"Beauty is the goal. I want you to feel it and have some sort of revelation. I want you to get the chills."

• Born John Roger Stephens on Dec. 28, 1978, in Springfield, Ohio
   
• John Legend's debut album, 2004's Get Lifted, was peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard 200. The album featured his first Top 40 hit, "Ordinary People," which hit No. 24 on the Billboard Hot 100.
   
• At the 48th GRAMMY Awards, Legend won his first three GRAMMYs: Best R&B Album (Get Lifted), Best Male R&B Vocal Performance ("Ordinary People") and Best New Artist. The year prior, at the 47th GRAMMYs, Legend made his GRAMMY stage debut, performing "I'll Take You There" with Mavis Staples.
   
• Did you know? Legend appeared on an episode of "Sesame Street" in 2006, performing "It Feels Good When You Sing A Song" with Hoots the Owl.
   
• In 2014 Legend joined Ryan Seacrest and Recording Academy CEO Neil Portnow to present the first-ever Music Educator Award to Kent Knappenberger during the 56th GRAMMY Awards telecast.
   
• In 2015 Legend made a $500,000 donation toward efforts to renovate a 700-seat auditorium located in the Springfield City School District in his hometown. The theater has been rechristened the John Legend Theater.