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In footsteps of a Legend
John Legend's brother, Vaughn Anthony, is recording his own album
Thursday, February 22, 2007
By all accounts, John Legend has been legendary from the time of birth.
Younger brother Vaughn Stephens shares some genes — but until now, the one that makes you work for a platinum album has been a recessive trait.
Extras
John Legend, right, will serve as executive producer on his brother's debut.
Springfielder Vaughn Anthony hopes to follow his famous brother, John Legend, and get lifted himself with his R&B debut."I always start stuff and don't finish," he said.
At 25, the 1999 North High grad has decided he's ready to prove himself.
"I'm going to shock the world," he promised.
As Vaughn Anthony, he's in New York this week recording his R&B debut for Legend's Home School Records label.
Anthony is one of two artists recording for Legend — the other, a British singer-songwriter and rapper named Estelle, already has been hooked up with Atlantic Records for distribution.
After two platinum albums and five Grammys, North grad Legend is beginning to loom large in the industry.
That's not lost on little brother.
"John Legend, he has credibility," Anthony explained. "Whether they're going to praise me or talk bad about me, they're going to listen."
But don't assume Anthony got a record deal only because he's family.
He had to first prove his newfound seriousness to his own flesh and blood in 2005, when Legend came home to lend his support for a city school levy.
"The last time he saw me, I was drinking a lot," Anthony confessed.
But the same night Legend tried to sway votes, Anthony called his band together for some stumping of his own. He wanted his brother to see and hear the new Vaughn, which was a few pounds lighter than the old Vaughn.
"When he walked into the room, I got so nervous," Anthony recalled. "What am I doing getting nervous?"
The showcase worked — the next month while playing Columbus, Legend featured Anthony during his set.
An even better offer came his way last year, and Anthony joined his brother as a backup singer on the road.
"I've been everywhere except Australia and Africa, and we're going to Africa next month," Anthony said. "It was good to see if I really wanted to do it."
He does. He'll just take his own food.
"I starved in Asia," he said. "I liked the food in Europe when I got back from Asia."
There's no doubt that Anthony has found a powerful advocate in his brother, who will serve as executive producer on his debut.
"I'll treat it like it's my own album," Legend, 28, said recently, "in the sense that I'll care about making sure every note is right."
Admittedly, convincing everybody else back home that Anthony is a star-in-waiting will be a harder sell.
"Nobody knows I can really sing," Anthony said. "I've always been an entertainer, but I was a clown."
He was in the choir at North for a little while, but only because it was, as he put it, "an easy grade."
Then he decided he was "too macho" for choir. His two big things were "sports and the ladies."
Vaughn grew up sort of like Bizarro John — he had brushes with the law (most notably for bringing some weed to school) and quit Clark State twice.
He also has a wife and two kids.
"My son changed my outlook on life," Anthony explained. "He gave me something extra to live for."
While still Vaughn Stephens, he ran a press at the local plastics company Tech II before realizing he, too, could sing and get paid for it.
He wants his first album to sound like Legend's "Get Lifted," only heavier on the hip-hop.
And for maybe the first time, he's thinking about the future — and the future comes with lots of square feet.
"I'll get me a crib over there in Roscommon," Anthony bragged. "One of my houses."
Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0352 or amcginn@coxohio.com.
