Media Advisory: Singer, songwriter John Legend to appear at UB

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Singer, songwriter and pianist John Legend will speak at the University at Buffalo at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 3, in Alumni Arena on the North Campus as part of UB’s Distinguished Speakers Series.

Legend, this year’s Undergraduate Student Choice Speaker, will present “An Evening of Speaking, Q&A and Songs with Piano.”

Considered one of the industry’s most innovative artists, his debut album, “Get Lifted,” sold platinum and garnered eight Grammy nominations and three golden statues for Best New Artist, Best R&B Album and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.

In 2013, his first No. 1 single, “All of Me,” spent three weeks at the top of Billboard’s Hot 100 chart and dominated the airways across five radio formats – Top 40, Rhythm, Adult Contemporary, Hot Adult Contemporary and Urban Adult Contemporary, reaching a cumulative radio audience of more than 4 billion.

Legend also won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Best Original Song in 2015 for “Glory” from the film “Selma.”

During his program, audio and/or video photography, as well as still photography, will be limited to the first five minutes of his lecture. Legend is expected to begin speaking at approximately 8:10 p.m.

Working media may reserve tickets for the program by contacting Christine Vidal in the UB Office of Communications at 645-4607 or vidal@buffalo.edu no later than noon on Thursday, Dec. 3. Reserved tickets may be picked up at the will-call window in Alumni Arena prior to the program. Media may need to show press credentials in order to be admitted to the program.