Legend, Kennedy Center program honor 

Marvin Gaye

Grammy award-winning singer John Legend surprised a high school choir Tuesday at the Kennedy Center to help start a program encouraging young artists to confront social issues with their art, in honor of the late Marvin Gaye.

The project, "What's Going On ... Now," echoes Gaye's lyrics and asks young people to express how things have changed in the four decades since Gaye's hit album, "What's Going On."

Students can upload videos, photos, poems, music or any recordings of creative expression to the project's website to answer that question.

Gaye's groundbreaking 1971 Motown album tackled difficult social issues such as war, drug addiction and poverty, and asked audiences to reflect on the times. His 1972 performance at the Kennedy Center in his hometown was a historic comeback for Gaye — his first live performance in two years since the death of his singing partner and friend Tammi Terrell. It's also believed to be the only time Gaye sang his entire "What's Going On" album in concert.

Legend, 33, will re-create Gaye's performance in two concerts in May with the National Symphony Orchestra and other performers. They will also incorporate recordings submitted by students. The Kennedy Center will feature user-generated content on the project's website, and two young participants will win a free trip to Washington for the concert.

Legend surprised a show choir Tuesday from Washington's Duke Ellington School of the Arts while they were rehearsing for a performance of "What's Going On" at the Kennedy Center. Many of the students' jaws dropped as Legend sat down at the piano to sing with them.

As Legend sang with the students, India Reynolds, 17, a member of the choir, said they all sang backgrounds a little softer to hear his voice.

"If 'What's Going On' came out yesterday, it still would have been a hit," she said. "He wrote that album so that people would listen."