Greetings Everyone, I hope everyone is happy and healthy. I'm doing well. The U.S tour is going beautifully so far. We just had a great show in Cleveland, Ohio, last night. Next stop is Motown--Detroit, Michigan.
As many of you already know, "Once Again" debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200 (#1 on the R/B Charts), with 231,000 units sold in the U.S. in its first week. This is over double the opening week sales of "Get Lifted." "Once Again" is also a top 10 record in Europe and Japan. Thanks to all my fans worldwide for your continued support. But we're not finished yet. If you enjoy the new album, tell all your friends about it. We've got a long way to go to 5 million!
And, more importantly, for all my U.S. fans, please do not forget that today is Election Day. Your vote matters, so please use it wisely.
Peace and Love
John
Tuesday, November 7, 2006
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
I'm Back...
Hey everybody. I know it's been a very long time since you've heard from me. But I'm back. I'm back with new music and the beginning of my promotional tour. I can't wait for you to hear and see the new album, Once Again . I'm truly excited about the songs and creative direction of the album. I worked with a great list of producers and co-writers, including Kanye West, will.i.am, Raphael Saadiq, Craig Street, Sa-Ra, Eric Hudson, Devo Springsteen, Dave Tozer and Avenue. I also had a special guest appearance from Mary J. Blige. I'm really proud of what we did. This album shows how I've grown and developed since Get Lifted . You'll hear a range of influences from soul to hip-hop to classic pop to alternative. I hope you enjoy it.
I spent most of the summer working on the new album, but I found some time to do a few other things as well. Here are some highlights:
I spent most of the summer working on the new album, but I found some time to do a few other things as well. Here are some highlights:
- I had the privilege of recording a duet with Tony Bennett for his upcoming album and television special.
- I performed with Wynton Marsalis and his band for a fundraiser for Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York. That was a memorable experience. Mr. Marsalis is a genius.
- I performed with Sergio Mendes for his 40 th anniversary concert at the Hollywood Bowl.
- I sang at the Major League Baseball All-Star Game I did a duet with Hoots the Owl on Sesame Street. My best duet ever.
- I had a chance to perform my first ever concert in Trinidad & Tobago. We had a great time down there. I'm hoping to return next year...
- I co-wrote a beautiful song called "Finally" for Fergie's new album.
- I also recorded with Kanye West, Common, Consequence and Cassidy for future releases
As many of you know, we're doing a small set of promotional performances in a few cities in September and October. Tickets will be very hard to come by because the venues will be very small. But don't worry; we'll do a larger tour after the album is released on October 24th. I hope to see all of you out there on the road. The band has been getting ready, and I think we're going to be better than ever. In the meantime, make sure you check out the new video for the first single, "Save Room." You can also buy the single at various online stores like i-tunes, etc. And be sure you request it on your local radio stations and video channels. Finally, as we commemorate the 1 st anniversary of Katrina and the 5 th anniversary of the tragic events of 2001, let us continue to work and pray for peace and prosperity around the world. While we remember the lives of those several thousand Americans who were killed on 9/11, let's also remember that hundreds of thousands of people around the world are dying every year due to extreme poverty and preventable and treatable diseases. I recommend that you read Jeffrey Sachs' "The End of Poverty" which suggests ways we all can work to end this ongoing tragedy. It's a powerful book and well worth your time.
Thanks again for your support.
John
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Happy New Year
Wow. What a year 2005 has been. We released Get Lifted a year ago today, and I hoped it would be a huge success. Well, our success this year has been well beyond my expectations. We've sold over 1.5 million records in the US and over 2.3 million and counting worldwide. We're platinum or gold in several countries. We've received nominations and/or awards at all the major award shows (including 8 Grammy nominations!). We've done 3 US tours, 3 European tours, 2 Australian tours, and tours in New Zealand, Japan and South Africa. I've met and played with some of my musical heroes. We've truly been blessed.
