Harry Connick Jr. (album), Harry Connick Jr.

Joseph Harry Fowler Connick Jr. (born September 11, 1967) is an American singer, pianist, composer, actor, and former television host. As of 2019, he has sold over 30 million records worldwide. Connick is ranked among the top60 best-selling male artists in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America, with 16million in certified sales. He has had seven top20 U.S. albums, and ten number-one U.S. jazz albums, earning more number-one albums than any other artist in U.S. jazz chart history as of 2009.

Connick's best-selling album in the United States is his Christmas album ''When My Heart Finds Christmas'' (1993). His highest-charting album is '' Only You'' (2004), which reached No.5 in the U.S. and No.6 in Britain. He has won three Grammy Awards and two Emmy Awards. He played Leo Markus, the husband of Grace Adler (played by Debra Messing) on the NBC sitcom '' Will & Grace'' from 2002 to 2006.

Connick began his acting career playing a tail gunner in the World War II film '' Memphis Belle'' (1990). He played a serial killer in '' Copycat'' (1995) before being cast as a fighter pilot in the blockbuster ''Independence Day'' (1996). Connick's first role as a leading man was in ''Hope Floats'' (1998) with Sandra Bullock. He also lent his voice to the animated cult classic ''The Iron Giant'' (1999). His first thriller film since ''Copycat'' was ''Basic'' (2003) with John Travolta. Additionally, he played a violent ex-husband in '' Bug'', and was in two romantic comedies: '' P.S. I Love You'' (2007), and ''New in Town'' (2009) with Renée Zellweger. He was the leading man. In 2011, he appeared in the family film '' Dolphin Tale'' as Dr. Clay Haskett and in its 2014 sequel.

Early life

Harry Connick Jr. was born and raised in New Orleans. His mother, Anita Frances Livingston (née Levy),Stated on ''Finding Your Roots'', PBS, March 25, 2012 was a lawyer and judge in New Orleans. His father, Harry Connick Sr. (1926–2024), was the district attorney of Orleans Parish from 1973 to 2003. He has an older sister named Suzanna.

His parents also owned a record store. Connick's father was a Roman Catholic of Northern Irish descent, while his mother, who died of ovarian cancer when he was 13 years old, was Jewish and from New York;Stephanie Mansfield
"Deconstructing Harry"
''Vogue'', April 1998: pp. 211, 214, 216; online posting, ''connick.com''. Retrieved July 17, 2007. his part-Jewish heritage would later inspire him to play Jewish doctor Leo on '' Will & Grace''. In addition to his career as a prosecutor, Connick Sr. also had a career performing weekly gigs at French Quarter Clubs. Connick and his sister, Suzanna, were raised in the Lakeview neighborhood of New Orleans. Harry Connick began learning to play keyboards at age three, playing publicly at age five, and recording with a local jazz band when he was ten. At nine years old, Connick performed Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3 Opus 37 with the New Orleans Symphony Orchestra (now the Louisiana Philharmonic).

Later he played a duet with Eubie Blake at the Royal Orleans Esplanade Lounge in New Orleans. The song was " I'm Just Wild About Harry". It was recorded for a Japanese documentary called ''Jazz Around the World''. The clip was also shown in a Bravo special called ''Worlds of Harry Connick, Junior.'' in 1999. His musical talents were developed at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts and under the tutelage of Ellis Marsalis Jr. and James Booker.

Connick attended Jesuit High School, Isidore Newman School, Lakeview School, and the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts; they are all in New Orleans. After an unsuccessful attempt studying jazz at Loyola University New Orleans as well as giving recitals in the classical and jazz piano programs at Loyola, he left the city. He lived at the 92nd Street YMHA in New York City while he was a student at Hunter College and the Manhattan School of Music.

There he met Columbia Records executive George Butler, who persuaded him to sign with the label. His first record, ''Harry Connick Jr.'', was mainly an album of instrumental standards. He soon acquired a reputation in jazz because of his regular performances at various high-profile New York City venues. His next album, '' 20'', featured vocals and added to his success.

Career

''When Harry Met Sally...'', success on charts and in movies

Connick's reputation was growing, and director Rob Reiner asked him to provide a soundtrack for his romantic comedy '' When Harry Met Sally...'' (1989), starring Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal. The soundtrack consisted of several standards, including " It Had to Be You", "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" and "Don't Get Around Much Anymore". The soundtrack earned double-platinum status in the United States. Connick won his first Grammy Award for Best Jazz Male Vocal Performance for his work on the soundtrack.

