Joseph Harry Fowler Connick Jr. (born September 11, 1967) is an American singer, pianist, composer, actor, and television host. He has sold over 28million albums worldwide. Connick is ranked among the top60

best-selling A bestseller is a book or other media noted for its top selling status, with bestseller lists published by newspapers, magazines, and book store chains. Some lists are broken down into classifications and specialties (novel, nonfiction book, cookb ...

male artists in the United States by the

Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...

, with 16million in

certified Certification is the provision by an independent body of written assurance (a certificate) that the product, service or system in question meets specific requirements. It is the formal attestation or confirmation of certain characteristics of a ...

sales. He has had seven top20 US albums, and ten number-one US jazz albums, earning more number-one albums than any other artist in US jazz chart history. Connick's best-selling album in the United States is his Christmas album ''

When My Heart Finds Christmas ''When My Heart Finds Christmas'' is American artist Harry Connick Jr.'s first Christmas album. Released in 1993, it is among the most popular holiday collections of the past three decades in the United States. Connick Jr composed four songs ...

'' (1993). His highest-charting album is his release '' Only You'' (2004), which reached No.5 in the US and No.6 in Britain. He has won three

Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

and two

Emmy Awards The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...

. He played Leo Markus, the husband of

Grace Adler Grace Elizabeth Adler (formerly Adler-Markus) is a fictional character and one of the two titular protagonists in the American sitcom ''Will & Grace'', portrayed by Debra Messing. A Jewish interior designer living in New York City, she lives wit ...

(played by

Debra Messing Debra Lynn Messing (born August 15, 1968) is an American actress. After graduating from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, Messing received short-lived roles on television series such as '' Ned and Stacey'' on Fox (1995–1997) and ...

) on the NBC sitcom ''

Will & Grace ''Will & Grace'' is an American television sitcom created by Max Mutchnick and David Kohan. Set in New York City, the show focuses on the friendship between best friends Will Truman (Eric McCormack), a gay lawyer, and Grace Adler (Debra Messing), ...

'' from 2002 to 2006. Connick began his acting career as a tail gunner in the World War II film '' Memphis Belle'' (1990). He played a serial killer in ''

Copycat Copycat refers to a person who copies some aspect of some thing or somebody else. Copycat may also refer to: Intellectual property rights * Copyright infringement, use of another’s ideas or words without permission * Patent infringement, a v ...

'' (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 ''Hope Floats'' is a 1998 American drama film directed by Forest Whitaker and starring Sandra Bullock, Harry Connick Jr., and Gena Rowlands. Written by Steven Rogers and Brandine Spuckler, the story follows Birdee (Bullock), an unassuming hous ...

'' (1998) with

Sandra Bullock Sandra Annette Bullock (; born July 26, 1964) is an American actress and producer. The recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Sandra Bullock, various accolades, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award, Bullock was ...

. He also lent his voice to the animated cult classic ''

The Iron Giant ''The Iron Giant'' is a 1999 American animated science fiction film produced by Warner Bros. Feature Animation and directed by Brad Bird in his directorial debut. It is based on the 1968 novel '' The Iron Man'' by Ted Hughes (which was publish ...

'' (1999). His first thriller film since ''Copycat'' was ''

Basic BASIC (Beginners' All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code) is a family of general-purpose, high-level programming languages designed for ease of use. The original version was created by John G. Kemeny and Thomas E. Kurtz at Dartmouth College ...

'' (2003) with John Travolta. Additionally, he played a violent ex-husband in '' Bug'', before two romantic comedies, '' P.S. I Love You'' (2007), and the leading man in ''

New in Town ''New in Town'' is a 2009 American-Canadian romantic comedy drama film, directed by Jonas Elmer, starring Renée Zellweger, Harry Connick Jr., and Siobhan Fallon Hogan. It was filmed in Winnipeg and Selkirk, Manitoba, Canada, and in Los Angeles ...

'' (2009) with

Renée Zellweger Renée Kathleen Zellweger (; born April 25, 1969) is an American actress. The recipient of various accolades, including two Academy Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards, she was one of the world's highest-paid ...

