The sultry soul singer John Legend has been added to the star packed line up for the Smile Jamaica-Africa Unite concert on Saturday February 23 at James Bond Beach.
The Smile Jamaica-Africa Unite concert will be the Grammy winners third performance in Jamaica. Legend wowed Jamaican audiences at Reggae Sumfest as he performed alongside rapper Kanye West and he also headlined the Air Jamaica Jazz and Blues festival. Legend exploded on the scene with Ordinary People. The Track and album were local and International hits. His follow up album spawned the chart topper Stay with You, a favourite of Jamaicans, Legend will have audiences singing along.
John Legend grew up in Ohio, surrounded by every musical influence from gospel to hip-hop. While attending university Legend found time to make his own music, whether it was recording his own albums, performing at talent shows and open mics, or directing the choir at a local church. In 1998, John got his first taste of success, playing piano on Everything is Everything off Lauryn's Hill's multiple-Grammy winning album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. In 2001, a college roommate introduced John to the then up-and-coming producer/artiste Kanye West. By 2002, Legend was part of West's creative team, appearing on albums by Talib Kweli, Common, Aleica Keys, Mary J Blige and on West's 2004 breakthrough The College Dropout.