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Who Are John Legend's Parents? Here's What We Know
Learn about John Legend's parents, Ronald and Phyllis, who played a pivotal role in shaping the Grammy-winning artist's life and career.
John Roger Stephens, known professionally as John Legend, credits his parents for his successful musical career, telling People Magazine, “My parents always taught me that if you're going to succeed in life, part of success is having humility. It's a good way to live life, treating other people the way you want to be treated.”
Legend’s parents, Ronald and Phyllis Stephens divorced when he was 10, but continued to influence and shape his character throughout his formative years. The family is seemingly very close-knit, given how even years after their divorce, Ronald and Phyllis visited Legend on The Voice in 2019 to support him.
In honor of this wonderful family, here's a comprehensive look at John Legend’s parents
Ronald and Phyllis have four children together
Besides Legend, Ronald and Phyllis are also parents to sons Ronald Stephens II, and Vaughn Anthony Stephens, and daughter Phyllis ‘Missy’ Stephens.
In addition to their four kids, the former couple also fostered children
“It was difficult for us,” Legend told The Guardian. “Whenever you introduce new energy into a house, it can be disruptive, and we had varying levels of success, especially with teenagers who were carrying a lot of trauma and loss.”
They divorced, reconciled, and split again
Ronald and Phyllis initially divorced when Legend was 10. The singer told The Guardian that they split following his maternal grandmother's death. “It was a massive trauma for my mother,” he shared. “She started to withdraw, she became depressed, she fell out of love with my father and they got divorced. She ended up turning to drugs to self-medicate what she had gone through and we were estranged from her, even though we were living in the same city.”
Later on, Legend noted during a conversation with MTV that his song Ordinary People was inspired by his parents' relationship. The song traces the ups and downs of a relationship, which Legend says was inspired by his parents' divorce, reconciliation, and separation again.
Ronald was a factory worker and Phyllis was a seamstress
According to the information on his hat company website, Ronald Stephens supported his family by working as a laborer at International Harvester in Springfield, Ohio. Additionally, he also made ends meet by designing, tailoring, and altering clothing while also drawing and selling exquisite graphite portraits.
As for Phyllis, she worked as a seamstress and loved making clothes for Legend. In an Instagram post to mark Mother's Day in 2023, Phyllis commented on one picture, “I made this suit for you…your mama loved sailor outfits.”
Legend responded with a question, asking his mother, “You liked making outfits for us. Why did you make so many outfits for us?” She replied, “Because I wanted y’all to look good and have confidence in yourselves.”
About Ronald Stephens' Hat Company
Ronald started his hat company Popz Topz in 2012, telling Page Six that he got inspired for it after starting to lose his hair.
“I was doing some spring cleaning and I got ready to throw away one of my straw hats — very similar to the one Clark Globe wore in Gone with the Wind, which is called a gambler. …I was looking at this gambler hat that I was getting ready to destroy, I said, ‘I wonder what this full-brim hat would look like if I turned it into a cap — I just trim off all the back end of it and leave the visor or a bill on the front.’ I was able to put it back together to make it look like it was made like that and it looked really nice.”
“John wears the hats,” Ronald told Page Six, adding, “But he only does it strictly for business purposes and because I’m his dad. He's not really a hat person, and I think the person who best represents Popz Topz is a person who likes hats.”
They encouraged John Legend’s musical talents
Legend’s parents discovered his talent for singing and music at an early age and encouraged him to pursue it. “Whenever we had opportunities to sing in church or in school, my mom would suggest that I do it,” Legend told People. “She always encouraged me.”
Unsurprisingly, Legend was born with music in his blood, with both his parents being musical. Phyllis was the church’s choir director and his father was the drummer, per The Guardian. “Every setting that I spent time in was filled with music,” Legend told the outlet. “And by seven, I had begged my mother to let me into the choir.”
Phyllis and Legend reconnected in the late ‘90s
After missing the majority of Legend’s childhood and teenage years, Phyllis came around in 1999 after he graduated from college.
“It's an amazing story because she came back and now she is healthy and not addicted to drugs anymore,” Legend told The Guardian. “She’s a good grandmother and is in such a good place.”
ALSO READ: Exploring the Net Worth, Wealth, Early Life And Fortune of 'All Of Me' Singer John Legend
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