I'm so grateful to everyone who's helped make this year happen, my labels (Sony & Getting Out Our Dreams), my management team, my band, my family and many others I don't have space to name. And I'm especially grateful to you, the fans. Your support has been overwhelming and inspiring. I had quite a grueling touring schedule this year, but no matter how tired I was, I was always energized by the outpouring of love I received from you at every show. I've had the pleasure of meeting many of you at various events around the world, and I must say that I'm lucky to have such a positive group of people supporting my music. Thanks for your support. I hope I'll continue to make music that's worthy of your support in the future.
I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season. I just returned from a great time in Ohio with my family. In this season of giving and receiving, I probably don't need to remind you to think of those who are truly in need in your community and around the world. As some of you know, I recently visited South Africa. It was a beautiful experience for me. The country is absolutely beautiful and the spirit of the people was so warm. I had some of my most memorable shows in Cape Town & Johannesburg. But I was also reminded that there is still a lot of suffering going on around the world. I saw some of the evidence of the legacy of apartheid still apparent in the deplorable living conditions of many black South Africans. And, as many of you know, the AIDS crisis has been absolutely devastating in South Africa and in many other countries throughout the continent. Those who can help should certainly do so.
Also, consider the victims of this year's South Asian earthquake. While the massive earthquake that hit Pakistan and India has not gotten much news lately, the situation over there remains very terrible and could use a lot more attention from those who are able to help. There are about 5 million homeless and a cold winter has begun. There is still not enough medical aid and not enough shelter. If something doesn't happen soon, experts estimate that another 100,000 will be dead by next month. I know it seems like this is just another disaster at the end of a disaster-filled year. But it's the worst of all of them and not enough is getting done.
And, here in the U.S., continue to remember the hurricane victims. Hold the President and Congress accountable for the promises they made to help those victims and address the larger issues of poverty and race in America.
I don't mean to preach to you too much. I just think that we should have some perspective as we partake in the festivities this year....
Speaking of festivities... It's also my 27th birthday today. Thanks to those of you who have already sent birthday wishes and gifts.
Also, this week:Catch me on the Today Show this morning (the 28th) on NBC Celebrate the New Year with me in Los Angeles at the House of Blues on Dec 31
Peace & Blessings,
John
I'm so grateful to everyone who's helped make this year happen, my labels (Sony & Getting Out Our Dreams), my management team, my band, my family and many others I don't have space to name. And I'm especially grateful to you, the fans. Your support has been overwhelming and inspiring. I had quite a grueling touring schedule this year, but no matter how tired I was, I was always energized by the outpouring of love I received from you at every show. I've had the pleasure of meeting many of you at various events around the world, and I must say that I'm lucky to have such a positive group of people supporting my music. Thanks for your support. I hope I'll continue to make music that's worthy of your support in the future.
I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season. I just returned from a great time in Ohio with my family. In this season of giving and receiving, I probably don't need to remind you to think of those who are truly in need in your community and around the world. As some of you know, I recently visited South Africa. It was a beautiful experience for me. The country is absolutely beautiful and the spirit of the people was so warm. I had some of my most memorable shows in Cape Town & Johannesburg. But I was also reminded that there is still a lot of suffering going on around the world. I saw some of the evidence of the legacy of apartheid still apparent in the deplorable living conditions of many black South Africans. And, as many of you know, the AIDS crisis has been absolutely devastating in South Africa and in many other countries throughout the continent. Those who can help should certainly do so.
Also, consider the victims of this year's South Asian earthquake. While the massive earthquake that hit Pakistan and India has not gotten much news lately, the situation over there remains very terrible and could use a lot more attention from those who are able to help. There are about 5 million homeless and a cold winter has begun. There is still not enough medical aid and not enough shelter. If something doesn't happen soon, experts estimate that another 100,000 will be dead by next month. I know it seems like this is just another disaster at the end of a disaster-filled year. But it's the worst of all of them and not enough is getting done.
And, here in the U.S., continue to remember the hurricane victims. Hold the President and Congress accountable for the promises they made to help those victims and address the larger issues of poverty and race in America.
I don't mean to preach to you too much. I just think that we should have some perspective as we partake in the festivities this year....
Speaking of festivities... It's also my 27th birthday today. Thanks to those of you who have already sent birthday wishes and gifts.
