John Legend to Perform at Bridges Auditorium

Six-time Grammy Award winner John Legend will perform at Bridges Auditorium on Friday, October 1 at 8 p.m. Tickets for students of The Claremont Colleges will be available at Bridges on September 2 for $20; tickets will be available to the public through Ticketmaster on September 9 for $45.
Legend, whose music is a pleasant mix between R&B and soul, is best known for his tracks "Ordinary People" and "Greenlight." His style, which he considers to be a little bit "hip-hop infused" and a little bit "gospel infused," can be credited to his roots as a member of his church choir.
Originally born John Stephens, he gained the nickname "Legend" from his friends due to his old-school sound. As he told the New York Times, Legend chose his ambitious stage name deliberately: ''I said, 'Let me go out and make the best music I can and maybe, after my career is over, I've lived up to the name.' '' He certainly has, having lent his voice to many tracks, including those of the biggest names in hip-hop, such as Kanye West, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, and Lauryn Hill - all before the release of his first album.
Although music was always a guiding force in his life while growing up in Springfield, OH, it was not the initial career path that he took. Legend graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in English before moving to Manhattan to work as a consultant for Boston Consulting Group. While working as a consultant, Legend played music on the side for extra money.
Realizing that music was his greater pursuit, Legend launched his career with the help of Kanye West, whose cousin was Legend's roommate at UPenn. Legend now has three albums under his belt including, Get Lifted (2004), Once Again (2006), and Evolver (2008), and was recognized with a Starlight Award by the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2007.
Despite his mega-success, Legend is distinguished from his peers in hip-hop. He has been described by the New York Times as "old-fashioned and trendy, courtly and cool, attention-grabbing and understated." Legend's swagger is articulated by his V-neck shirts and tailored pants, rather than a diamond chain or mouth full of gold. Legend has a baby grand and an Ivy League diploma to dignify his unmistakable talent.
Legend's upcoming album, Wake Up!, which will be produced by The Roots, is going to be a soulful collection of cover songs from the 60s and 70s. Legend has expressed that the he hopes the album, which was inspired by the 2008 Presidential Election, will promote change, awareness, consciousness, and activism. Wake Up! is due to be released September 21, 2010.
Legend's visit is sponsored by the Claremont McKenna College Dean of Students Office. -Kelsey Brown '13