. In 2011, he appeared in the family film ''

Dolphin Tale ''Dolphin Tale'' is a 2011 American 3D family drama film directed by Charles Martin Smith, from a screenplay by Karen Janszen and Noam Dromi and a book of the same name. It stars Harry Connick Jr., Ashley Judd, Nathan Gamble, Kris Kristofferson, ...

'' as Dr. Clay Haskett and in its 2014 sequel.

Early life

Harry Connick Jr. was born and raised in

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

. 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, was the

district attorney In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or state attorney is the chief prosecutor and/or chief law enforcement officer representing a U.S. state in a l ...

Orleans Parish New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans

record store. Connick's father is a

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

of Irish, English, Northern Irish, and German ancestry. Connick's mother, who died of

ovarian cancer Ovarian cancer is a cancerous tumor of an ovary. It may originate from the ovary itself or more commonly from communicating nearby structures such as fallopian tubes or the inner lining of the abdomen. The ovary is made up of three different c ...

, was

Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

(her parents had emigrated from

Minsk Minsk ( be, Мінск ; russian: Минск) is the capital and the largest city of Belarus, located on the Svislach and the now subterranean Niamiha rivers. As the capital, Minsk has a special administrative status in Belarus and is the admi ...

and

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

, respectively).Stephanie Mansfield
"Deconstructing Harry"
''

Vogue Vogue may refer to: Business * ''Vogue'' (magazine), a US fashion magazine ** British ''Vogue'', a British fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Arabia'', an Arab fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Australia'', an Australian fashion magazine ** ''Vogue China'', ...

'', April 1998: pp. 211, 214, 216; online posting, ''connick.com''. Retrieved July 17, 2007. Connick and his sister, Suzanna, were raised in the Lakeview neighborhood of New Orleans. Connick started learning keyboards at age three, playing publicly at age five, and recording with a local jazz band at ten. When he was nine years old, Connick performed

Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classical ...

's Piano Concerto No. 3 Opus 37 with the New Orleans Symphony Orchestra (now the

Louisiana Philharmonic The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) is an American orchestra based in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is the only full-time, professional orchestra in the Gulf South. The orchestra performs at the Orpheum Theater. The Louisiana Philharmonic O ...

). Later he played a duet with

Eubie Blake James Hubert "Eubie" Blake (February 7, 1887 – February 12, 1983) was an American pianist and composer of ragtime, jazz, and popular music. In 1921, he and his long-time collaborator Noble Sissle wrote '' Shuffle Along'', one of the first B ...

at the Royal Orleans Esplanade Lounge in New Orleans. The song was "

I'm Just Wild About Harry "I'm Just Wild About Harry" is a song written in 1921 with lyrics by Noble Sissle and music by Eubie Blake for the Broadway show ''Shuffle Along''. "I'm Just Wild About Harry" was the most popular number of the production, which was the first fin ...

". This was recorded for a Japanese documentary called ''Jazz Around the World''. The clip was also shown in a

Bravo Bravo(s) or The Bravo(s) may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music Groups and labels *Bravo (band), a Russian rock band * Bravo (Spanish group), represented Spain at Eurovision 1984 *Bravo Music, an American concert band music publishing company ...

special called ''Worlds of Harry Connick, Junior.'' in 1999. His musical talents were developed at the

New Orleans Center for Creative Arts New Orleans Center for Creative Arts, or NOCCA, is the regional, pre-professional arts training center for high school students in Louisiana. NOCCA opened in 1973 as a professional arts training center for secondary school-age children. Locate ...

and under the tutelage of Ellis Marsalis Jr. and

James Booker James Carroll Booker III (December 17, 1939 – November 8, 1983) was a New Orleans rhythm and blues keyboardist born in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. Booker's unique style combined rhythm and blues with jazz standards. Musician Dr. J ...