Also, this week:Catch me on the Today Show this morning (the 28th) on NBC Celebrate the New Year with me in Los Angeles at the House of Blues on Dec 31
Peace & Blessings,
John
Monday, September 19, 2005
Katrina Aftermath
Hey people. Greetings from Paris. The European tour has been incredible, sold out all over the continent and the UK, and we're having a great time. However, my mind has often been focused on the awful tragedy that has befallen New Orleans and the rest of the Gulf Coast area. I've truly been saddened by the images and stories that I've seen and heard on the news. Even in Europe, coverage of Katrina and its disastrous effects has dominated the newscasts.
In all my recent interviews, reporters have asked me what I think of the hurricane and our government's tragically flawed response. They've particularly asked me about the comments made by my friend and frequent collaborator, Kanye West, who said, among other things, that "George Bush doesn't care about Black people." His comments may have shocked a lot of people, but he also inspired many and gave voice to a lot of people's frustrations about the truly disturbing images of so many poor Black hurricane victims who were getting the worst of the disaster and George Bush's seeming indifference.
So what do I think about the situation? First of all, I'm truly sad to see such an important, unique city as New Orleans made uninhabitable. New Orleans is such an important city in American and Black music history. It is the birthplace of so much culture, and there's no other place like it in America. I've always loved visiting there and performing there, and I get such an empty feeling knowing that I won't be able to perform there again for a long while.
Secondly, it is truly heartbreaking to see the images of so many people taken out of their homes and made to live in sports arenas and convention centers with thousands of other evacuees. Many have been separated from everything they know and love: their families, their homes, all their earthly possessions. It's terrible. And for this to happen in a country as wealthy and prosperous as ours is shameful, leaving a number of very serious questions that must be asked and answered.
Regarding Kanye's comment, I'm proud of his courage to say what was on his mind. It heightened everyone's awareness of Bush's failings as a leader. And it may very well be true that Bush doesn't care much about the Black constituency. We can only speculate as to what's in his heart and mind regarding Black people, but there certainly is evidence that Bush governs like he cares only about the interests of the rich and powerful. His strategy has clearly been to keep his fervent base (the rich and the cultural conservatives) motivated. So he makes sure the tax cuts and corporate welfare keep coming. And he throws enough symbolic (rather than substantive) bones to the working and middle-class cultural conservatives to keep them motivated. And anyone that falls outside his fervent base, his administration disregards. That includes Black people because he figures that we won't vote for him anyway, so why waste energy and political capital on us? That doesn't mean he doesn't like Black people on a more personal level ("Hell, some of his best cabinet members are Black!"). He's just doing the math (well, his strategist Karl Rove probably is) and making sure he focuses on a winning strategy, which requires next to no Black votes to keep him in power. In addition, he turns a blind eye to the efforts of Republican foot soldiers to exploit racism and to suppress the votes of urban Blacks who tend to vote Democratic. So, the net result is that his administration governs with no regard for the concerns shared by most of the Black community.
But I think a more precise analysis is that Bush's policies are decidedly anti-poor and pro-rich. This is more of a class issue than a race issue. I think it's a mistake when people equate "Black" and "poor" as though they're interchangeable terms. Being poor and Black have been highly correlated in our nation's tumultuous history, but they are not the same thing. In New Orleans, the overwhelming majority of the poor are Black and the majority of the Black citizens are poor. But this nation is full of a wide range of Black experiences and the poor come from all colors of the rainbow (though Black & brown are clearly over-represented in that rainbow).
