John Legend has just announced his plans for a major U.S. tour! He’ll be on the road beginning June 27th in Muskegon, Mi., and running through Labor Day in support of his latest album, “Evolver”, which has sold 597,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen Soundscan. The trek will hit over 50 cities and will end in Berkely, Calif., on Labor Day.
Grammy winner India Arie will be opening up for Legend on select dates. Backed by 11-piece band, Legend will make stops at the Essence Festival in New Orleans, the Greek Theater in Los Angeles, Chastain Park Amphitheatre in Atlanta, Mann Music Center in Philadelphia and Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD.

And as part of the tour, John Legend is teaming up with non-profit environmental agency REVERB to ensure his future tour is green. REVERB will help Legend work with venues to ensure the use of green products and practice and will offer eco-friendly merchandise Their efforts will include coordination with venues and local caterers to ensure and facilitate the use of green products and practices, along with neutralizing CO2 emissions from venue energy use, hotels, flights and touring vehicles. The tour’s “carbon footprint” was calculated by REVERB and neutralized by financially supporting the construction of new renewable energy projects such as wind farms. Eco-friendly merchandise will be available for fans and a John Legend on-line ride-sharing service will encourage and assist carpooling to shows.
Moreover, a John Legend “greening” website will include tips and calls to action for fans with prize incentives. Last month, Legend topped Billboard’s Green 10 list for his increased efforts on behalf of various environmental causes.
John Legend, alias John Stephens (born December 28, 1978), performed in January at the Green Inaugural Ball, a celebration of the Obama administration’s pledge to build a sustainable energy economy that was executive-produced by Live Earth founder Kevin Wall.
The winner of six Grammy Awards is definitely dedicated to all sorts of green issues. He even initiated two years ago a campaign dedicated to improving life for the residents of poverty-stricken Mbola, Tanzania, with clean water and higher-yielding agriculture. Last year Legend teamed with Professor Jeffrey Sachs of Columbia University’s Earth Institute for a speaking tour to promote sustainable development in Mbola and other impoverished areas.
Besides being named No. 1 on the Billboard Green 10, Legend is earning other accolades in response to his efforts: Last June, he received the CARE Humanitarian Award for Global Change in Washington, D.C.
Therefore, with such a greenish feedback, John Legend will definitely offer to his fans a summer tour as green and eco-friendly as possible.

Source: johnlegend.com; billboard.com;

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 28th, 2009 at 9:20 am and is filed under News.