008), and Victory (2010). In 2009, Khaled became the president of record label Def Jam South.
http://wn.com/DJ_Khaled
Esperanza Spalding
Esperanza Spalding (born October 18, 1984 in Portland, Oregon) is an American multi-instrumentalist best known as a jazz bassist and singer, who draws upon many genres in her own compositions.
http://wn.com/Esperanza_Spalding
Estelle (musician)
Estelle Fanta Swaray (born 18 January 1980) commonly known as Estelle, and formerly as '''Est'elle''', is a British R&B; singer-songwriter, rapper and record producer. In 2009, she won a Grammy Award for American Boy featuring Kanye West in the category for Best Rap/Sung Collaboration as well receiving the MOBO for 'Best Newcomer' and received three consecutive 'Best Female Artist' trophies from the UK Hip-Hop Awards.
http://wn.com/Estelle_(musician)
Fergie (singer)
Stacy Ann Ferguson (born March 27, 1975), better known by her stage name Fergie, is an American singer-songwriter, rapper, fashion designer and actress. She was a member of the children's television series Kids Incorporated, and the girl group Wild Orchid. She is the female vocalist for the hip hop group the The Black Eyed Peas with whom she has attained much charting success worldwide. Her own debut album spawned four Billboard Hot 100 top five singles, three of which went to number one.
http://wn.com/Fergie_(singer)
GLC (rapper)
Leonard D. Harris is an American rapper from Chicago.
http://wn.com/GLC_(rapper)
Herbie Hancock
Herbert Jeffrey "Herbie" Hancock (born April 12, 1940, in Chicago, Illinois) is an American pianist, bandleader and composer. As part of Miles Davis's "second great quintet", Hancock helped redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section, and was one of the primary architects of the "post-bop" sound. He was one of the first jazz musicians to embrace synthesizers and funk. Hancock's music is often melodic and accessible; he has had many songs "cross over" and achieved success among pop audiences. His music embraces elements of funk and soul while adopting freer stylistic elements from jazz. In his jazz improvisation, he possesses a unique creative blend of jazz, blues, and modern classical music, with harmonic stylings much like the styles of Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel.
http://wn.com/Herbie_Hancock
Howard Zinn
http://wn.com/Howard_Zinn
India.Arie
India.Arie (born India Arie Simpson; October 3, 1975) is an American soul, R&B;, and neo soul singer-songwriter, record producer, guitarist, and flautist.
http://wn.com/IndiaArie
James Taylor
James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist born in Boston, Massachusetts, and raised in Carrboro, North Carolina. He owns a house in the Berkshire County town of Washington, Massachusetts. A five-time Grammy Award winner, Taylor was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000.
http://wn.com/James_Taylor
Jason Collier
Jason Jeffrey Collier (September 8, 1977 – October 15, 2005) was an American professional basketball player in the NBA. At death, the center Collier weighed . He was the first active NBA player to die since Malik Sealy in 2000.
http://wn.com/Jason_Collier
Jeffrey Sachs
Jeffrey David Sachs (; born November 5, 1954, in Detroit, Michigan) is an American economist and Director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University. One of the youngest economics professors in the history of Harvard University, Sachs became infamous for implementing economic shock therapy throughout the developing world and in Eastern Europe, and subsequently for his work on the challenges of economic development, environmental sustainability, poverty alleviation, debt cancellation, and globalization.
http://wn.com/Jeffrey_Sachs
Jennifer Nettles
Jennifer Nettles (born September 12, 1974 in Douglas, Georgia) is an American country music artist. She is known primarily for her role as lead vocalist of the duo Sugarland alongside Kristian Bush. Before Sugarland's inception, she also fronted Atlanta, Georgia-based bands called Soul Miner's Daughter and Jennifer Nettles Band. She also charted as a duet partner on the country version of rock band Bon Jovi's 2006 single "Who Says You Can't Go Home", a Number One hit on the Billboard charts.
http://wn.com/Jennifer_Nettles
Jody Watley
Jody Vanessa Watley (born January 30, 1959, in Chicago, Illinois) is an American, singer, songwriter, record producer, and founder of Avitone Records whose music crosses genres from Pop, R&B;, Jazz, Dance and Electronic Soul.
http://wn.com/Jody_Watley
John Legend
John Stephens (born December 28, 1978), better known by his stage name John Legend, is an American recording artist, musician and actor. He is the recipient of six Grammy Awards, and in 2007, he received the special Starlight award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
http://wn.com/John_Legend
John Mayer
John Clayton Mayer ( ; born October 16, 1977) is an American musician, singer-songwriter, recording artist, and music producer. Raised in Fairfield, Connecticut, he attended Berklee College of Music in Boston before moving to Atlanta, Georgia in 1997, where he refined his skills and gained a following. His first two studio albums, Room for Squares and Heavier Things, did well commercially, achieving multi-platinum status. In 2003, he won a Best Male Pop Vocal Performance Grammy Award for "Your Body Is a Wonderland".
http://wn.com/John_Mayer
Jordin Sparks
Jordin Brianna Sparks (born December 22, 1989) is an American pop/R&B; singer, songwriter, humanitarian, and actress from Glendale, Arizona who rose to fame as the winner of the sixth season of American Idol. Sparks won when she was 17 years old, making her the youngest winner. She followed her American Idol victory with the release of her self-titled debut album in 2007, which has gone platinum and has sold over 2 million copies worldwide. Sparks' second single, "No Air", which features Chris Brown, is the song with the most paid downloads by any American Idol contestant, selling about 4 million digital copies worldwide. Due to the success of her debut album and its four top 20 singles, she has won an American Music Award in 2008 and received her first Grammy nomination in 2009.
http://wn.com/Jordin_Sparks
José Feliciano
http://wn.com/José_Feliciano
Juanes
http://wn.com/Juanes
Kanye West
Kanye Omari West (; born June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and Janet Jackson. His style of production originally used pitched-up vocal samples from soul songs incorporated with his own drums and instruments. However, subsequent productions saw him broadening his musical palette and expressing influences encompassing '70s R&B;, baroque pop, trip hop, arena rock, folk, alternative, electronica, synth-pop, and classical music.
http://wn.com/Kanye_West
Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Brianne Clarkson (born April 24, 1982) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Clarkson rose to fame after winning the first season of the television series American Idol in 2002 and would later represent the United States in the World Idol competition in 2003.
http://wn.com/Kelly_Clarkson
Kid Cudi
Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi (born January 30, 1984), better known by his stage name Kid Cudi (, ), sometimes stylized as KiD CuDi, is an American rapper, singer and actor. He first gained major attention after the release of his debut mixtape A Kid Named Cudi. In 2009, his single "Day 'n' Nite" reached the top five of the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot R&B;/Hip-Hop Songs charts. "Day 'n' Nite" is part of Cudi's debut album .
http://wn.com/Kid_Cudi
LeAnn Rimes
LeAnn Rimes (born August 28, 1982) is an American singer-songwriter and actress, best known for her work in country music. She is best known for her rich vocals similar to country music singer Patsy Cline,
http://wn.com/LeAnn_Rimes
Lupe Fiasco
Wasalu Muhammad Jaco (born February 16, 1982), better known by his stage name Lupe Fiasco ( ), is an American rapper, producer and CEO of 1st and 15th Entertainment. He rose to fame in 2006 following the success of his critically acclaimed debut album, ''Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor''. He also performs as the frontman of Post Punk band Japanese Cartoon under his real name.
http://wn.com/Lupe_Fiasco
Magnetic Man
Magnetic Man is a live electronic music project consisting of dubstep producers and DJs Skream, Benga and Artwork. They perform using three computers, one playing drum samples and loops, one playing basslines and the third playing lead sounds and samples. Artwork controls the master laptop, to which the other two are synchronised via midi. Their sets usually consist of a mix of original tracks produced together, and live remixes of Benga and Skream's tracks, accompanied by synchronised projected visuals by Novak Collective.
http://wn.com/Magnetic_Man
Marc Cohn
Marc Craig Cohn (born July 5, 1959) is an American folk rock singer-songwriter and musician. He is best known for his song "Walking in Memphis" from his eponymous 1991 album Marc Cohn. He has issued four other studio albums to date: The Rainy Season (1993), Burning the Daze (1998), Join The Parade (2007), and Listening Booth: 1970 (2010).
http://wn.com/Marc_Cohn
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey (born March 27, 1970) is an American R&B; singer-songwriter, record producer and actress. She made her recording debut, in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola and became the first recording artist to have her first five singles top the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. Following her marriage to Mottola, in 1993, a series of hit records established her position as Columbia's highest-selling act. In 1998, Carey received the World Music Awards for becoming the "World's Best Selling Recording Artist of the 1990's" as well as the award for "World's Best Selling R&B; Artist."
http://wn.com/Mariah_Carey
Marvin Hamlisch
Marvin Frederick Hamlisch (born June 2, 1944) is an American composer. He is one of only two people to have been awarded Emmys, Grammys, Oscars, and a Tony (known as an EGOT) plus a Pulitzer Prize (the other is Richard Rodgers). Hamlisch has also won two Golden Globes.
http://wn.com/Marvin_Hamlisch
Michael Jackson
http://wn.com/Michael_Jackson
Mos Def
Dante Terrell Smith (born December 11, 1973) is an American actor and MC known by the stage name Mos Def (). Mos Def started his hip hop career in a group called Urban Thermo Dynamics, after which he appeared on albums by Da Bush Babees and De La Soul. With Talib Kweli, he formed the duo Black Star, who released the album Black Star in 1998. He was a major force in the late 1990s underground hip hop explosion spearheaded by Rawkus Records. As a solo artist he has released the albums Black on Both Sides in 1999, The New Danger in 2004, True Magic in 2006, and The Ecstatic in 2009.
http://wn.com/Mos_Def
Nas
Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones (; born September 14, 1973), who performs under the name Nas (), formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper and actor. The son of jazz musician Olu Dara, he was born and raised in the Queensbridge housing projects in New York City. His debut album Illmatic, released in 1994 by Columbia Records, was critically acclaimed and would go on to be widely hailed a classic in the genre. Nas was part of hip-hop supergroup The Firm, which released one album.
http://wn.com/Nas
Natalie Cole
Natalie Maria Cole (born February 6, 1950) is an American singer, songwriter and performer. She achieved success in her early career as an R&B; star, but smoothly changed her repertoire toward a more pop and jazz oriented musical style in the early 1990s. She has won nine Grammy Awards. Cole has been singing since she was 5 years old.
http://wn.com/Natalie_Cole
Nina Simone
http://wn.com/Nina_Simone
Noel Schajris
http://wn.com/Noel_Schajris
Paul McCartney
http://wn.com/Paul_McCartney
Peter Gabriel
http://wn.com/Peter_Gabriel
Peter Nero
Peter Nero (born Bernard Nierow, 22 May 1934) is an American pianist and pops conductor.
http://wn.com/Peter_Nero
Pink (singer)
Alecia Beth Moore (born September 8, 1979), better known by her stage name Pink (stylized as P!nk), is an American contralto singer-songwriter, musician, acrobat, dancer and actress, who rose to fame in early 2000. She released her first single "There You Go", on her first album, the R&B-oriented; ''Can't Take Me Home, in 2000 via LaFace Records, which garnered commercial success. Her more pop rock-oriented second studio album, Missundaztood'', which began a marked shift in the sound of her music, was released in 2001 and was a huge success worldwide, featuring the singles Get The Party Started, Don't Let Me Get Me, Just Like A Pill and Family Portrait. Pink released her third album, Try This, in November 2003, which although less successful commercially than her previous release, still managed to sell around 3 million copies and earned her a Grammy for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance for the single Trouble. Her fourth album, called ''I'm Not Dead, was released in April 2006. The album generated several hit singles, including "Stupid Girls", "U + Ur Hand" and "Who Knew". Both "U + Ur Hand" and "Who Knew" went to #1 on the pop chart. Her fifth album, Funhouse'', was released in late October 2008 and was preceded by her first solo number one on the Hot 100, "So What". The album notched three other Top 20 hits; "Sober", "Please Don't Leave Me" and "Glitter in the Air"
http://wn.com/Pink_(singer)
Pusha T
http://wn.com/Pusha_T
Raphael Saadiq
http://wn.com/Raphael_Saadiq
Rich Boy
Maurice Richards (born 1985), better known by his stage name Rich Boy, is an American rapper from Mobile, Alabama. He is best known for the hit single "Throw Some D's". His self-titled debut album was released in early 2007.
http://wn.com/Rich_Boy
Rickie Lee Jones
Rickie Lee Jones (born November 8, 1954) is an American vocalist, musician, songwriter, and producer. Over the course of a three-decade career, Jones has recorded in various musical styles including rock, R&B;, blues, pop, soul, and jazz standards.
http://wn.com/Rickie_Lee_Jones
Robert Goulet
http://wn.com/Robert_Goulet
Robin Thicke
Robin Charles Thicke (; born March 10, 1977) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, composer, and occasional actor. Thicke's albums are noted for their feature of a predominantly R&B; sound.
http://wn.com/Robin_Thicke
Rupert Murdoch
Keith Rupert Murdoch, AC, KSG (; born 11 March 1931) is an Australian-American media magnate and the founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of .
http://wn.com/Rupert_Murdoch
Samuel L. Jackson
Samuel Leroy Jackson (born December 21, 1948) is an American film and television actor and film producer. After Jackson became involved with the Civil Rights Movement, he moved on to acting in theater at Morehouse College, and then films. He had several small roles, before meeting his mentor, Morgan Freeman, and the director Spike Lee. In 1991, after gaining critical acclaim for his role in Jungle Fever, he appeared in films such as Goodfellas, Patriot Games, Amos & Andrew, True Romance and Jurassic Park. In 1994 he was cast as Jules Winnfield in Pulp Fiction, and his performance received several award nominations and critical acclaim.
http://wn.com/Samuel_L_Jackson
Sheena Easton
Sheena Easton (born Sheena Shirley Orr; 27 April 1959) is a Scottish recording artist who achieved worldwide fame in the 1980s. Easton became famous for being the focus of an episode in the British television program The Big Time, which recorded her attempts to gain a record contract and her eventual signing with EMI Records.
http://wn.com/Sheena_Easton
Shelby Lynne
Shelby Lynne (born Shelby Lynn Moorer, October 22, 1968, Quantico, Virginia) is an American singer, songwriter and actress. The success of the 1999 album I Am Shelby Lynne led to her winning the Grammy Award for Best New Artist, even though she had been active in the music industry for some time. She released a Dusty Springfield tribute album called Just a Little Lovin' in 2008. Since then she has started her own independent record label, called Everso Records, and released two albums: Tears, Lies and Alibis and Merry Christmas.
http://wn.com/Shelby_Lynne
Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Suzanne Crow (born February 11, 1962) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and actress. Her music incorporates elements of rock, folk, hip hop, country and pop. She has won nine Grammy Awards from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.
http://wn.com/Sheryl_Crow
Sin Bandera
http://wn.com/Sin_Bandera
Stephen Colbert
Stephen Tyrone Colbert ( or born on May 13, 1964) is an American political satirist, writer, comedian and television host. He is the host of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, a satirical news show in which Colbert portrays a caricatured version of conservative political pundits.
http://wn.com/Stephen_Colbert
Steve Jobs
Steven Paul Jobs (born February 24, 1955) is an American business magnate and inventor. He is well known for being the co-founder and chief executive officer of Apple. Jobs also previously served as chief executive of Pixar Animation Studios; he became a member of the board of The Walt Disney Company in 2006, following the acquisition of Pixar by Disney.
http://wn.com/Steve_Jobs
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Judkins (born May 13, 1950), name later changed to Stevland Hardaway Morris, known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist. Blind from shortly after birth, Wonder signed with Motown Records' Tamla label at the age of eleven, and continues to perform and record for Motown to this day.
http://wn.com/Stevie_Wonder
Sérgio Mendes
http://wn.com/Sérgio_Mendes
T.I.
Clifford Joseph Harris, Jr. (born September 25, 1980), better known by his stage name T.I. or T.I.P., is an American recording artist, film & music producer, and occasional actor. He is the founder and co-chief executive officer (CEO) of Grand Hustle Records.
http://wn.com/TI
Teyana Taylor
Teyana M.J. Taylor (born December 10, 1990) is an American socialite, singer, rapper, choreographer, dancer and actress from Harlem, New York. She is signed to Star Trak Entertainmentis most notable for her debut single, "Google Me".
http://wn.com/Teyana_Taylor
Tiziano Ferro
Tiziano Ferro (born February 21, 1980 in Latina) is an Italian latin pop singer. He also records Spanish versions of his Italian albums. Ferro has sold more than eight million albums worldwide.
http://wn.com/Tiziano_Ferro
Tom Jones (singer)
Sir Thomas John Woodward, OBE (born 7 June 1940), known by his stage name Tom Jones, is a Welsh singer. Jones is particularly noted for his powerful voice.
http://wn.com/Tom_Jones_(singer)
Toni Braxton
Toni Michelle Braxton (born October 7, 1966) is an American R&B; singer-songwriter. Braxton has won six Grammy Awards in her career and has sold 40 million records worldwide. She has a contralto vocal range.
http://wn.com/Toni_Braxton
Wyclef Jean
Nel Ust Wyclef Jean (, ; born October 17, 1969)[http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2012369,00.html Wyclef Dumped From Haiti's Presidential Ballot] - TIME, 21 Aug 2010. "Before he announced on August 5 that he was running for President of Haiti, Wyclef Jean was still listing his age as only 37 years old. But after declaring himself a presidential candidate, the Haitian-American hip-hop star also decided to come clean and confirm that he was really 40." is a Haitian musician, record producer and politician. At age nine, Jean moved to the United States with his family and has spent much of his life in the country. He first received fame as a member of the acclaimed New Jersey hip hop group, the Fugees.
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John Legend - Tonight (Best You Ever Had) ft. Ludacris