All that being said, I don't think that I agree that Bush's slow reaction to the disaster was because a disproportionate number of the un-evacuated victims of Katrina were Black. While there have been many instances of racism in the evacuation process in New Orleans and the surrounding areas and in the reporting about the aftermath, I don't think Bush's early inaction was based on his own racism. I think Bush was truly oblivious to the extent of the disaster and the despair that overwhelmed the city. From all of his statements and the reports of his behavior right after the hurricane hit, it is abundantly clear that the President was uninformed as to the suffering that was going on. He has insulated himself from the news (actually he's proudly announced that he doesn't read the news!) and anything that disturbs his bubble of ignorance, and it took several days before his staff and the overwhelmingly disturbing images on the news could penetrate his ignorant bliss. Not to mention the fact that his FEMA staff was headed by people that don't know much of anything about dealing with emergencies. He clearly de-prioritized emergency management as a federal responsibility and it came back to bite everyone in the ass with Katrina. However, simply saying that Bush was uninformed and unprepared rather than racially motivated in this case is not letting him off the hook. On the contrary, it is extremely dangerous and inexcusable for our President to be incompetent in these types of circumstances.
And, as usual, the people who are suffering the most as a result of the administration's negligence are the people with the least resources to fend for themselves: the poor and elderly of New Orleans and the surrounding region, many of whom are Black. To be clear, I'm not saying they're suffering solely because of their race. It's more exact to say that they're suffering because they're poor, and due in part to the nation's pervasive history of racism along with a number of other factors, many of the nation's urban poor are Black.
Not surprisingly, people around the world, including myself, are now admirably donating their time and money in a very encouraging display of generosity to help the impoverished Katrina victims. This generosity toward the needy gives me hope that Americans (along with our foreign donors) have the heart and the inclination to help those that are less fortunate.
But we have to also realize that a lot of these hurricane victims weren't made destitute by the hurricane and the flood. Many of them were already destitute! And they're not just in the Gulf region. They're in cities all across this country. That's an even bigger tragedy than Katrina, an ongoing tragedy of poverty that has grown every year for the last four years despite the national economy's continued growth.
The most important lesson from this disaster is not that Bush doesn't care about Black people. It's that poverty is a very real and growing problem in America despite the fact that you never saw it on TV until the last 2 weeks. This problem continues to fester while Bush's priorities are clearly elsewhere. And the American people haven't even asked our leaders to articulate any clear strategy to deal with poverty. It barely even came up in the last election; neither Democrats nor Republicans talked about it because we as an electorate (including me!) didn't require them to. George Bush and the rest of Washington have governed with little regard for poor people. All too often we rely on capitalism to solve everything while preaching personal responsibility to the poor (which is truly important) without also understanding that the cycle of poverty is exceptionally difficult to break (i.e., most of the people who become poor adults were born into poor families). It is particularly difficult when you factor in the abysmal quality of schools in poor areas and other issues such as class-ism and racism. It's time that Americans hold our leaders accountable for coming up with creative solutions to address the issue of poverty in America and around the world. I'll make it a personal goal to do all that I can in that regard.
Peace & Love,
John
Friday, August 19, 2005
Tour Update, “So High” Video & Remix
August 19, 2005
Hey People,
I hope everybody out there is doing well. A lot has been going on since my last journal. Where do I begin?
Well, the Get Lifted Tour has been going very well. We're almost through with our journey through the U.S. We’re ending with a West Coast swing in the next few days, including the House of Blues in Hollywood, where we’ll be filming a live DVD. We've done some dates on the Kool Tour with hip-hop veterans Common, De La Soul & Rahzel, and we've done most of the remaining shows with rising star & fellow Ohio native Lyfe Jennings. My band and I have really been growing together and I believe we’re continuing to improve as each week goes by. We've had a great time in every city, and we truly appreciate the support we've gotten from all of you.
While I've had plenty of amazing nights during this tour, the most exciting night was when I went home to Springfield, Ohio, to christen the new Veterans Park Amphitheater with a free concert. It was an incredible experience. There were approximately 15,000 people in the audience, shattering the previous attendance record, and it was one of the most memorable nights of my life. My entire family and many friends, former classmates and neighbors were in the audience. And my family came up to sing with me during the encore. Also the mayor gave me the key to the city (I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do with it :) ) and declared it "John Legend Day." It was truly a beautiful night that I'll never forget.
We've also finished the video for "So High", the new single from the album. We'll be debuting the video on 106 & Park (BET) and TRL (MTV) next week on the 24th. It's a really beautiful, sexy video, directed by Diane Martel and co-starring supermodel Jessica White. I can't wait for y'all to see it and let me know what you think.