Connick made his screen debut in '' Memphis Belle'' (1990), based on a true story about a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber crew in World War II. In that year, he began a two-year world tour. In addition, he released two albums in July 1990: the instrumental jazz trio album '' Lofty's Roach Souffle'' and a big-band album of mostly original songs titled ''We Are in Love'', which also went double platinum. ''We Are in Love'' earned him his second consecutive Grammy for Best Jazz Male Vocal.

" Promise Me You'll Remember", his contribution to the ''Godfather III'' soundtrack, was nominated for both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award in 1991. In a year of recognition, he was also nominated for an Emmy Award for Best Performance in a Variety Special for his PBS special ''Swingin' Out Live'', which was also released as a video. In October 1991, he released his third consecutive multi-platinum album, ''Blue Light, Red Light'', on which he wrote and arranged the songs. Also in October 1991, he starred in '' Little Man Tate'', directed by Jodie Foster, playing the friend of a child prodigy who goes to college.

In November 1992, Connick released '' 25'', a solo piano collection of standards that again went platinum. He also re-released the album ''Eleven''. Connick contributed "A Wink and a Smile" to the '' Sleepless in Seattle'' soundtrack, released in 1993. His multi-platinum album of holiday songs, ''When My Heart Finds Christmas'', was the best-selling Christmas album in 1993.

Mid-1990s: funk

In 1994, Connick decided to branch out. He released ''She'', an album of New Orleans funk that also went platinum. In addition, he released a song called "(I Could Only) Whisper Your Name" for the soundtrack of '' The Mask'', starring Jim Carrey, which is his most successful single in the United States to date.

Connick took his funk music on a tour of the United Kingdom in 1994, an effort that did not please some of his fans, who were expecting a jazz crooner. Connick also went on a tour of the People's Republic of China in 1995, playing at the Shanghai Center Theatre. The performance was televised live in China for what became known as the Shanghai Gumbo special. In his third film '' Copycat'' (1995), Connick played a serial killer who terrorizes a psychiatrist (played by Sigourney Weaver). The following year, he released his second funk album, ''Star Turtle'', which did not sell as well as previous albums, although it did reach No. 38 on the charts. However, he appeared in the most successful movie of 1996, ''Independence Day'', with Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum.

Late 1990s: Jazz and ''Hope Floats''

For his 1997 release ''To See You'', Connick recorded original love songs, touring the United States and Europe with a full symphony orchestra backing him and his piano in each city. As part of his tour, he played at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo, Norway, with his final concert of that tour in Paris being recorded for a Valentine's Day special on PBS in 1998. He also continued his film career, starring in '' Excess Baggage'' (1997) opposite Alicia Silverstone and Benicio del Toro.

In May 1998, he had his first leading role in director Forest Whitaker's ''Hope Floats'', with Sandra Bullock being the female lead. In 1999 he released '' Come By Me'', his first album of big band music in eight years, and embarked on a world tour, visiting the United States, Europe, Japan, and Australia. In addition, he provided the voice of Dean McCoppin in the animated film ''The Iron Giant''.

2000–2002: Broadway debut, musicals, ''Will & Grace''

Connick wrote the score for Susan Stroman's Broadway musical '' Thou Shalt Not'', based on Émile Zola's novel '' Thérèse Raquin'' which was written in 2000. The play premiered in 2001. His music and lyrics earned him a Tony Award nomination. He was also the narrator of the film ''My Dog Skip'', released in that year.

In March 2001, Connick starred in a television production of ''South Pacific'' with Glenn Close; it was televised on the ABC network. He also starred in '' Mickey'', a movie; John Grisham wrote the screenplay. In October 2001, he released two albums: ''Songs I Heard'', featuring big band re-workings of children's show themes, and '' 30'', featuring Connick on piano with guest appearances by several musical artists. ''Songs I Heard'' won Connick a Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Album; he toured performing songs from the album, holding matinees. At the performances each parent in attendance had to be accompanied by a child.

In 2002, he received a for a "system and method for coordinating music display among players in an orchestra." Connick appeared as Grace Adler's boyfriend and later husband, Leo Markus on the NBC sitcom '' Will & Grace'' from 2002 to 2006.