Music video by John Legend ft. Ludacris performing Tonight (Best You Ever Had) [with Think...

published: 13 Mar 2012

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John Legend - Used To Love U

published: 03 Oct 2009

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John Legend - Everybody Knows

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published: 30 Oct 2008

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John Legend - So High

published: 03 Oct 2009

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John Legend - Save Room

published: 03 Oct 2009

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John Legend - Rolling in the Deep (Adele cover)

John Legend - Rolling in the Deep (Adele cover) a capella Follow John on Facebook: www.fac...

published: 25 Mar 2011

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John Legend - Number One

published: 03 Oct 2009

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John Legend-Heaven

love this man and this song...enjoy...

published: 16 Jul 2008

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John Legend - Heaven

published: 03 Oct 2009

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John Legend-Alright

enjoy my boy...... mr legend...

published: 14 May 2008

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John Legend: 'Redemption Song' Acoustic Session

John Legend performs 'Redemption Song' in an intimate session for O2. Check out mo...

published: 19 Apr 2011

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Sesame Street: John Legend and Hoots

From the Sesame Street DVD "Elmo Loves You!" Click here: store.sesamestreet.org ...

published: 29 Jan 2009

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John Legend - Show Me

published: 03 Oct 2009

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John Legend & The Roots - Wake Up: Amex UNSTAGED

Performing Arcade Fire's hit single at Terminal 5 in New York City, September 23, 2010...

published: 25 Sep 2010

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US Coastguard / Petty Officer 3rd Class Barry Bena.
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Photo: AP / Chris Pizzello

ARCHIV: US-Starlet Kim Kardashian posiert bei der Veranstaltung "Us Weekly Hot Hollywood Style" (Foto vom 17.04.12) in Hollywood in den Vereinigten Staaten. Kardashian verdankt ihre Prominenz dem Internet. Sie waere heute nicht so beruehmt, wenn es die sozialen Netzwerke im World Wide Web nicht gaebe, sagte die 31-jaehrige Unternehmerin der Onlineausgabe der US-Zeitschrift "Paper". (zu dapd-Text)

Kim Kardashian appearance draws few fans

The Examiner

09 Sep 2012

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President Barack Obama addresses the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., on Thursday, Sept. 6, 2012.

Obama presents larger vision for a second term

The Los Angeles Times

07 Sep 2012

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The Democratic argument for President Obama's reelection boils down to three sentences, each delivered on a separate night of the party's convention here. On Tuesday, First...

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Chinese paramilitary policemen carry an injured victim evacuated from an earthquake hit Zhaotong town, Yiliang County, in southwest China's Yunnan Province, Friday, Sept. 7, 2012.

Death toll in China quake goes up to 80

DNA India

08 Sep 2012

At least 80 people have been killed and hundreds others injured in shallow earthquakes which struck the mountainous southwest China, with the rescue teams today reaching about 90% of the affected...

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Former Bolingbrook, Ill, police sergeant Drew Peterson arrives at the Will County Courthouse in Joliet, Ill., Friday, May 8, 2009, for his arraignment on charges of first-degree murder in the 2004 death of his former wife Kathleen Savio, who was found in an empty bathtub at home.

Former suburban Chicago police officer Drew Peterson convicted of murdering 3rd wife

Newsday

06 Sep 2012

(AP) -- Former suburban Chicago police officer Drew Peterson convicted of murdering 3rd wife.... Content Preview This content is exclusive for Newsday digital access and 7-day home delivery...

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An old man walking on the road with his stick - Grandparent

Grandparents Day event Saturday at Linnaeus Teaching Garden

Tulsa World

07 Sep 2012

Pointing to just one thing that makes "Papa John" so special is difficult. Ryan King, 11, crosses his leg and props his elbow on his knee, running the tips of his fingers across his front teeth...

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John Legend and fiancée Chrissy Teigen enjoy a taste the good life as they sip ... 03 Sep 2012

The Daily Mail RnB star John Legend certainly...(size: 0.2Kb)

Q&A; with John LegendWe catch up with Springfield’s John Legend in advance of performance at ... 01 Sep 2012

Dayton Daily News John Legend, the nine-time Grammy winning singer-songwriter who was born and raised in Springfield, is coming home. Legend, who was the keynote speaker at the Wright State University 2012 Freshman Convocation on Aug. 24, will be one of the headlining acts at the first-year Downtown Dayton Revival...(size: 5.4Kb)

John Legend Tickets For Sale: Singer/Songwriter Touring North America From September 20th Until November 21st. SuperbTicketsOnline.com Is Trusted Source For Economical John Legend Tickets. 25 Aug 2012

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>John Legend Tickets For Sale: Singer/Songwriter Touring North America From September 20th Until November 21st. ... 25 Aug 2012

Seattle Post John Legend is touring North America beginning September 20th, and fans of the singer/songwriter are seeking John Legend tickets for sale at affordable prices. The talented performer will make a variety of U.S. stops on his tour. He also has a Toronto concert planned for Massey Hall on the 3rd of...(size: 3.2Kb)

John Legend Tickets For Sale: Singer/Songwriter Touring North America From September 20th Until November 21st. ... 25 Aug 2012

San Francisco Chronicle John Legend is touring North America beginning September 20th, and fans of the singer/songwriter are seeking John Legend tickets for sale at affordable prices. The talented performer will make a variety of U.S. stops on his tour. He also has a Toronto concert planned for Massey Hall on the 3rd of...(size: 3.2Kb)

John Legend visits Cincinnati to help Obama campaign 24 Aug 2012

Business Journal Rhythm and blues star John Legend sang and spoke to about 600 supporters of President Barack Obama Thursday night, wcpo.com reported. Legend visited Cincinnati to open the latest Obama campaign office in Over-the-Rhine. He talked with voters about the importance of winning in Ohio. The singer grew...(size: 10.2Kb)

John Legend brings U.S. tour to Nashville's Tennessee Performing Arts Center 23 Aug 2012

The Examiner Related topics Performing ArtsNashville concertsJohn LegendTennessee Performing Arts Center Advertisement Nine time Grammy Award winner John Legend will bring his North American tour to the Tennessee Performing Arts Center’s Andrew Jackson Hall on Thursday, November 8 at 7:30 p.m. The tour is...(size: 10.4Kb)

John Legend in region to spur Obama support 23 Aug 2012

Dayton Daily News Grammy-award winning musician John Legend, a Springfield native, will be in Dayton today to seek votes for...(size: 0.7Kb)

The Artists Organization, Management Firm to John Legend and Soundgarden, Promotes Two 23 Aug 2012

The Hollywood Reporter share The talent and management company founded by Gary Gersh names Rich Schaefer president and Don Van Cleave COO. Talent and management firm The Artists Organization has promoted Rich Schaefer to President and Don Van Cleave to Chief Operating Officer. CEO Gary Gersh, who founded the company in...(size: 3.7Kb)

Ticket window: Rascal Flatts, Ani DiFranco, John Legend 15 Aug 2012

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John Legend
John Legend, 2010
Background information
Birth name	John Roger Stephens
Born	(1978-12-28) December 28, 1978 (age 33)
Origin	Springfield, Ohio, United States
Genres	R&B, hip hop soul, soul, neo soul, jazz fusion
Occupations	Singer-songwriter, actor
Instruments	Vocals, piano, keyboards
Years active	2001–present
Labels	GOOD, Sony Music
Associated acts	Kanye West, Jay-Z, Kid Cudi, Lupe Fiasco, The Roots
Website	johnlegend.com

John Roger Stephens (born December 28, 1978), better known by his stage name John Legend, is an American singer-songwriter and actor. He has won nine Grammy Awards, and in 2007, he received the special Starlight award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.^[1]

Prior to the release of his debut album, Stephens' career gained momentum through a series of successful collaborations with multiple established artists. Stephens added his voice to those of other artists, assisting in them reaching chart-topper hits. He lent his voice to Kanye West's All of the Lights, on Slum Village's "Selfish" and Dilated Peoples' "This Way". Other artists included Jay-Z's "Encore", and he sang backing vocals on Alicia Keys' 2003 song "You Don't Know My Name" and Fort Minor's "High Road." Stephens played piano on Lauryn Hill's "Everything Is Everything."

Career and life [link]

1978–2003: Early life and career beginnings [link]

Stephens was born on December 28, 1978, in Springfield, Ohio.^[2] He is the son of Phyllis, a seamstress, and John Mills, a factory worker and former National Guardsman.^[3]^[4] Throughout his childhood, Stephens was homeschooled on and off by his mother.^[5] At the age of four, he began playing the piano and at the age of seven, he performed with his church choir. When he was ten, his parents divorced, causing his mother to suffer a breakdown.^[4] At the age of 12, Stephens attended North High School, from which he graduated four years later.^[6] He graduated salutatorian.

According to Stephens, he was offered scholarships to Harvard University, Georgetown University and Morehouse College.^[7] He attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he studied English with an emphasis on African American literature.^[8] While in college, he helmed Counterparts, a co-ed jazz and pop a cappella group as president (1997–1998) and musical director (1998–1999). Stephens' lead vocals on the group's recording of Joan Osborne's "One of Us" received critical acclaim^[9] landing the song on the track list of the 1998 Best of Collegiate a Cappella compilation CD. Stephens was also a member of the prestigious Sphinx Senior Society while an undergraduate at Penn. While in college, Stephens was introduced to Lauryn Hill by a friend. Hill hired him to play piano on "Everything Is Everything", a song from her album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.^[7]

During this period, Stephens took time to hold a number of shows around Philadelphia, eventually expanding his audience base to New York, Boston, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C. He finished college in 1999, and thereafter began producing, writing, and recording his own music. He released two albums independently; his self-titled demo (2000) and 'Live at Jimmy's Uptown' (2001), which he sold at his shows.

After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, Stephens began working as a management consultant for the Boston Consulting Group.^[6] During this time, he began working on his demo and began sending his work to various record labels.^[5]^[10] In 2001, Devo Springsteen introduced Stephens to then up-and-coming hip-hop artist Kanye West; Stephens was hired to sing during the hooks of West's music. After signing to West's label, he chose his stage name from a nickname that was given to him by poet J. Ivy, due to Stephens' "old-school sound".^[7]^[11] Stephens' vocals can be heard on several tracks including Alicia Keys' "You Don't Know My Name", Jay-Z's "Encore", Kanye West's "Never Let Me Down," also featuring Jay-Z and J. Ivy, Dilated Peoples' "This Way" and Slum Village's "Selfish".

[edit] 2004–2005: Get Lifted

Stephens released his debut album, Get Lifted, in December 2004. It debuted at number seven on the Billboard 200, selling 116,000 copies in its first week.^[12] It went on to sell 2.1 million copies in the United States and was certified Platinum by the RIAA.^[13]^[14] It has sold three million copies worldwide.^[7] The album produced two singles: "Ordinary People" (US and UK top 30) went straight to number four and "Used to Love U" (US top 100, UK top 30).^{[citation needed]}

[edit] 2006–2007: Once Again

The first single from his second album, Once Again, was "Save Room". The album was released October 24, 2006, and boasts production from Kanye West, Raphael Saadiq, and will.i.am. In an interview with MTV, he said that this album contained his favorite song that he had written to date, entitled "Again." He said he came up with the idea for the song and wrote some of it while sitting on a subway. He stated that the song was also the inspiration for the album's title^{[citation needed]}.

In August 2006 Stephens appeared in an episode of Sesame Street. He performed a song entitled "It Feels Good When You Sing a Song", a duet with Hoots the Owl.^[15] He also performed during the pregame show of Super Bowl XL in Detroit and the halftime show at the 2006 NBA All-Star Game.^[16]^[17]

[edit] 2008–2010: Evolver

John Legend interviewed on the Red Carpet during the Toronto International Film Festival, 2008.

Stephens released his third studio album Evolver, in October 2008.^[18] Rapper Andre 3000 of OutKast is featured on the first single of the album on a song titled "Green Light". "It's going to be a surprise for a lot of John Legend fans, because it is a lot more upbeat than John is — than people think John is," Andre insisted. "I was actually happy to hear it. This is a cool John Legend song".^[19] The next single from Evolver was confirmed as "Everybody Knows".^[20]

Speaking in July 2008 to noted UK R&B writer Pete Lewis of the award-winning "Blues & Soul", he explained his reasons for titling the album 'Evolver': "Well I think people sometimes come to expect certain things from certain artists. They expect you to kind of stay in the same place you were at when you started out. Whereas I feel I want my career to be defined by the fact that I'm NOT gonna stay in the same place, and that I'm always gonna try new things and experiment. So, as I think this album represents a manifestation of that, I came up with the title 'Evolver'."^[21]

In 2009, Stephens performed in The People Speak a documentary feature film that uses dramatic and musical performances of the letters, diaries, and speeches of everyday Americans, based on historian Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States”.^[22]

[edit] 2010: Wake Up!

John Legend and The Roots teamed up to record a collaborative album,^[23] Wake Up!, which was released on September 21, 2010.^[24] The first single released off the album was "Wake Up Everybody" featuring singer Melanie Fiona and rapper Common; a video for the song has been released.^[25]^[26] "Hard Times" is the second single.

In February 2011 John won three Grammy Awards (one by himself and two with The Roots) at the 53rd Annual Grammy Music Awards Ceremony. Legend won a Grammy Award for Best R&B Song for "Shine", and he and The Roots won Grammy Awards for Best R&B Album (Wake Up!) and Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance for "Hang On In There". In March 2011 Legend and the Roots won two NAACP Image Awards – one for Outstanding Album (Wake Up!) and one for Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration.

2011–Present: Tour, Duets TV Show and working on new album [link]

Summer 2011, Legend completed a 50-date tour as a guest for British Soul band Sade. In the San Diego stop, Legend confirmed that he is working on his next studio album, and played a new song called "Dreams".^[27]. Legend was granted an Honorary Doctorate Degree from <<Howard University>> at the 144th Commencement Exercises on Saturday May 12, 2012.^[28]

Legend is currently a judge on the ABC music show Duets along with Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Nettles and Robin Thicke. Legend's spot was originally for Lionel Richie but Richie had to leave the show due to a scheduling conflict. Duets debuted on Thursday, May 24, 2012 at 8/7c.^[29].

Plagiarism lawsuit [link]

On July 5, 2011, songwriter Anthony Stokes filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against John Legend in United States District Court, in the District of New Jersey, alleging that Legend's song "Maxine's Interlude" from his 2006 album Once Again derives from Stokes' demo "Where Are You Now."^[30] Stokes claims he gave Legend a demo of the song in 2004 following a concert at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.^[31] Legend has denied the allegations, telling E! Online, "I never heard of his song until he sued me. I would never steal anyone's song. We will fight it in court and we will prevail."^[32] Nearly 60,000 people took a TMZ.com poll that compared the two songs and 65% of voters believed that Legend's "Maxine's Interlude" is a rip-off of Stokes' "Where Are You Now."^[33]

Collaborations [link]

In 2005 he was featured in the Fort Minor song "High Road".
In 2006 he was featured in Sérgio Mendes's collaboration album, Timeless, singing "Please Baby Don't".
In 2006 collaborated with Jay-Z on the album Kingdom Come on the song "Do U Wanna Ride".
Collaborated with Japanese R&B duo CHEMISTRY on their 2006 single "Tōkage".
Collaborated with Mary J. Blige on "King & Queen".
In 2007 lent his vocals for the Rich Boy track "Ghetto Rich".
In 2008 collaborated with Colombian Rock artist Juanes at the Latin Grammys, singing in Spanish along with Juanes, on the bilingual version of the song "Si tu estas ahi" also known as "If You Are Out There".
Featured in The Black Eyed Peas song, "Like That". The song "Ordinary People" was originally meant to be for a Black Eyed Peas project, but they agreed the song fitted better sung by J.Legend and recorded the song after he had been signed to Columbia Records.
Tentatively worked with Michael Jackson on a future album. In a Dutch interview with singer and host Tommy Parker, he was asked about this collaboration. His response was that he had written one song for the upcoming album, but was unsure about whether Jackson would be using it.^[34]
Sang "The Girl is Mine" and the national anthem along with Stephen Colbert on The Colbert Report.
Featured on the sixth track ("Heartbreaker") of MSTRKRFT's second album Fist of God.

He collaborated with Fergie for her song "Finally" on her 2006 debut album "The Dutchess".
Featured in T.I.'s song "Slide Show" on his album Paper Trail. A music video for "Slide Show" was released on August 10, 2009, featuring a video collage; it is unknown as of yet, however, if it is an official single.^[35]
He is also featured in the song "Magnificent" by Rick Ross. The music video has cameo appearances from DJ Khaled saying and wearing "We the Best!!", Birdman, Ace Hood, Triple C's, and Special Ed. It was released on March 3, 2009, and it was directed by music video director Gil Green. It was filmed at Gulfstream Park Racetrack in Hallandale Beach, Florida. The two later collaborated on the songs "Sweet Life" and "Free Mason," the former of which failed to make the cut for the follow-up album, Teflon Don, and the latter of which featured rapper Jay-Z as well.
Co-wrote (and played piano on) "Move on Me" by British singer-songwriter Fin Greenall (a.k.a. Fink) from the album "Sort of Revolution" (2009)
Collaborated with Reggae legend Buju Banton on the track "Can't Be My Lover". The track is one of the biggest mixes of R&B and Reggae/Dancehall in years.
In 2009 recorded a duet with Brazilian singer Ana Carolina called "pt:Entreolhares (The Way You’re Looking at Me)". He sings in English, and she sings in Portuguese.
In the summer of 2009 he recorded a duet with ex-member of Sin Bandera, Noel Schajris, called "No Importa" (It Doesn't Matter). He sings in English and Spanish.
In 2009 a duet version "Save Room" featuring German band, Monrose, was released under the title "Save Room (Let's Get Strictly Physical)".
Has plans to collaborate with British born talent, Stefan Vitalis, to produce a soulful and dynamic record.
Recorded a cover of the U2 song "Pride (in the name of love)"
Collaborated with Nas for the title track on DJ Khaled's 2010 album Victory.
In 2010 collaborated with Pink and Herbie Hancock for a recording of Peter Gabriel's song "Don't Give Up", which featured on Hancock's album The Imagine Project.
Collaborated with Lupe Fiasco on the track "Never Forget You."
Collaborated with Kanye West on the song "Blame Game" on West's album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.
In September 2010 collaborated with British dubstep trio, Magnetic Man, on a track entitled "Getting Nowhere".
Collaborated with Lil Wayne on the track "So Special." On Wayne's album Tha Carter IV.
Sang a duet with jazz singer Cassandra Wilson "Watch the Sunrise" co-written by Legend on her 2010 album Silver Pony.
Collaborated with Mariah Carey in 2011 on a duet version of her holiday track "When Christmas Comes" from her 2010 album, Merry Christmas II You.
Collaborated with Tiziano Ferro on the track "Karma" from Tiziano Ferro album, L'amore è una cosa semplice.

Music videos and acting career [link]

His cover of Stevie Wonder's 1974 hit song "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing" appeared in Will Smith/Eva Mendes' film Hitch and on the soundtrack album of the movie.

The 2007 video for his single, "P.D.A. (We Just Don't Care)", features Alexandre Rodrigues and Alice Braga from the critically acclaimed film, City of God.

Songs attributed to John Legend have appeared in feature films, as follows:

"Refuge" appears on the soundtrack to the 2006 film The Second Chance.
"Dare to Dream" is in the 2007 movie Pride.
"Someday" is part of the soundtrack to the 2007 film August Rush.
"Shine" was written for the end credits of the 2010 film Waiting for Superman.

He has a supporting, singing-only role in the 2008 movie Soul Men, where he plays the deceased lead singer of a fictitious soul group that includes Samuel L. Jackson and Bernie Mac. Although he has no real dialogue in the film, he only sings a song called "I'm Your Puppet" along with Jackson and Mac.

Endeavors [link]

Television appearances and commercials [link]

Performed "God Bless America" during the 7th inning stretch at the 2006 Major League Baseball All Star Game in Pittsburgh, PA.^[36]

Appeared on the season finale of Curb Your Enthusiasm, singing a cover of "You Don't Know Me". He also appeared on an episode of the television series "Las Vegas" in February 2007, performing his single "Save Room" solo at the end of the episode.

In 2007 performed with John Mayer and Corinne Bailey Rae at the Grammy Awards. He later appeared with Bailey Rae in several live performances.

Appeared in a recent commercial for a Lexus SUV, in which Legend is shown listening to Nina Simone's "Backlash Blues" (recorded live in Paris, 1968, on The Great Show LP) and describing his experience with the music. He is also notable for performing closing music in many of Apple Inc CEO Steve Jobs' keynote presentations.

In January 2008 sang in a video for Barack Obama, produced by Will.I.Am called "Yes We Can".^[37]

Performed "America The Beautiful" at WrestleMania XXIV on Sunday March 30, 2008 at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida.^[38]

In a 2008 Target commercial performed a piece of his song "Slow Dance" to pitch his new album "available exclusively at Target." The commercial was shown during online streaming episodes of NBC programs.

In 2008 performed several numbers live in front of tens of thousands of fans during the "Welcome to America" July 4 celebration on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, in Philadelphia, PA.

Performed at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver in September 2008.

Appeared on Real Time with Bill Maher on October 31, 2008. He was a member of the panel and performed "If You're Out There" at the end of the show.

Appeared on CNN Heroes 2008, which was taped November 22, 2008, and was televised November 27, 2008.

Appeared to perform the song in duet with Colombian rock singer Juanes during the 9th Annual Latin Grammy Awards at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas on November 13, 2008. The version they performed was sung mostly in Spanish by both singers, with only a few lines in English.

On Sunday, January 18, 2009, performed at the We Are One:The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial, singing James Taylor's "Shower the People" with James Taylor and Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland.