And, in breaking news, I’ve just finished a duet remix of “So High” with one of my favorite artists of all time, Lauryn Hill. It is her first appearance on a record in quite a while. We’ve just released “So High” Cloud 9 remix to radio stations all over, so call them up and request it. I’m really excited to have Ms. Hill on the track. She’s truly a genius. As you may know, I played on “Everything is Everything” off The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill album and I have been wanting to work with her ever since. It’s great to see that wish finally came true.
Coming soon... Check out the MTV Video Music Awards on August 28, and root for your boy. I’m nominated for 3 awards (Best Male Video, Best New Artist in a Video, Best R&B Video). Hopefully I’ll grab at least one. Also, to my fans in Europe, Australia & New Zealand, I’ll be visiting a city near you in September and October. I’m really excited about that. I’ll be headlining throughout Europe and supporting the Black Eyed Peas in Australia & New Zealand. I look forward to seeing y’all out there.
Peace & Blessings,
John
Hey People,
I hope everybody out there is doing well. A lot has been going on since my last journal. Where do I begin?
Well, the Get Lifted Tour has been going very well. We're almost through with our journey through the U.S. We’re ending with a West Coast swing in the next few days, including the House of Blues in Hollywood, where we’ll be filming a live DVD. We've done some dates on the Kool Tour with hip-hop veterans Common, De La Soul & Rahzel, and we've done most of the remaining shows with rising star & fellow Ohio native Lyfe Jennings. My band and I have really been growing together and I believe we’re continuing to improve as each week goes by. We've had a great time in every city, and we truly appreciate the support we've gotten from all of you.
While I've had plenty of amazing nights during this tour, the most exciting night was when I went home to Springfield, Ohio, to christen the new Veterans Park Amphitheater with a free concert. It was an incredible experience. There were approximately 15,000 people in the audience, shattering the previous attendance record, and it was one of the most memorable nights of my life. My entire family and many friends, former classmates and neighbors were in the audience. And my family came up to sing with me during the encore. Also the mayor gave me the key to the city (I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do with it :) ) and declared it "John Legend Day." It was truly a beautiful night that I'll never forget.
We've also finished the video for "So High", the new single from the album. We'll be debuting the video on 106 & Park (BET) and TRL (MTV) next week on the 24th. It's a really beautiful, sexy video, directed by Diane Martel and co-starring supermodel Jessica White. I can't wait for y'all to see it and let me know what you think.
And, in breaking news, I’ve just finished a duet remix of “So High” with one of my favorite artists of all time, Lauryn Hill. It is her first appearance on a record in quite a while. We’ve just released “So High” Cloud 9 remix to radio stations all over, so call them up and request it. I’m really excited to have Ms. Hill on the track. She’s truly a genius. As you may know, I played on “Everything is Everything” off The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill album and I have been wanting to work with her ever since. It’s great to see that wish finally came true.
Coming soon... Check out the MTV Video Music Awards on August 28, and root for your boy. I’m nominated for 3 awards (Best Male Video, Best New Artist in a Video, Best R&B Video). Hopefully I’ll grab at least one. Also, to my fans in Europe, Australia & New Zealand, I’ll be visiting a city near you in September and October. I’m really excited about that. I’ll be headlining throughout Europe and supporting the Black Eyed Peas in Australia & New Zealand. I look forward to seeing y’all out there.
Peace & Blessings,
John
Saturday, June 11, 2005
Get Lifted Tour Update + Oprah Winfrey
June 11, 2005
Hey People,
I’m back! I just finished a great tour overseas.
We started out in Japan. I had a great time performing in Tokyo. The crowds in Tokyo were a lot of fun. We took some great pics which we’ll post shortly. Unfortunately, I also picked up a little sinus infection that made me pretty ill for the next week or so... Just a word of advice, avoid flying if you have a sinus infection. The trip to Melbourne, Australia, from Tokyo made me even more ill. My ears were popping and my sinuses were bothering me for several days. I had a show in Melbourne the same night that I landed, and I barely made it through the show. I almost canceled it early, but thanks to the support of my band and the good people of Melbourne, we made it through the show. I had a show the next night in Sydney, which is short flight away from Melbourne. Unfortunately I couldn’t fly again on doctor’s orders. So I had to ride in a car for about 9 hours to Sydney, and I arrived just before the show started. Anyway, I made it through that show, and my sinuses began to improve from there. I want to apologize to all my Australian fans that I wasn’t able to give you my absolute best shows, but it was the best I could do at the time and I hope you enjoyed yourselves...
After the Australian shows (and a visit to the doctor), I was able to fly to Santa Barbara, California, to perform for a luncheon at Oprah Winfrey’s estate that kicked off her Legends Weekend. That was an incredible experience. I had an opportunity to play for a captive audience of all the amazing women that Ms Winfrey was honoring that weekend. I can’t remember everyone, but the list of women attending included Halle Berry, Tyra Banks, Maya Angelou, Della Reese, Phylicia Rashad, Debbie Allen, Iman, Beverly Johnson, Naomi Campbell, Brandy, Alicia Keys, Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Gladys Knight, Pattti Labelle, Chaka Khan, Angela Bassett, Tina Turner, Missy Elliott ... I’m sure I’m forgetting some people, but you get the picture. All these beautiful talented women at the luncheon and just one man was called in to entertain them. Yours truly.... It was pretty crazy for me to be there. I felt very moved by the whole experience. Anyway, I just came in, sang “Ordinary People,” said a few words of appreciation, then sang “Live it Up” (Ms Winfrey’s special request), then left and headed back to the L.A. Airport to continue my tour in London and the rest of Europe. It was a brief experience, but it was one of the most exciting things I’ve done in my career so far.
Anyway, the tour of Europe went really well. The fans in all the cities we visited were very enthusiastic and supportive. I hate to name favorites, but I think the most hype crowds were in the UK (Manchester, London & Birmingham), Paris and Amsterdam. But I truly had a great time at all the shows. I also received my first overseas gold plaques. We’re now gold in Norway and in the UK. Hopefully we’ll add some more countries to that list, and maybe even bump up to platinum in some places.
Again, thanks to all my fans around the globe for supporting the music. The tour has been beautiful so far....
Last night, we began the US portion of the Get Lifted tour in Atlanta at the Vibe Music Fest. My band and I had a great set, then we joined Kanye & Common (my VIBE cover-mates!) for a G.O.O.D Music jam session. It was a fun night. And I’m looking forward to many more great nights around the country (and in Toronto). Tickets are still available for most of the shows, but they are selling fast so don’t wait till the last minute....
See you soon,
John
Hey People,
I’m back! I just finished a great tour overseas.
We started out in Japan. I had a great time performing in Tokyo. The crowds in Tokyo were a lot of fun. We took some great pics which we’ll post shortly. Unfortunately, I also picked up a little sinus infection that made me pretty ill for the next week or so... Just a word of advice, avoid flying if you have a sinus infection. The trip to Melbourne, Australia, from Tokyo made me even more ill. My ears were popping and my sinuses were bothering me for several days. I had a show in Melbourne the same night that I landed, and I barely made it through the show. I almost canceled it early, but thanks to the support of my band and the good people of Melbourne, we made it through the show. I had a show the next night in Sydney, which is short flight away from Melbourne. Unfortunately I couldn’t fly again on doctor’s orders. So I had to ride in a car for about 9 hours to Sydney, and I arrived just before the show started. Anyway, I made it through that show, and my sinuses began to improve from there. I want to apologize to all my Australian fans that I wasn’t able to give you my absolute best shows, but it was the best I could do at the time and I hope you enjoyed yourselves...
