Live At The Marquee - A Chancer's Guide to John Legend

John Legend plays Live At The Marquee tonight

John Roger Stephens was born in Springfield, Ohio on December 28th 1979 and would go on to take the stage name John Legend and take on the RnB/Soul music landscape by storm.

Legend was offered admission to Harvard University and scholarships to Georgetown University and Morehouse College. He attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he studied English with an emphasis on African-American literature which is bound to have helped him in his song-writing capabilities. While in college, Legend served as president and musical director of a co-ed jazz and pop a cappella group called Counterparts.

Before Legend released his debut album Get Lifted, he collaborated with many high profile names such as Kanye West on "All Of The Lights" as well as working with the likes of Alicia Keys and Jay-Z. His debut album, released in December 2004 featured collaborations with Kanye West once again as well as will.i.am and Dave Tozer. The album went to number 7 in the billboard charts, selling 116,000 copies in its first week It went on to sell 540,300 copies in the United States and was certified gold. The album won Legend the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album in 2006 as well as earning him nominations for Best New Artist and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. Not bad for a debut album! 

The album contained one of Legend's most iconic songs to date, Ordinary People  which was co-written by will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas.

Since his debut album, Legend released three more albums Once Again in 2006, Evolver in 2008 and Love in the Future which was released in 2013.

Legend is a highly active philanthropist as well as a musician. He has been involved in campaigns to help those affected by Hurricane Katrina as well as being on the board of Teach for America, Education Equality Project, the Harlem Village Academies and Stand for Children, to name but a few.

John Legend married his girlfriend of four years, model Chrissy Teigen, in September 2013 in Como in Italy. Teigen features in Legend's video for his huge hit "All Of Me".

In 2014, Legend paired with the rapper Common to write the song "Glory", featured in the film Selma, which chronicled the 1965 Selma to Montgomery marches. The song won the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song as well as the Academy Award for Best Original Song. Legend and Common performed "Glory" at the 87th Academy Awards on February 22, 2015.

The awards for Glory are included in Legend's nine Grammy Awards, one Golden Globe and one Academy Award. Also, in 2007, Legend received the special Starlight Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Legend also appeared on Sam Smith's massive 2015 Comic Relief single, "Lay Me Down". 

This will be John Legend's first appearance at Live at the Marquee.