On Friday, February 13, 2009, he was a guest and performed on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. John performed his song, "Everybody Knows" from his album, Evolver.
Performed at the 2009 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition Launch party at LAX in Las Vegas on February 12, 2009.
Performed at the 2009 NBA All-Star Game halftime show on February 15, 2009.
Performed at the 81st Academy Awards on February 22, 2009, singing "Down to Earth" nominated for Best Original Song.^[39]^[40]
On an episode of The Colbert Report which aired March 7, 2008, performed "The Girl Is Mine" with Stephen Colbert. It was a remake of the Michael Jackson/Paul McCartney hit. Returned to The Colbert Report on April 14, 2008, performing "The Star-Spangled Banner" with Stephen Colbert, opening the show's week in Philadelphia. He later appeared in Colbert's Christmas special A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All, where he performed an ode to nutmeg. His fourth appearance aired September 9, 2010, when he performed a tribute to returning American troops in the second half of the two-part special Been There, Won That: The Returnification of the Ameri-Can-Do Troopscape. He sung "Coming Home" from his 2006 album Once Again.

On Sunday, May 17, 2009, served as commencement speaker for the University of Pennsylvania's 2009 graduation ceremonies. Amy Goodman happened to be in the audience, and she televised the speech the following Tuesday, May 19, 2009 on Democracy Now!.^[41]

On June 12, 2009, co-hosted ESPN's Mike and Mike in the Morning on the ESPN2/ESPN Radio simulcast with Mike Greenberg. He sat in for Mike Golic.

On August 23, 2010, performed at the 2010 Miss Universe Pageant, Evening Gown segment, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

On October 27, 2010, performed the American National Anthem for the 2010 World Series opener.

On October 30, 2010, performed at the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear with The Roots.

On February 24, 2011, Legend appeared on the season 2 finale of Royal Pains.

Interviewed by host John Jacobsen as the third guest on the first season of PBS television's The Artist Toolbox.

On May 20, 2012, Legend and Jordin Sparks performed a tribute to Whitney Houston at the Billboard Music Award 2012

Charitable endeavors and philanthropy [link]

Legend performs during the first night of the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado.

On July 7, 2007, he participated in the Live Earth concert in London, performing "Ordinary People". On July 8, 2007, he participated in the Montreux Jazz Festival in Montreux, Switzerland, with India.Arie. On July 11, 2007, he participated in the Jazz Open Festival in Stuttgart, Germany, with Amy Winehouse. On September 21, 2008, he also performed at the Royal Albert Hall in London, UK in conjunction with the Peace One Day concert. He sang "Green Light" and "If You're Out There".

The Show Me Campaign google ,^[42] through which his fans are encouraged to donate funds toward improving the living situations and prospects of victims of extreme poverty in Mbola, Tanzania, is another example of Stephens' charitable involvement. In early 2008, he began touring with Professor Jeff Sachs of Columbia University's Earth Institute to promote sustainable development as an achievable goal.

Stephens returned to his hometown of Springfield, Ohio on Christmas Eve 2007 for a "Coming Home Christmas Benefit Concert" in the auditorium of North High School. The performance featured several local talent from Springfield, including Legend's younger brother Vaughn Anthony Stephens, who helped organize the concert. The performance also featured a tribute to Jason Collier, and proceeds went to a scholarship fund set up in his name for local high schoolers.^[43]

After reading Professor Jeffrey Sachs' book, The End of Poverty, Stephens was inspired to visit Ghana to learn more about making life better for the people who live under the poverty line. This is when he started his "Show Me Campaign" in 2007. With this campaign, Stephens called on his fans to help him in his initiative for those who reside in Bossaso Village^[where?] and non-profit organizations that the campaign partners with.

File:John legend in springfield.JPG

Legend returns to his hometown of Springfield, Ohio, to give a free benefit concert in support of Barack Obama

In 2007 Stephens was the spokesman for GQ Magazine's "Gentlemen's Fund", an initiative to raise support and awareness for five cornerstones essential to men: opportunity, health, education, environment, and justice.^{[citation needed]}

In May 2007 he partnered with Tide laundry detergent to raise awareness about the need of families in St. Bernard Parish, (Slidell, LA) one of the most devastated areas hit by Hurricane Katrina. He spent a day folding laundry at the Tide "clean start" mobile laundromat and visited homes which Tide is helping to rebuild in that community.

In October 2007 he became involved^{[clarification needed]} with a project sponsored by The Gap, a retail clothing store chain in the United States. Through their "project red campaign" (also called "2 WEEKS"), The Gap's contribution to their global fund from the sale of each (2 WEEKS) t-shirt is equivalent to the average cost of 2 weeks of anti-retroviral medicine in Africa, which enables people living with HIV to lead healthy, normal lives.

In 2009 Stephens gave AIDS Service Center NYC permission to remix his song "If You're Out There" to create a music video promoting HIV/AIDS awareness and testing.^[44]

Stephens claims to have contributed a share of the proceeds of some tickets for his August 13, 2009, concert at Madison Square Garden to The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

Stephens is also the National spokesperson for and has performed benefit concerts for "Management Leadership for Tomorrow (MLT). MLT is a national non-profit organization that has made ground-breaking progress assisting the next generation of African American, Hispanic and Native American leaders in major corporations, non-profit organizations and entrepreneurial ventures.^{[clarification needed]}^{[citation needed]}

On January 22, 2010, he performed "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child" on the Hope for Haiti Now telethon show.^[45]

On September 8, 2010, John Legend joined the national board of Teach For America.^[46] Legend also sits on the boards of The Education Equality Project and the Harlem Village Academies, and serves as co-chair (with Rupert Murdoch) of the Harlem Village Academies’ National Leadership Board.

On September 9, 2010, he performed "Coming Home" on the Colbert Report as a tribute song for the end of combat operations in Iraq, and for the active troops and the veterans of the United States Armed Forces.^[47]

In 2011, he contributed the track "Love I've Never Known" to the Red Hot Organization's most recent album "Red Hot+Rio 2." The album is a follow-up to the 1996 "Red Hot+Rio." Proceeds from the album sales will be donated to raise awareness and money to fight AIDS/HIV and related health and social issues.

On March 6, 2012, John Legend was appointed by the World Economic Forum to the Forum of Young Global Leaders.^[48]

Endorsements [link]

Stephens is currently a spokesperson for the Baileys line of alcoholic beverages. He also spoke on behalf of The Polka Dotz at Milwaukee's 2008 German Fest.

He performed and spoke at his alma mater, the University of Pennsylvania, on behalf of the Barack Obama Presidential campaign in April 2008.^[49] He later performed "If You're Out There" from the album Evolver and a duet of Will.i.am's "Yes We Can" at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado. Also, he performed a half-hour set list in support of Barack Obama in his hometown of Springfield, as well as at The Ohio State University and Wright State University campuses on September 29, 2008.

"Fan Appreciation" events [link]

On July 26, 2007, Stephens hosted a John Legend Network Members Only Party and Concert called "The Kings & Queens Bash" at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia. There were 500 participants in attendance and he introduced the acts from his new label, Homeschool Records to his John Legend Network fans: Estelle, his brother, Vaughn Anthony Stephens, Lucy Woodward and The James Gang. Harmonicist Frederic Yonnet performed as a special guest.

On July 25, 2008, at the Highline Ballroom in New York City,^[50] John Legend planned another annual private event for his fans who are members of the John Legend Network called "John Legend Unplugged". Legend performed a 21-song set list, including several songs from his Evolver album. This allowed John Legend Network members to be the first to hear the new songs. After the party, Legend greeted each individual on their way out and took pictures with fans.

On February 8, 2011, Legend performed and spoke at Arizona State University's Gammage Auditorium in Tempe, Arizona for a Black History Month event presented by the Undergraduate Student Government of ASU.^[51]

Discography [link]

Main article: John Legend discography

Get Lifted (2004)
Once Again (2006)
Evolver (2008)
TBA (2012)

Collaborations

Wake Up! (with The Roots) (2010)
Cruel Summer (with G.O.O.D. Music) (2012)

Personal life [link]

On December 27, 2011, Legend's rep announced he was engaged to model Chrissy Teigen while vacationing in the Maldives after dating for 4 years. Teigen has been featured in Deal or No Deal and in Sports Illustrated.^[52]^[53]

Filmography [link]

Television
Year	Title	Role	Notes
2006	Sesame Street	Himself
2007	Curb Your Enthusiasm	Himself/Performer	Season 6 Finale, 'The Bat Mitzvah'
2007	Las Vegas	Himself/Performer	Season 4 Episode 11, 'Wagers of Sin'
2008	A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All	Forest Ranger	Christmas Special
2009	The People Speak	Himself	Documentary
2010	Dancing with the Stars	Himself/Performer
2011	Royal Pains	Himself/Performer	"Listen to the Music"
Film
Year	Title	Role	Notes
2008	Sesame Street: Elmo Loves You!	Himself
2008	Soul Men	Marcus Hooks

References [link]

^ "Songwriters Hall of Fame". Induction for John Legend. Artisan News. June 22, 2007. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcB47sMgEno. Retrieved 2009-06-26.
^ Southern, Nathan. "John Legend – Biography". Allmovie. http://www.allmovie.com/artist/john-legend-496659/bio. Retrieved 2009-06-05.
^ "Soul savior?". The Washington Times. 2005-04-14. https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2005/apr/14/20050414-090343-1087r/print/. Retrieved 2009-06-27.
^ ^a ^b Simpson, Dave (2005-08-22). "Legend in his own lunchtime". The Guardian (London: Guardian Media Group). http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2005/aug/22/popandrock.johnlegend. Retrieved 2008-12-05.
^ ^a ^b Watson, Margeaux (2006-11-03). "Spotlight: John Legend". Entertainment Weekly. Time. http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1553841,00.html. Retrieved 2009-07-22.
^ ^a ^b "Singer/songwriter John Legend got early start". USA Today (Gannett Company). 2005-07-28. http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/news/2005-07-28-legend-early-start_x.htm. Retrieved 2009-06-27.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Newsome, Melba (2006-10-22). "Music; What Becomes John Legend Most?". The New York Times (The New York Times Company): pp. 1–2. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A00E3D71E30F931A15753C1A9609C8B63. Retrieved 2009-07-21.
^ du Lac, J. Freedom (February 9, 2006). "The Best New Artist Is Already a Legend". The Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/08/AR2006020802563.html. Retrieved 2006-02-09.
^ "Rarb Review". RARB. http://www.rarb.org/reviews/54.html. Retrieved 2008-05-13.
^ Hall, Rashaun (2004-10-18). "Kanye's Hook Singer, John Legend, Ready For The Spotlight". MTV News. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1492704/20041018/legend_john.jhtml. Retrieved 2009-07-22.
^ "John Legend: Legend in his lifetime". The Independent (London: Independent News & Media). 2005-02-18. http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/john-legend-legend-in-his-lifetime-483776.html. Retrieved 2009-07-22.
^ Whitmire, Margo (2005-01-05). "'Encore' Enjoys Another Week At No. 1". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000746051. Retrieved 2009-07-21. ^{[dead link]}
^ Crosley, Hillary (2008-04-29). "Legend Seeking Ad Savvy For New Album". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/search/google/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003795928. Retrieved 2009-07-21.
^ "RIAA – Gold & Platinum". RIAA. http://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?resultpage=1&table=SEARCH_RESULTS&artist=john%20legend&format=ALBUM&startYear=1958&endYear=2008&sort=Artist&perPage=25. Retrieved 2008-12-26.
^ "Legend, Foxx Hangin' on 'Sesame Street'". Spin. Spin Media. 2006-07-26. http://www.spin.com/articles/legend-foxx-hangin-sesame-street. Retrieved 2009-06-27.
^ "For The Record: Quick News On R. Kelly, Jamie Foxx, Green Day, Hilary Duff, Diddy, Tommy Lee & More". MTV. 2006-01-19. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1521221/20060119/kelly_r.jhtml?headlines=true. Retrieved 2008-05-13.
^ "John Legend and Carrie Underwood Set for All-Star Halftime Show". NBA. 2006-02-15. http://www.nba.com/allstar2006/Legend_Underwood_060215.html. Retrieved 2008-05-13.
^ "Remembering Martin Luther King Jr. with John Legend". The Washington Post. 2008-04-04. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2008/04/03/DI2008040301941.html. Retrieved 2008-05-13.
^ Adler, Shawn (2008-02-28). "Andre 3000 Says He Didn't Even Try To Top Will Ferrell's Comic Chops On 'Semi-Pro' Set". MTV. http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1582526/story.jhtml. Retrieved 2008-05-13.
^ "Artist of The Month: John Legend!". http://www.urbanbridgez.com/aom.php.
^ "John Legend interview by Pete Lewis, 'Blues & Soul' October 2008". Bluesandsoul.com. http://www.bluesandsoul.com/feature/343/all_systems_go_for_john_legend/. Retrieved 2012-05-14.
^ [1]^{[dead link]}
^ John Legend The Roots Collaborative Album Cover “Wake Up”. Hiphop.popcrunch.com (2010-07-19). Retrieved on 2011-05-26.
^ Jayson Rodriguez, Tim Kash (May 6, 2010). "John Legend Is '99 Percent Done' With Wake Up Sessions Album". MTV. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1638655/20100506/legend_john.jhtml. Retrieved May 12, 2010.
^ John Legend & The Roots feat. Common & Melanie Fiona – Wake Up Everybody. Nah Right (2010-07-16). Retrieved on 2011-05-26.
^ McGee, Tiffany. (2010-07-16) First Listen: John Legend & the Roots Want You to 'Wake Up!' – The Roots, Music News, John Legend. People.com. Retrieved on 2011-05-26.
^ "John Legend Premiers a New Song Called "Dreams" Live in San Diego". YouTube. 2011-08-25. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7e_qS1KaUm8. Retrieved 2012-04-14.
^ "Education Secretary Urges Howard Graduates to Seek Their Passion and to Serve - Howard University Newsroom". Howard.edu. 2000-03-16. http://www.howard.edu/newsroom/releases/2012/_/20120512EducationSecretaryUrgesHowardGraduatestoSeekTheirPassionandtoServe.html. Retrieved 2012-05-14.
^ "'Duets' Judge John Legend Says Replacing Lionel Richie 'Was Pretty Crazy'". The Hollywood Reporter. 2012-05-18. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/duets-judge-john-legend-lionel-richie-326712. Retrieved 2012-05-24.
^ "John Legend, G.O.O.D Music Sued, Accused Of Stealing Song". Hiphopwired.com. 2011-07-07. http://hiphopwired.com/2011/07/07/john-legend-g-o-o-d-music-sued-accused-of-stealing-song/. Retrieved 2011-07-07.
^ "Did John Legend Steal a Song? You Decide". E!. 2011-07-08. http://www.eonline.com/news/did_john_legend_steal_song_you_decide/251206. Retrieved 2011-07-08.
^ "John Legend Fires Back: "I Would Never Steal Anyone's Song"". E!. 2011-07-20. http://www.eonline.com/news/marc_malkin/john_legend_fires_back_i_would_never/253082. Retrieved 2011-07-20.
^ "John Legend Accused of SONG JACKING". TMZ.com. 2011-07-07. http://www.tmz.com/2011/07/07/john-legend-lawsuit-sued-accused-song-rip-off-stolen-copyright-anthony-stokes-maxines-interlude-where-are-you-now/. Retrieved 2011-07-07.
^ "John Legend and Tommy Parker - interview". YouTube. 2007-06-30. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pdlim8s99co/. Retrieved 2012-05-14.
^ "Rap/R&B Music Video – T.I. feat John Legend – Slide Show". 2009-08-11. http://www.soulofrnb.com/?p=1581. Retrieved 2009-08-15.
^ "Musical performers announced for Major League Baseball All-Star Week". MLB. 2006-06-29. http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20060629&content_id=1529530&vkey=pr_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb. Retrieved 2008-05-13.
^ "Yes We Can — Barack Obama Music Video". YouTube. 2008-02-02. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjXyqcx-mYY. Retrieved 2008-05-13.
^ Haslett, Cassidy (2008-02-29). "WWE SmackDown! February 29, 2008 Results". Wrestling 101. http://www.wrestling101.com/101/newsitem/5245/. Retrieved 2008-05-13.
^ Donahue, Ann (February 22, 2009). "'Slumdog' Sweeps Music Oscars". Billboard. http://billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_display/genre/e3i2f1cb016d0c17844c9bfd493cdef6b44?imw=Y. Retrieved February 24, 2009.
^ Kreps, Daniel (February 23, 2009). "Oscars: "Slumdog" Scores Best Picture and Music Category Sweep, Penn Wins Best Actor". Rolling Stone. http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/02/23/oscars-slumdog-scores-best-picture-and-music-category-sweep-penn-wins-best-actor/. Retrieved February 24, 2009.
^ "Grammy-Winning Soul Musician John Legend at UPenn Commencement: "A Commitment to Truth Requires a Commitment to Social Justice"". Democracy Now!. 2009-05-19. http://www.democracynow.org/2009/5/19/a_commitment_to_truth_requires_a. Retrieved 2009-05-19.
^ "The Show Me Campaign". The Show Me Campaign. http://www.showmecampaign.org/. Retrieved 2008-05-13.
^ "John Legend home for Christmas concert". USA Today. 2007-12-25. http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/2007-12-25-463102828_x.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-13.
^ "New York News, Local Video, Traffic, Weather, NY City Schools and Photos - Homepage - NY Daily News". Daily News (New York). http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/06/22/2009-06-22_singer_gives_soul_to_help_battle_aids.html.
^ Jocelyn Vena, "'Hope For Haiti Now' Telethon Airs Tonight At 8 P.M.: George Clooney, Wyclef Jean and Hollywood's biggest names help raise money for earthquake relief." MTV News, January 22, 2010, found at MTV News. Accessed January 22, 2010.
^ "John Legend Joins Teach For America's National Board", TeachForAmerica.org, 2010-09-28.
^ www.colbertnation.com. www.colbertnation.com (2011-05-19). Retrieved on 2011-05-26.
^ "Strombo | The 2012 World Economic Forum Honours 3 Canadians As Young Global Leaders ... Including George". CBC Television. 2012-03-06. http://www.cbc.ca/strombo/world/the-2012-young-global-leaders-entrepreneurs-politicians-musicians-and-george.html. Retrieved 2012-05-14.
^ Houston, Ryan (2008-04-15). "A Penn Legend serenades campus". The Daily Pennsylvanian. http://media.www.dailypennsylvanian.com/media/storage/paper882/news/2008/04/15/News/A.Penn.Legend.Serenades.Campus-3324899.shtml. Retrieved 2008-05-13.
^ "Official Site=Ticket Announcement". John Legend Network. 2008-07-16. http://www.johnlegendnetwork.com/web/guest/join. Retrieved 2008-07-16.
^ "John Legend performs on Feb. 8 for Black History Month". ASU Student Announcements. 2011-02-04. https://asunews.asu.edu/studentannouncement/20110204_legend. Retrieved 2012-02-23.
^ "John Legend engaged to swimsuit model Chrissy Teigen". The New York Post. December 27, 2011. http://www.nypost.com/p/pagesix/john_legend_engaged_to_swimsuit_KALq222ZB7sEDvNFmUmDPI?CMP=OTC-rss&FEEDNAME=.
^ "R&B singer John Legend engaged to model Chrissy Teigen, made the proposal in the Maldives". Associated Press. The Washington Post. December 27, 2011. http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/randb-singer-john-legend-engaged-to-model-chrissy-teigen-made-the-proposal-in-the-maldives/2011/12/27/gIQAz9ilKP_story.html.