2003–2005: ''Connick on Piano'' and ''Only You''

In July 2003, Connick released his first instrumental album in fifteen years, ''Other Hours Connick on Piano Volume 1''. It was released on Branford Marsalis' new label Marsalis Music leading to a short tour of nightclubs and small theaters. Connick appeared in the film ''Basic''. In October 2003, he released his second Christmas album, ''Harry for the Holidays; it'' went gold and reached No. 12 on the ''Billboard'' 200 albums chart. He also had a television special on NBC featuring Whoopi Goldberg, Nathan Lane, Marc Anthony, and Kim Burrell. '' Only You'', his seventeenth album for Columbia Records, was released in February 2004. A collection of 1950s and 1960s ballads, ''Only You'', was in the top ten on both sides of the Atlantic and was certified gold in the United States in March 2004. The ''Only You'' big band toured the U.S., Australia, with a few stops in Asia. ''Harry for the Holidays'' was certified platinum in November 2004.

A music DVD ''Harry Connick Jr."Only You" in Concert'' was released in March 2004, after it had first aired as a ''Great Performances'' special on PBS. The special won him an Emmy Award for Outstanding Music Direction. The DVD received a Gold & Platinum Music VideoLong Form awards from the RIAA in November 2005.

An animated holiday special, ''The Happy Elf'' aired on NBC in December 2005; Connick was the composer, the narrator, and one of the executive producers. The show was released on DVD soon afterwards. The holiday special was based on his original song ''The Happy Elf'', from his 2003 album ''Harry for the Holidays''. Another album from Marsalis Music was recorded in 2005, '' Occasion : Connick on Piano, Volume 2'', a duo album with Harry Connick Jr. on piano and Branford Marsalis on saxophone. A music DVD, ''A Duo Occasion'' was filmed at the Ottawa International Jazz Festival 2005 in Canada; it was released in November 2005.

He appeared in another episode of the ''Will & Grace'' sitcom in November 2005, he was in three more episodes in 2006.

2006–2008: ''The Pajama Game'', ''Bug,'' and ''P.S. I Love You''

'' Bug'', a film directed by William Friedkin, is a psychological thriller filmed in 2005 starring Connick, Ashley Judd, and Michael Shannon. The film was released in 2007. He starred in the Broadway revival of ''The Pajama Game'', produced by the Roundabout Theater Company, along with Michael McKean and Kelli O'Hara, at the ''American Airlines Theatre'' in 2006. It ran from February 23 to June 17, 2006; five benefit performances ran rom June 13 to 17. Connick's performance was highly acclaimed; David Rooney wrote in '' Variety'', "With his handsome wholesomeness and those mellifluous Sinatra-esque pipes, it's hard to imagine a leading man more tailor-made for this 1954 show." The ''Pajama Game'' cast recording was nominated for a Grammy, after being released as part of Connick's double disc album Harry on Broadway, Act I.

He hosted The Weather Channel's miniseries ''100 Biggest Weather Moments'' which aired in 2007. He was part of the documentary Note by Note: The Making of Steinway L1037, released in November 2007. He sat in playing piano on Bob French's 2007 album ''Marsalis Music Honors Series: Bob French''. He appeared in the film '' P.S. I Love You'', released in December 2007.

The third album in the ''Connick on Piano'' series, ''Chanson du Vieux Carré'' was released in 2007, and Connick received two Grammy nominations for the track "Ash Wednesday" for the Grammy awards in 2008. ''Chanson du Vieux Carré'' was released simultaneously with the album '' Oh, My NOLA''. He toured North America and Europe in 2007, and toured Asia and Australia in 2008 as part of his My New Orleans Tour. Connick wrote two songs and did the arrangements for Kelli O'Hara's album which was released in May 2008; he also sang a duet on the recording. He was the featured singer at the Concert of Hope immediately preceding Pope Benedict XVI's mass at Yankee Stadium in April 2008. He had the starring role of Dr. Dennis Slamon in the Lifetime television film '' Living Proof'' (2008). His third Christmas album, '' What a Night!'', was released in November 2008.

Connick has a vast knowledge of musical genres and vocalists, even gospel music. One of his favorite gospel artists is Stellar Award winner and Grammy nominated artist Kim Burrell of Houston. Chris Gray of the Houston Press said, "... when Harry Connick Jr. assembled a symphony orchestra for Pope Benedict XVI's appearance at Yankee Stadium in 2008, he wanted Burrell on vocals"

2009–2011: ''New in Town and'' ''Your Songs''

The film ''New in Town'' starring Connick and Renée Zellweger began filming in January 2008; it was released in January 2009. Connick's album ''Your Songs

HOME


Content is Copyleft
Website design, code, and AI is Copyrighted (c) 2014-2017 by Stephen Payne


Consider donating to Wikimedia



As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases