Grammy award winning R&B superstar, John Legend, returned to his gospel roots with an impromptu church performance. Legend surprised Calvary Baptist Church on Haverford Avenue in West Philadelphia, PA by leading the congregation in a cover of “How I Got Over” by Clara Ward. Legend, who was in Philadelphia this past weekend to open for singer Sade` at the Wells Fargo Center, put himself through college working as director of music at a church.
“A lot of the greatest soul singers in American history started in the black church. It’s very obvious when you listen to gospel and soul music, you can see and hear and feel the connection,” says Legend. “I thought it’d be cool to go back in, do something that explored my roots a little bit, surprise the choir, surprise the church. It was cool, like the church calling out for me.”