External links [link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: John Legend

Awards
Preceded by Maroon 5	Grammy Award for Best New Artist 2006	Succeeded by Carrie Underwood

v t e John Legend

Albums	Get Lifted Once Again Evolver Wake Up! (with The Roots)

Singles	"Used to Love U" "Ordinary People" "Number One" "So High" "Save Room" "Heaven" "P.D.A. (We Just Don't Care)" "Stereo" "Another Again" "Slow Dance" "Show Me" "Each Day Gets Better" "Green Light" "If You're Out There" "Everybody Knows" "Wake Up Everybody"

Featured singles	"Feel This Way" "Finally" "Free Mason" "Magnificent" "Whatever U Want" "Entreolhares (The Way You're Looking at Me)" "Getting Nowhere" "All of the Lights"

Related articles	Discography Awards and nominations GOOD Music

v t e Grammy Award for Best New Artist

1950s	Bobby Darin (1959)

1960s	No award given (1960) Bob Newhart (1961) Peter Nero (1962) Robert Goulet (1963) The Swingle Singers (1964) The Beatles (1965) Tom Jones (1966) No award given (1967) Bobbie Gentry (1968) José Feliciano (1969)

1970s	Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (1970) The Carpenters (1971) Carly Simon (1972) America (1973) Bette Midler (1974) Marvin Hamlisch (1975) Natalie Cole (1976) Starland Vocal Band (1977) Debby Boone (1978) A Taste of Honey (1979)

1980s	Rickie Lee Jones (1980) Christopher Cross (1981) Sheena Easton (1982) Men at Work (1983) Culture Club (1984) Cyndi Lauper (1985) Sade (1986) Bruce Hornsby and the Range (1987) Jody Watley (1988) Tracy Chapman (1989)

1990s	Milli Vanilli (1990) Mariah Carey (1991) Marc Cohn (1992) Arrested Development (1993) Toni Braxton (1994) Sheryl Crow (1995) Hootie & the Blowfish (1996) LeAnn Rimes (1997) Paula Cole (1998) Lauryn Hill (1999)

2000s	Christina Aguilera (2000) Shelby Lynne (2001) Alicia Keys (2002) Norah Jones (2003) Evanescence (2004) Maroon 5 (2005) John Legend (2006) Carrie Underwood (2007) Amy Winehouse (2008) Adele (2009)

2010s	Zac Brown Band (2010) Esperanza Spalding (2011) Bon Iver (2012)

Grammy Award Record of the Year Song of the Year Album of the Year Best New Artist National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences

v t e GOOD Music

Founder	Kanye West

Current artists	John Legend Big Sean Kid Cudi Mr Hudson Cyhi the Prynce Mos Def Pusha T D'banj Q-Tip Teyana Taylor

Former artists	GLC Really Doe Sa-Ra Tony Williams Consequence Common

Releases	Cruel Summer

Singles	"Mercy" "Cold"

Related articles	GOOD Fridays Cruel Summer (film)

Persondata
Name	Legend, John
Alternative names	Stephens, John
Short description	Singer–songwriter, pianist
Date of birth	December 28, 1978
Place of birth	Springfield, Ohio, United States
Date of death
Place of death

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Jamie Cullum
Cullum performing in 2011
Background information
Born	(1979-08-20) 20 August 1979 (age 32) Rochford, Essex, England, UK
Genres	Crossover jazz, power pop, blue-eyed soul, jazz-pop
Occupations	Musician, songwriter
Instruments	Vocals, piano, keyboards, guitar, bass, drums
Labels	UCJ, Candid, Decca, Verve (US), Verve Forecast (US), Deckdisc (BR)
Website	www.jamiecullum.com

Jamie Cullum (born 20 August 1979) is a British pop and jazz-pop singer-songwriter, of Anglo-Burmese and Jewish extraction. Though he is primarily a vocalist/pianist he also accompanies himself on other instruments including guitar and drums. Since April 2010, he has been presenting a weekly jazz show on BBC Radio 2, broadcast on Tuesdays from 19:00.^[1]

1 Early life
2 Education
3 Musical career
4 Awards
5 Projects
6 Personal life
7 Discography
8 References
9 External links

Early life [link]

Cullum was born in Rochford, Essex.^[2] He was brought up in Hullavington, Wiltshire.^[3]

His mother, Yvonne, is a secretary of Anglo-Burmese origin, whose family settled in North England after Burma's independence; his father, John Cullum, worked in finance. His paternal grandfather was a British Army officer, while his paternal grandmother was a Jewish refugee from Prussia who sang in Berlin nightclubs.

Education [link]

Cullum was educated at Grittleton House School, an independent school in the village of Grittleton, near the market town of Chippenham in Wiltshire, followed by the sixth form of Sheldon School, a state comprehensive school in the same county. He then rejected a place at the University of Oxford to go on to study English Literature and Film Studies at the University of Reading, where he graduated with First Class Honours.

Musical career [link]

With only £48 to produce it, Cullum released his first album, Jamie Cullum Trio—Heard it All Before, in 1999, of which 500 copies were made.^[4] Due to their rarity, original copies have sold for as much as £600 on eBay.^[5] The success of Heard it All Before resulted in Cullum being invited to appear on Geoff Gascoyne's album Songs of the Summer^{[citation needed]}.

After graduating from Reading University, Cullum released his best-selling album, Pointless Nostalgic, which stirred interest from Michael Parkinson^[6] and Melvyn Bragg.

Just after Cullum made his first television appearance, on Parkinson in April 2003, he signed a £1m contract^[7] for three albums with Universal, who beat Sony in a bidding war. Cullum's second studio album, Twentysomething, released in October 2003, went platinum and became the No. 1 selling studio album by a jazz artist in the United Kingdom. Cullum ended 2003 as the UK's biggest selling jazz artist of all time.^[7]

Although primarily a jazz musician, Cullum performs in a wide range of styles and is generally regarded as a "crossover" artist with his musical roots firmly based in jazz. Cullum draws his inspiration from many different musicians and listens to an eclectic mix of music from Miles Davis^[8] to Tom Waits and many more. Cullum has belonged to several bands, ranging from banging drums in a hip hop group to playing guitar in rock bands such as Raw Sausage and The Mystery Machine, in his teenage youth. Cullum names his elder brother, Ben Cullum, as his biggest musical influence, and the two continue to collaborate extensively.

Cullum is well known not only for his abilities on the piano, but also for his style and charisma^{[citation needed]}. One of the many things that features in Cullum's concerts is the Stomp box (not to be confused with an effect pedal for guitars), made from a small wooden block. The stompbox is used to amplify a musician's tapping foot. Cullum found this in Melbourne, Australia and uses it to enhance upbeat and fast-paced songs such as "Seven Nation Army", originally by The White Stripes and "Gold Digger", originally by Kanye West. He is also often found using a looping machine. This plays a heavy part in Cullum's versions of "Seven Nation Army" and "Teardrop" by Massive Attack. Cullum also beatboxes at most gigs.

As well as The White Stripes and Kanye West, Cullum has performed work by Massive Attack, Pharell, Rihanna, Pussycat Dolls, Radiohead, Gnarls Barkley, Elton John, Justin Timberlake, John Legend, Joy Division, Lady Gaga and many others. He has also performed with Kylie Minogue, Sugababes, Will.i.am, Burt Bacharach and The Heritage Orchestra.

Cullum never works to a set list and on average his gigs last just over two hours. The gigs are largely improvised, rooted in jazz but not solely consisting of jazz music.

Cullum has played at many large music festivals, including Glastonbury Festival (in 2004 and 2009), New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (in 2005), Coachella 2005, 2006 South by Southwest, North Sea Jazz Festival, the Hollywood Bowl (performing with the Count Basie Orchestra) and the 2006 Playboy Jazz Festival. On 30 April 2006 Cullum played his biggest ever crowd on Queensday in the Netherlands.

In February 2012, Germany picked Roman Lob with "Standing Still", a composition by Cullum, along with Steve Robson, and Wayne Hector, as their entry for the Eurovision Song Contest.^[9]

[edit] Pointless Nostalgic

Pointless Nostalgic began life as a self-funded project and eventually got taken on by Candid Records, featuring a mix of standards, originals and contemporary covers. It was recorded in Spring 2001 at Clown's Pocket Studios, Bexley, by Derek Nash and co-produced by Geoff Gascoyne.

On the album, Cullum created covers of old classics with new arrangements of Warren and Burke's Devil May Care, Thelonious Monk's Well You Needn't and Gershwin's It Ain't Necessarily So.

The song as recorded by Cullum ("It Ain't Necessarily So") is also used in the film "The Anatomy Of Hate; A Dialogue To Hope " by Mike Ramsdell.

[edit] Twentysomething

Recorded at London's Mayfair Studio and released in 2004, Twentysomething contains a mix of jazz standards, contemporary tunes and ballads.

Due to the acoustic nature of the music, producer Stewart Levine chose to record and mix Twentysomething entirely on analogue tape. Since the album was recorded almost entirely "live" with no need to correct or improve performances, Levine saw no need for the infinite amount of tracks and computerised digital recording.

The album includes jazz standards "What a Diff'rence a Day Made", "Singin' in the Rain", and Cole Porter's "I Get a Kick out of You", modern takes on My Fair Lady's "I Could Have Danced All Night", Jeff Buckley’s "Lover, You Should Have Come Over", and Jimi Hendrix's "The Wind Cries Mary", as well as new tracks written by Cullum and his brother Ben, including the first single from the album All At Sea and the title track "Twentysomething".

[edit] Catching Tales

Cullum's third major label album, also produced by Stewart Levine, entitled Catching Tales, was released on 26 September 2005, in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, and two weeks later in the United States, on 11 October. The American and French versions of Catching Tales do not include the track "Fascinating Rhythm", which appears on the European version. The first single released from the album, in the United Kingdom, was "Get Your Way", a collaboration with Dan The Automator that used a sample from the Thad Jones song "Get Out Of My Life, Woman". The second single released, in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, was "Mind Trick", written by Cullum and his brother Ben. The third single from the album was the self-penned track "Photograph", which Cullum said was written on New Year's Day 2005 after he found a box of old photographs at his parents house.

A special edition version of Catching Tales was released in Europe, featuring a 20-minute documentary, including behind the scenes footage of Cullum recording the album and on the road footage, from across Europe. Catching Tales has also been released on double vinyl, as was the first single, "Get Your Way". A limited edition version of the "Get Your Way" single was released on red vinyl.

Cullum collaborated with Pharrell Williams. They recorded various songs together and it was thought that the track titled "Wifey" would make an appearance on Catching Tales, but this was prevented by legal and contractual problems. Cullum's vocals finally featured on Pharrell's debut solo album, on a track titled "You Can Do It Too", though Cullum is not credited as a featured artist.

Cullum performing at Colours of Ostrava, July 2009

Cullum toured in support of Catching Tales from the end of October 2005 to December 2006.

[edit] The Pursuit

On 4 June 2009, Cullum announced the title of his fourth studio album, The Pursuit. The album, which was released on 10 November 2009, is produced by Greg Wells,^[10] and the first single is "I'm All Over It", written by Deacon Blue frontman, Ricky Ross. The album was recorded at a Los Angeles studio, using songs that Cullum originally recorded at his Shepherd's Bush recording studio, Terrified Studios.^[11]

The Pursuit was recorded in a variety of places; Cullum's kitchen, a studio in L.A. and Terrified Studios (his own in Shepherd's Bush). Various musicians were also used in the recording process. Songs recorded in L.A. mostly used session musicians and sees Greg Wells and Cullum play various instrument including drums and bass. "Don't Stop The Music", the second single from the album (released as a download only in January 2010)^[12] was recorded with Chris Hill and Brad Webb.

From 2003 to 2008, Cullum played consistently with Geoff Gascoyne on bass, and Sebastiaan de Krom on drums. From 2003 until 2004 the trio was joined by Ben Castle on saxophone, John Hoare on trumpet, Barnaby Dickinson on trombone and Malcolm MacFarlane on guitar. Sam Wedgwood (guitarist, bassist and trumpeter) later joined Cullum on tour, for a little over a year. At the end of 2005 Cullum was joined by Tom Richards (saxophonist, occasional guitarist and percussion). Soon after that Sam Wedgwood left to pursue his own solo musical career. At the beginning of 2006 Rory Simmons (trumpeter and guitarist) joined the band as a replacement, bringing the total number of band members (including Cullum himself) to five.

In late 2009 Cullum replaced Geoff Gascoyne (bass) and Sebastiaan de Krom (drums) with Chris Hill (bass) and Brad Webb (drums).

Awards [link]

The British Jazz Awards first recognised Cullum's growing success by awarding him the "Rising Star" award, at the 2003 ceremony in July.^[7] At the 2004 BRIT Awards, Cullum was nominated in the "British Breakthrough Act" category. He performed live in the ceremony at Earl's Court, a duet with Katie Melua of The Cure's "The Lovecats". In the 2005 BRIT Awards, Cullum was nominated for two awards: "Best Male Artist" and "Best Live Act". In 2005 Cullum was nominated for a Grammy while taking BBC Radio 2 "Artist of the Year" honours at the BBC Jazz Awards (as voted for by listeners of Radio 2). In 2007 Cullum won the Ronnie Scotts Jazz Award for "Best British Male". He was also nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song for his composition Gran Torino for the Clint Eastwood film Gran Torino.

Projects [link]

Cullum's early music career saw him playing three or four times a week at Pizza Express's restaurants throughout London, gaining exposure and later his big break with Universal. Cullum now supports the "Pizza Express Big Audition with Jamie Cullum" competition which gives singers, song writers and musicians a platform and a chance to win a £5000 prize and a residency at the restaurant chain's Dean Street Jazz Club. In 2011, 7,500 acts entered the competition and the final was held at the Addison's Rooms in Kensington on 23 November. The final was judged by Jamie Cullum himself, Sir Michael Parkinson, M People's Heather Small and other music critics. The winning act was Offbeat South, an urban group of 18-21 year olds from Croydon. The other finalists were Andy Lewis, Elle Watson, Palms 13 and The Yesberger Band.^[13]

Personal life [link]

Cullum married British food critic and former model Sophie Dahl in a private ceremony in England on 9 January 2010.^[14] On 11 September 2010, the couple confirmed that they were expecting a child.^[15] Their daughter, Lyra, was born on 2 March 2011.^[16]

He was the subject of BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs on 25 March 2012.

He is a supporter of Swindon Town F.C..^{[citation needed]}

Discography [link]

Main article: Jamie Cullum discography

References [link]

^ 3 days left. "Radio 2 Programmes - Jamie Cullum". BBC. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00rr86v. Retrieved 2011-12-31.
^ "Stock Photography image of Jamie Cullum was born in Rochford , Essex , stock photo pd2790984.jpg". Photographersdirect.com. 20 August 1979. http://www.photographersdirect.com/buyers/stockphoto.asp?imageid=2790984. Retrieved 2011-12-31.
^ http://www.jamiecullum.com/about, Biography published on Jamie Cullum's official homepage. Retrieved 27 October 2010.
^ http://www.jamiecullum.com/forums/lofiversion/index.php/t1383.html, Discussion of Jamie Cullum's first album on Jamie Cullum's official homepage
^ JAMIE CULLUM 'Heard It All Before' CD album SIGNED RARE, Heard It All Before for sale on eBay
^ McCormick, Neil (8 September 2005). "Jamie batters new life into jazz". The Daily Telegraph (UK). http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandjazzmusic/3646379/Jamie-batters-new-life-into-jazz.html. Retrieved 23 February 2009.
^ ^a ^b ^c Bishop, Tom (30 December 2003). "Jamie Cullum jazzes up music scene". BBC News. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/3325139.stm. Retrieved 23 February 2009.
^ "Biography". BBC Radio 2. http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/presenters/jamie-cullum/. Retrieved 23 February 2009.
^ "Roman Lob for Germany with "Standing Still"". European Broadcasting Union. 16 February 2012. http://www.eurovision.tv/page/news?id=46563&_t=roman_lob_for_germany_with_standing_still. Retrieved 16 February 2012.
^ Mak, Lennat (9 June 2009). "Jamie Cullum – New album, The Pursuit, is noisy, fearless and more rock 'n' roll!". MTV Asia. http://www.mtvasia.com/News/200906/09018121.html. Retrieved 21 June 2010.
^ "The pursuit of happiness". Herald Scotland. 6 November 2009. http://www.heraldscotland.com/arts-ents/music-features/the-pursuit-of-happiness-1.930466. Retrieved 21 June 2010.
^ "Jamie Cullum – Don't Stop the Music". herculesmoments.co.uk. http://www.herculesmoments.co.uk/2010/01/jamie-cullum-dont-stop-music.html. Retrieved 21 June 2010.
^ "And the winner of The Big Audition is…". PizzaExpress. 24 November 2011. http://www.pizzaexpressnews.com/and-the-winner-of-the-big-audition-is/. Retrieved 29 January 2012.
^ Jessen, Monique (11 January 2010). "Jamie Cullum and Sophie Dahl Marry in England". people.com. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20335985,00.html. Retrieved 21 June 2010.
^ "'Delighted' Sophie Dahl and Jamie Cullum expecting their first child due in February 2011". Daily Mail (London). 11 September 2010. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1311036/Sophie-Dahl-pregnant-Jamie-Cullums-baby.html.
^ Thompson, Jody (6 March 2011). "A Dahl-ing baby girl called Lyra for Sophie and Jamie". Daily Mail (London). http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1363299/Its-girl-Sophie-Dahl-Jamie-Cullum-welcome-new-baby-daughter-Lyra-world.html.

External links [link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Jamie Cullum

v t e Jamie Cullum

Albums	Heard It All Before (1999) Pointless Nostalgic (2002) Twentysomething (2003) Catching Tales (2005) The Pursuit (2009)

Live albums	Live at Ronnie Scott's (2006) iTunes exclusive

Compilation albums	In the Mind of Jamie Cullum (2006) Jamie Cullum: Influences (2007)

Singles	"High and Dry" "All At Sea" "These Are the Days"/"Frontin" "Wind Cries Mary" "Everlasting Love" "Get Your Way" "Mind Trick" "Photograph" "I'm All Over It" "Don't Stop the Music" "Wheels" "Love Ain't Gonna Let You Down"

Home media	Live at Blenheim Palace (2004) Twentysomething (2004) Telling Tales (2005) from the Catching Tales special edition

Related articles	Sophie Dahl Discography Must Be The Music

v t e Must Be the Music

Presenter	Fearne Cotton

Judges	Jamie Cullum Sharleen Spiteri Dizzee Rascal

Winners	Emma's Imagination

Related articles	Sky1

v t e BBC Radio 2

Current presenters	Richard Allinson Michael Ball Tony Blackburn Ken Bruce Desmond Carrington Jamie Cullum Russell Davies Chris Evans Vanessa Feltz Paul Gambaccini Mike Harding Bob Harris Jools Holland David Jacobs Aled Jones Paul Jones Diane-Louise Jordan Steve Lamacq Alex Lester Janice Long Richard Madeley Brian Matthew Simon Mayo Huey Morgan Trevor Nelson Graham Norton Nigel Ogden Paul O'Grady Dermot O'Leary Elaine Paige Dave Pearce Mark Radcliffe Frank Renton Anneka Rice Liza Tarbuck Clare Teal Jeremy Vine Johnnie Walker Jo Whiley Claudia Winkleman Terry Wogan Steve Wright, Janey Lee Grace and Tim Smith

News, sport, and traffic reporters	Vassos Alexander Sally Boazman Lynn Bowles Alan Dedicoat Fenella Fudge Fran Godfrey John Marsh Charles Nove Andrew Peach Rebecca Pike Bobbie Pryor Ricky Salmon Tom Sanders Selina Scott Moira Stuart Matt Williams

Controllers	Robin Scott Douglas Muggeridge Charles McLelland David Hatch Bryant Marriott Frances Line James Moir Lesley Douglas Bob Shennan

Notable programmes	Big Band Special The Chris Evans Breakfast Show Elaine Paige on Sunday Friday Night is Music Night The Organist Entertains Paul O'Grady on the Wireless Pick of the Pops Simon Mayo Drivetime Sounds of the 60s Steve Wright in the Afternoon Sunday Half Hour Sunday Night at 10 Weekend Wogan

Seasonal programming	It's Been a Bad Week The Day the Music Died Jammin' PopMaster BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards

External links	BBC Radio 2 BBC Radio 2 Podcasts

Persondata
Name	Cullum, Jamie
Alternative names
Short description	Musician
Date of birth	20 August 1979
Place of birth	Romford, Greater London, England
Date of death
Place of death

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Legend, John Filmography

Browse available lyrics:

Make changes yourself !

Contents

[edit] 2004–2005: Get Lifted

[edit] 2006–2007: Once Again

[edit] 2008–2010: Evolver

[edit] 2010: Wake Up!

Related pages:

Contents

[edit] Pointless Nostalgic

[edit] Twentysomething

[edit] Catching Tales

[edit] The Pursuit

Related pages: