John Legend kicks off Crackle’s “Playing It Forward” with Surprise Performance

Photo: Michael Buckner/Getty Images

Crackle Launches Original Concert Series “Playing It Forward” with Surprise Street Performance by Grammy® Award Winning Artist John Legend in Los Angeles

Performances to benefit charitable organizations

LOS ANGELES, Calif., Nov. 27, 2013 – Crackle, the multi-platform entertainment network, announced today the launch of its first original music series, “Playing It Forward,” presented by FedEx.  The special street performance-style follow-doc is produced by Team Downey, an entertainment company founded by Robert Downey Jr. and Susan Downey, alongside veteran music producer/composer Tony Berg and Kevin Lake. The “Playing It Forward” music movement will showcase surprise street performances by some of the world’s biggest artists in unplanned, unexpected environments across the country benefiting music education and charities of the artists’ choice.  The first episode is available at http://www.crackle.com/c/playingitforward and features a surprise show by acclaimed singer and songwriter John Legend.  The Grammy Award-winning artist performed three fan favorites, “All of Me,” “Ordinary People,” and “Shine” to an unsuspecting and amazed crowd at the Culver City Town Plaza in Los Angeles.

“Music is a shared passion among our viewers and we’re excited to open a door to some of the industry’s biggest artists, making them accessible to our audience—all while raising money and awareness for charity and music education,” said Executive Vice President of Digital Networks at Sony Pictures Television and GM of Crackle, Eric Berger. “’Playing it Forward’ is more than a concert series—it’s a movement that shows the value of music and a gift to fans around the world – we’re excited to kick it off with a surprise set from John Legend, to air across all U.S. Crackle platforms.”

In addition to creating unforgettable content, “Playing It Forward” is committed to changing lives and supporting organizations dedicated to preserving music education.  Through each episode of “Playing it Forward,” $100,000 will be donated to the charity of the artists’ choice.  The first episode will benefit the Show Me Campaign, created by Legend, which works to break the cycle of poverty by giving children access to quality education through the promotion of scalable, proven solutions and programs.

Additional unexpected performances from “Playing it Forward” will be announced at a later date. Fans can get more details and uncover clues to the next performance by visiting http://www.crackle.com/c/playingitforward and following Crackle on Facebook and Twitter.