John Legend Teams With Kennedy Center to Honor Marvin Gaye
Kennedy Center asks students, "What's going on now?"
Erika Gonzalez
John Legend surprised some Duke Ellington School of the Arts students Tuesday to help them honor Marvin Gaye.
A big-name singer was in D.C. Tuesday to promote the 40th anniversary of a legendary concert.
John Legend left students from the Duke Ellington School of the Arts almost speechless when he joined them for a jam session as they rehearsed for Music of Motown -- their performance on the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center Tuesday night.
Legend joined with the Kennedy Center to a start a program honoring the late Marvin Gaye, whose 1971 album “What’s Going On?” was Motown’s first to tackle social issues like war, poverty and addiction.
“We have young people here today, and young people across the country that this music still means something to,” Legend said.
To commemorate that album and Gaye’s historic 1972 comeback performance at the Kennedy Center, the Kennedy Center is asking students,” What’s going on now?” They can post their answers online through text or video.
Two lucky students will be picked to join Legend in concert at the Kennedy Center in May and show off their work.
"From all the material that we're seeing uploaded onto the website - whether it's music, a play, poetry – we’re going to select some of that work to be part of the performance,” said Darrell Ayers, of the Kennedy Center.
Copyright Associated Press / NBC4 Washington