After the Australian shows (and a visit to the doctor), I was able to fly to Santa Barbara, California, to perform for a luncheon at Oprah Winfrey’s estate that kicked off her Legends Weekend. That was an incredible experience. I had an opportunity to play for a captive audience of all the amazing women that Ms Winfrey was honoring that weekend. I can’t remember everyone, but the list of women attending included Halle Berry, Tyra Banks, Maya Angelou, Della Reese, Phylicia Rashad, Debbie Allen, Iman, Beverly Johnson, Naomi Campbell, Brandy, Alicia Keys, Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Gladys Knight, Pattti Labelle, Chaka Khan, Angela Bassett, Tina Turner, Missy Elliott ... I’m sure I’m forgetting some people, but you get the picture. All these beautiful talented women at the luncheon and just one man was called in to entertain them. Yours truly.... It was pretty crazy for me to be there. I felt very moved by the whole experience. Anyway, I just came in, sang “Ordinary People,” said a few words of appreciation, then sang “Live it Up” (Ms Winfrey’s special request), then left and headed back to the L.A. Airport to continue my tour in London and the rest of Europe. It was a brief experience, but it was one of the most exciting things I’ve done in my career so far.
Anyway, the tour of Europe went really well. The fans in all the cities we visited were very enthusiastic and supportive. I hate to name favorites, but I think the most hype crowds were in the UK (Manchester, London & Birmingham), Paris and Amsterdam. But I truly had a great time at all the shows. I also received my first overseas gold plaques. We’re now gold in Norway and in the UK. Hopefully we’ll add some more countries to that list, and maybe even bump up to platinum in some places.
Again, thanks to all my fans around the globe for supporting the music. The tour has been beautiful so far....
Last night, we began the US portion of the Get Lifted tour in Atlanta at the Vibe Music Fest. My band and I had a great set, then we joined Kanye & Common (my VIBE cover-mates!) for a G.O.O.D Music jam session. It was a fun night. And I’m looking forward to many more great nights around the country (and in Toronto). Tickets are still available for most of the shows, but they are selling fast so don’t wait till the last minute....
See you soon,
John
Wednesday, May 4, 2005
Diary Tour Ends, Get Lifted Tour Begins
May 4, 2005
Hey People,
I hope everyone's doing well. I just wanted to check in let you know what's going on with me. I just finished the Alicia Keys Diary Tour. I had a great time traveling the country with Alicia and her crew. We went to many of my favorite cities, and we sold out every show. Thanks to all the JL fans who showed me love throughout the tour. It's never completely ideal to be an opening act, but it was a great experience for me. I learned a lot, and introduced my music to many people who hadn't heard me yet. But I'm definitely looking forward to going out as the headliner...
Speaking of which, I'm so excited about the Get Lifted tour happening this summer. We start in Tokyo this weekend and then head to Australia, Europe and then all over the U.S. I can't wait to see you all out there on road.
I've been doing a few collaborations lately, which you should look out for. I did a couple songs with Common on his BE album, which is certainly a classic. Look out for it coming out in a few weeks. I’ve also done some work with Kanye for his upcoming album Late Registration and with the Black Eyed Peas for Monkey Business. And I’ve written a couple songs for upcoming albums by Aretha Franklin and Jaime Foxx.
Well, that’s it for now. Take care and talk to you soon.
Peace & love,
John
Hey People,
I hope everyone's doing well. I just wanted to check in let you know what's going on with me. I just finished the Alicia Keys Diary Tour. I had a great time traveling the country with Alicia and her crew. We went to many of my favorite cities, and we sold out every show. Thanks to all the JL fans who showed me love throughout the tour. It's never completely ideal to be an opening act, but it was a great experience for me. I learned a lot, and introduced my music to many people who hadn't heard me yet. But I'm definitely looking forward to going out as the headliner...
Speaking of which, I'm so excited about the Get Lifted tour happening this summer. We start in Tokyo this weekend and then head to Australia, Europe and then all over the U.S. I can't wait to see you all out there on road.
I've been doing a few collaborations lately, which you should look out for. I did a couple songs with Common on his BE album, which is certainly a classic. Look out for it coming out in a few weeks. I’ve also done some work with Kanye for his upcoming album Late Registration and with the Black Eyed Peas for Monkey Business. And I’ve written a couple songs for upcoming albums by Aretha Franklin and Jaime Foxx.
Well, that’s it for now. Take care and talk to you soon.
Peace & love,
John
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