. Connick attended Jesuit High School,

Isidore Newman School Isidore Newman School is a private, nondenominational, co-educational college preparatory school located on an campus in the uptown section of New Orleans, Louisiana. Jeré Longman of ''The New York Times'' described Isidore Newman as "one of ...

, Lakeview School, and the

which are all in New Orleans. Following an unsuccessful attempt to study jazz academically, and having given recitals in the classical and jazz piano programs at Loyola University, Connick moved to the 92nd Street YMHA in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

to study at

Hunter College Hunter College is a public university in New York City. It is one of the constituent colleges of the City University of New York and offers studies in more than one hundred undergraduate and postgraduate fields across five schools. It also admi ...

and the

Manhattan School of Music The Manhattan School of Music (MSM) is a private music conservatory in New York City. The school offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in the areas of classical and jazz performance and composition, as well as a bachelor's in mu ...

. There he met

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...

executive, Dr. George Butler, who persuaded him to sign with Columbia. His first record, '' Harry Connick Jr.'', was a mainly instrumental album of standards. He soon acquired a reputation in jazz because of extended stays at high-profile New York City venues. His next album, '' 20'', featured his vocals and added to this reputation.

Career

''When Harry Met Sally...'', chart and movie success

Connick's reputation was growing and director

Rob Reiner Robert Norman Reiner (born March 6, 1947) is an American actor and filmmaker. As an actor, Reiner first came to national prominence with the role of Michael "Meathead" Stivic on the CBS sitcom ''All in the Family'' (1971–1979), a performanc ...

asked him to provide a soundtrack for his romantic comedy, '' When Harry Met Sally...'' (1989), starring

Meg Ryan Meg Ryan (born Margaret Mary Emily Anne Hyra; November 19, 1961) is an American actress. She began her acting career in 1981 when she made her acting debut in the drama film ''Rich and Famous''. She later joined the cast of the CBS soap oper ...

and

Billy Crystal William Edward Crystal (born March 14, 1948)On page 17 of his book ''700 Sundays'', Crystal displays his birth announcement, which gives his first two names as "William Edward", not "William Jacob" is an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. ...

. The soundtrack consisted of several standards, including " It Had to Be You", "

Let's Call the Whole Thing Off "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" is a song written by George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin for the 1937 film ''Shall We Dance'', where it was introduced by Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers as part of a celebrated dance duet on roller skates. The shee ...

" and "

Don't Get Around Much Anymore "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" is a jazz standard written by composer Duke Ellington. The song was originally entitled "Never No Lament" and was first recorded by Duke Ellington and his orchestra on May 4, 1940. "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" ...

". The soundtrack earned

double-platinum Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...

status in the United States. Connick won his first

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

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 The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is a four-engined heavy bomber developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). Relatively fast and high-flying for a bomber of its era, the B-17 was used primarily in the European Theater ...

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 The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

and a

Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...

in 1991. In a year of recognition, he was also nominated for an

Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...

for Best Performance in a Variety Special for his

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...

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 ''Blue Light, Red Light'', a big band album by American artist Harry Connick Jr., released in 1991. The multi-platinum album features Connick's vocals and piano, accompanied by his 14-piece big band. Connick wrote the music, with Ramsey McLean w ...

'', on which he wrote and arranged the songs. Also in October 1991, he starred in ''

Little Man Tate ''Little Man Tate'' is a 1991 American drama film directed by Jodie Foster (in her directorial debut) from a screenplay written by Scott Frank. The film stars Adam Hann-Byrd as Fred Tate, a seven-year-old child prodigy who struggles to self-act ...

'', directed by

Jodie Foster Alicia Christian "Jodie" Foster (born November 19, 1962) is an American actress and filmmaker. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including two Academy Awards, three British Academy Film Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, and the ho ...

, playing the friend of a

child prodigy A child prodigy is defined in psychology research literature as a person under the age of ten who produces meaningful output in some domain at the level of an adult expert. The term is also applied more broadly to young people who are extraor ...

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 ''Sleepless in Seattle'' is a 1993 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Nora Ephron, from a screenplay she wrote with David S. Ward and Jeff Arch. Starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, the film follows a journalist (Ryan) who, despite be ...

'' soundtrack, released in 1993. His multi-platinum album of holiday songs, ''

'', was the best-selling Christmas album in 1993.

Mid-1990s: funk

In 1994, Connick decided to branch out. He released ''

She She most commonly refers to: *She (pronoun), the third person singular, feminine, nominative case pronoun in modern English. She or S.H.E. may also refer to: Literature and films *'' She: A History of Adventure'', an 1887 novel by H. Rider Hagga ...

'', an album of New Orleans

funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...

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 James Eugene Carrey (; born January 17, 1962) is a Canadian-American actor, comedian and artist. Known for his energetic slapstick performances, Carrey first gained recognition in 1990, after landing a role in the American sketch comedy te ...

, 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 China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

in 1995, playing at the Shanghai Center Theatre. The performance was televised live in China for what became known as the Shanghai

Gumbo Gumbo (Louisiana Creole: Gombo) is a soup popular in the U.S. state of Louisiana, and is the official state cuisine. Gumbo consists primarily of a strongly-flavored stock, meat or shellfish (or sometimes both), a thickener, and the Creole "h ...

special. In his third film ''

'' (1995), Connick played a serial killer who terrorizes a psychiatrist (played by

Sigourney Weaver Susan Alexandra "Sigourney" Weaver (; born October 8, 1949) is an American actress. A figure in science fiction and popular culture, she has received various accolades, including a British Academy Film Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and a Gram ...

). 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 Willard Carroll Smith II (born September 25, 1968), also known by his stage name The Fresh Prince, is an American actor and rapper. He began his Will Smith filmography, acting career starring as Will Smith (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air), a ...

and

Jeff Goldblum Jeffrey Lynn Goldblum (; born October 22, 1952) is an American actor and musician. He has starred in some of the highest-grossing films of his era, such as ''Jurassic Park'' (1993) and ''Independence Day'' (1996), as well as their sequels. ...

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

For his 1997 release ''

To See You ''To See You'' is an album by the American artist Harry Connick Jr., released in 1997. It is an album of love songs, recorded with a symphony orchestra. "The inspiration for this was a flight attendant, really," Connick says. He added, "She as ...

'', Connick recorded original love songs, touring the United States and Europe with a full

symphony A symphony is an extended musical composition in Western classical music, most often for orchestra. Although the term has had many meanings from its origins in the ancient Greek era, by the late 18th century the word had taken on the meaning com ...

orchestra backing him and his piano in each city. As part of his tour, he played at the

Nobel Peace Prize Concert The Nobel Peace Prize Concert (Norwegian and Swedish: '')'' has been held annually since 1994 on 11 December, to honour the Nobel Peace Prize laureate. The award ceremony on 10 December takes place in Oslo City Hall, while the concert has been ...

in Oslo, Norway, with his final concert of that tour in Paris being recorded for a

Valentine's Day Valentine's Day, also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated annually on February 14. It originated as a Christian feast day honoring one or two early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine and, throu ...

special on

in 1998. He also continued his film career, starring in '' Excess Baggage'' (1997) opposite

Alicia Silverstone Alicia Silverstone ( ; born October 4, 1976) is an American actress. She made her film debut in the thriller ''The Crush (1993 film), The Crush'' (1993), earning the 1994 MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Performance, and gained further prom ...

and

Benicio del Toro Benicio Monserrate Rafael del Toro Sánchez (born February 19, 1967) is a Puerto Rican actor and producer. He has garnered critical acclaim and numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award, two Screen A ...

. In May 1998, he had his first leading role in director

Forest Whitaker Forest Steven Whitaker (born July 15, 1961) is an American actor. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Forest Whitaker, various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a British Academy Film Award ...

's ''

'', with

as his female lead. In 1999 he released '' Come By Me'', his first album of

big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s an ...

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 ''

''.

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

Connick wrote the score for Susan Stroman's Broadway

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...

'' Thou Shalt Not'', based on

Émile Zola Émile Édouard Charles Antoine Zola (, also , ; 2 April 184029 September 1902) was a French novelist, journalist, playwright, the best-known practitioner of the literary school of naturalism, and an important contributor to the development of ...

's novel ''

Thérèse Raquin ''Thérèse Raquin'' is an 1868 novel by French writer Émile Zola, first published in serial form in the literary magazine ''L'Artiste'' in 1867. It was Zola's third novel, though the first to earn wide fame. The novel's adultery and murder ...

'', in 2000; it premiered in 2001. His music and lyrics earned a

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...

nomination. He was also the narrator of the film ''

My Dog Skip {{Refimprove, date=March 2009 ''My Dog Skip'' is a memoir by Willie Morris published by Random House in 1995. ''My Dog Skip'' is the story about nine-year-old Willie Morris growing up in Yazoo City, Mississippi, a tale of a boy and his dog in ...

'', released in that year. In March 2001, Connick starred in a television production of '' South Pacific'' with

Glenn Close Glenn Close (born March 19, 1947) is an American actress. Throughout her career spanning over four decades, Close has garnered numerous accolades, including two Screen Actors Guild Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, three Primetime Emmy Awards ...

, televised on the

ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...

network. He also starred in his twelfth movie, ''

Mickey Mickey is a given name and nickname, almost always masculine and often a short form (hypocorism) of Michael, and occasionally a surname. Notable people and characters with the name include: People Given name or nickname Men * Mickey Andrews (bor ...

'', featuring a screenplay by

John Grisham John Ray Grisham Jr. (; born February 8, 1955 in Jonesboro, Arkansas) is an American novelist, lawyer and former member of the 7th district of the Mississippi House of Representatives, known for his popular legal thrillers. According to the Am ...

. In October 2001, he released two albums: ''

Songs I Heard ''Songs I Heard'' (2001) is an album by Harry Connick Jr. covering songs from movies he watched as a child. The album features songs from '' Annie'', ''The Sound of Music'', ''Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory'', ''Mary Poppins'', and '' The W ...

'', featuring big band re-workings of children's show themes, and '' 30'', featuring Connick on piano with guest appearances by several other musical artists. ''Songs I Heard'' won Connick another Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Album, and he toured performing songs from the album, holding matinees at which each parent 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

's boyfriend (and later husband)

Leo Markus This list provides descriptions of the supporting or recurring characters and guest stars on the NBC situation comedy ''Will & Grace''. Main characters * Eric McCormack as Will Truman: The first titular protagonist in the show, Will is a gay ...

on the NBC sitcom ''

'' 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 Branford Marsalis (born August 26, 1960) is an American saxophonist The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed inst ...

' new label

Marsalis Music Marsalis Music is a jazz record label founded by Branford Marsalis in 2002. After 20 years with Columbia, saxophonist Branford Marsalis left to start his own label. Early musicians to the label included Miguel Zenón, a Puerto Rican saxophonist ...

and led to a short tour of nightclubs and small theaters. Connick appeared in the film ''

''. In October 2003, he released his second Christmas album, ''

Harry for the Holidays ''Harry for the Holidays'' is American artist Harry Connick Jr.'s second Christmas album, released in 2003. The album features Connick and his 16 piece Big Band and a full section of chordophones. ''Harry for the Holidays'' was the best-selli ...

'', which went gold and reached No. 12 on the ''Billboard'' 200 albums chart. He also had a television special on

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

featuring

Whoopi Goldberg Caryn Elaine Johnson (born November 13, 1955), known professionally as Whoopi Goldberg (), is an American actor, comedian, author, and television personality.Kuchwara, Michael (AP Drama Writer)"Whoopi Goldberg: A One-Woman Character Parade". ' ...

Nathan Lane Nathan Lane (born Joseph Lane; February 3, 1956) is an American actor. In a career spanning over 40 years he has been seen on stage and screen in roles both comedic and dramatic. Lane has received numerous awards including three Tony Awards, ...

, Marc Anthony and

Kim Burrell Kimberly Jean Burrell (born August 27, 1972) is an American, Grammy–nominated, gospel singer-songwriter, producer, and pastor from Houston, Texas, United States. Biography Early life Born Kimberly Jean Burrell on August 27, 1972 in Houston, Te ...

. '' Only You'', his seventeenth album for Columbia Records, was released in February 2004. A collection of 1950s and 1960s ballads, ''Only You'', went top ten on both sides of the Atlantic and was certified gold in the United States in March 2004. The ''Only You'' tour with big band went on in America, Australia and a short trip to 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

. The special won him an

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 ''The Happy Elf'' is a 2005 computer-animated Christmas television special based on Harry Connick, Jr.’s song of the same name. The special is narrated by Connick and stars the voices of Rob Paulsen, Carol Kane, Lewis Black, Kevin Michael Ric ...

'', aired on

in December 2005, with Connick as the composer, the narrator, and one of the executive producers. Shortly after, it was released on DVD. The holiday special was based on his original song ''The Happy Elf'', from his 2003 album ''

''. Another album from

was recorded in 2005, '' Occasion : Connick on Piano, Volume 2'', a duo album with Harry Connick Jr. on piano together with

on saxophone. A music DVD, ''

A Duo Occasion ''A Duo Occasion'' is live performance DVD with Harry Connick Jr. on piano and Branford Marsalis on saxophone, saxophone(s). Recorded at the ''Library and Archives Canada'' as part of the 25th anniversary of the ''Ottawa Jazz Festival'' on June 2 ...

'', was filmed at the

Ottawa International Jazz Festival The Ottawa Jazz Festival is an annual music festival located in Ottawa, Canada. Lineups 2019 2019 event was held from June 21 to July 1 in Marion Dewar Plaza due to the Confederation Park's renovation. 2020 It was cancelled due to COVID-19 pand ...

2005 in Canada, and released in November 2005. He appeared in another episode of NBC sitcom ''

'' in November 2005, and appeared in an additional three episodes in 2006.

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

Harry Connick 2007 Savannah concert (picture 2)

'' Bug'', a film directed by

William Friedkin William "Billy" Friedkin (born August 29, 1935)Biskind, p. 200. is an American film and television director, producer and screenwriter closely identified with the "New Hollywood" movement of the 1970s. Beginning his career in documentaries in t ...

, is a psychological thriller filmed in 2005 starring Connick,

Ashley Judd Ashley Judd (born Ashley Tyler Ciminella; April 19, 1968) is an American actress. She grew up in a family of performing artists: she is the daughter of the late country music singer Naomi Judd and the half-sister of country music singer Wynonna ...

, and Michael Shannon. The film was released in 2007. He starred in the Broadway revival of ''

The Pajama Game ''The Pajama Game'' is a musical based on the 1953 novel '' 7½ Cents'' by Richard Bissell. The book is by George Abbott and Richard Bissell; the music and lyrics are by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. and dances were staged by Bob Fosse in his ...

'', produced by the

Roundabout Theater Company The Roundabout Theatre Company is a leading non-profit theatre company based in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, affiliated with the League of Resident Theatres. History The company was founded in 1965 by Gene Feist, Michael Fried and Elizabet ...

, along with

Michael McKean Michael John McKean (; born October 17, 1947) is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, composer, singer, and musician known for various roles in film and television such as Lenny Kosnowski in '' Laverne & Shirley'', David St. Hubbins in '' ...

and

Kelli O'Hara Kelli Christine O'Hara (born April 16, 1976) is an American actress and singer, most known for her work on the Broadway and opera stages. A seven-time Tony Award nominee, O'Hara won the 2015 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her pe ...

, at the '' American Airlines Theatre'' in 2006. It ran from February 23 to June 17, 2006, including five benefit performances running from June 13 to 17. Connick's performance was highly acclaimed; as David Rooney wrote in ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'', "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 The Weather Channel (TWC) is an American pay television channel owned by Weather Group, LLC, a subsidiary of Allen Media Group. The channel's headquarters are in Atlanta, Georgia. Launched on May 2, 1982, the channel broadcasts weather forecas ...

'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. A third album in the ''Connick on Piano'' series, ''

Chanson du Vieux Carré A (, , french: chanson française, link=no, ; ) is generally any Lyrics, lyric-driven French song, though it most often refers to the secular polyphonic French songs of late medieval music, medieval and Renaissance music, Renaissance music. ...

'' 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''. Connick toured North America and Europe in 2007, and toured Asia and Australia in 2008, as part of his My New Orleans Tour. Connick did the arrangements for, wrote a couple of songs, and sang a duet on

's album that was released in May 2008. He was also the featured singer at the Concert of Hope immediately preceding

Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI ( la, Benedictus XVI; it, Benedetto XVI; german: link=no, Benedikt XVI.; born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, , on 16 April 1927) is a retired prelate of the Catholic church who served as the head of the Church and the sovereign ...

's Mass at

Yankee Stadium Yankee Stadium is a baseball stadium located in the Bronx, New York City. It is the home field of the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball, and New York City FC of Major League Soccer. Opened in April 2009, the stadium replaced the origi ...

in April 2008. He had the starring role of

Dr. Dennis Slamon Dennis Joseph Slamon (born August 6, 1948), is an Americans, American oncologist and chief of the division of Hematology-Oncology at UCLA. He is best known for his work identifying the HER2/neu oncogene that is amplified in 25-33% of breast canc ...

in the Lifetime television film '' Living Proof'' (2008). His third Christmas album, '' What a Night!'', was released in November 2008. Harry has a vast knowledge of musical genres and vocalists, even Gospel music. One of his favorite Gospel artists is

Stellar Award A Stellar Award is an award presented by SAGMA to recognize achievements in the gospel music industry.Sagma
The Stell ...

winner and Grammy nominated artist

of Houston, Texas. "And when Harry Connick Jr. assembled a symphony orchestra for

’s appearance at Yankee Stadium in 2008, he wanted Burrell on vocals"

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

Flyscooters Rachel Ray Zellweger & Connick Jr

The film ''

'' starring Connick and

, began filming in January 2008, and was released in January 2009. Connick's album '' Your Songs'' was released on CD, September 22, 2009. In contrast to Connick's previous albums, this album is a collaboration with a record company producer, the multiple

winning

music executive A music executive or record executive is a person within a record label who works in senior management and makes executive decisions over the label's artists. Their role varies greatly but in essence, they can oversee one, or many, aspects of a re ...

Clive Davis Clive Jay Davis (born April 4, 1932) is an American record producer, A&R executive, record executive, and lawyer. He has won five Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a non-performer, in 2000. From 1967 to 1 ...

.Harry Connick Jr. Announces New Album Produced by Clive Davis
, vintageguitar.com, July 30, 2009 Connick starred in the Broadway revival of ''

On a Clear Day You Can See Forever ''On a Clear Day You Can See Forever'' is a musical with music by Burton Lane and a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner based loosely on ''Berkeley Square'', written in 1926 by John L. Balderston. It concerns a woman who has ESP and has been re ...

'', which opened at the St. James Theatre in November 2011 in previews. It closed in January 2012, after 29 previews and 57 performances.

''American Idol'' (Season 9)

Connick appeared on the May 4, 2010 episode of ''

American Idol ''American Idol'' is an American singing competition television series created by Simon Fuller, produced by Fremantle North America and 19 Entertainment, and distributed by Fremantle North America. It aired on Fox from June 11, 2002, to Ap ...

season 9 A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and po ...

, where he acted as a mentor for the top 5 finalists. He appeared again the next night on May 5 to perform "And I Love Her".

2012–2019: ''Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'', ''Every Man Should Know''

On January 6, 2012,

president Robert Greenblatt announced at the

Television Critics Association The Television Critics Association (TCA) is a group of approximately 200 United States and Canadian television critics, journalists and columnists who cover television programming for newspapers, magazines and web publications. The TCA accepts app ...

winter press tour that Connick had been cast in a four-episode arc of NBC's long-running legal drama, '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' as new Executive ADA,

David Haden ''Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'', a spin-off of the crime drama ''Law & Order'', follows the detectives who work in the "Special Victims Unit" of the 16th Precinct of the New York City Police Department, a unit that focuses on crimes involv ...

, a prosecutor who is assigned a case with Detective Olivia Benson (

Mariska Hargitay Mariska Magdolna Hargitay (; born January 23, 1964) is an American actress, director and philanthropist. The daughter of bodybuilder and actor Mickey Hargitay and actress Jayne Mansfield, her accolades include a Primetime Emmy Award, a Peopl ...

''Every Man Should Know''

On June 11, 2013, Connick released a new album of all original music titled ''Every Man Should Know''. Connick debuted the title track live on May 2, 2013 episode of ''

'' and appeared on ''

The Ellen DeGeneres Show ''The Ellen DeGeneres Show'' (often shortened to ''Ellen'' or ''The Ellen Show'') is an American daytime television variety comedy talk show that was created and hosted by its namesake Ellen DeGeneres. Debuting on September 8, 2003, it was prod ...

'' the following week to discuss his new project. A 2013 US summer tour was announced in support of the album.

''American Idol'' (Season 12–13)

Connick returned to ''American Idol'' to mentor the top four of season 12. He performed "Every Man Should Know" on the results show the following night. On September 3, 2013, the officials of ''American Idol'' officially announced that Connick would be a part of the judging panel for season 13 alongside former judge

Jennifer Lopez Jennifer Lynn Affleck (' Lopez; born July 24, 1969), also known as J.Lo, is an American singer, actress and dancer. In 1991, she began appearing as a Fly Girl dancer on the sketch comedy television series ''In Living Color'', where she rema ...

and returning judge

Keith Urban Keith Lionel Urban (born 26 October 1967) is an Australian-American musician, singer, guitarist and songwriter known for his work in country music. Recognized with four Grammy Awards, Urban also received fifteen Academy of Country Music Award ...

''Angels Sing''

'' Angels Sing'', a family Christmas movie released in November 2013 by

Lionsgate Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation, doing business as Lionsgate, is a Canadian-American entertainment company. It was formed by Frank Giustra on July 10, 1997, domiciled in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and is currently headquartered ...

, afforded Connick an onscreen collaboration with fellow musician

Willie Nelson Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American country musician. The critical success of the album ''Shotgun Willie'' (1973), combined with the critical and commercial success of ''Red Headed Stranger'' (1975) and '' Stardust'' (197 ...

. The two wrote a special song exclusively for the movie. Shot in

Austin, Texas Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the county seat, seat and largest city of Travis County, Texas, Travis County, with portions extending into Hays County, Texas, Hays and Williamson County, Texas, Williamson co ...

, ''Angels Sing'' features actor/musicians

Connie Britton Constance Elaine Britton ( Womack; born March 6, 1967) is an American actress. Britton made her feature film debut in the independent comedy-drama film ''The Brothers McMullen'' (1995), and the following year, she was cast as Nikki Faber on the ...

, Lyle Lovett, and

Kris Kristofferson Kristoffer Kristofferson (born June 22, 1936) is a retired American singer, songwriter and actor. Among his songwriting credits are "Me and Bobby McGee", " For the Good Times", "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", and "Help Me Make It Through the Nig ...

and is directed by

Tim McCanlies Tim McCanlies (born 1953) is a film director and screenwriter. He is best known for writing and directing ''Secondhand Lions'', and for writing the screenplay for ''The Iron Giant''. Biography Tim McCanlies is a fifth-generation Texan, but rar ...

, who previously worked with Connick in The Iron Giant.

''Harry''

A one-hour weekday daytime talk show starring Connick called ''

Harry Harry may refer to: TV shows * ''Harry'' (American TV series), a 1987 American comedy series starring Alan Arkin * ''Harry'' (British TV series), a 1993 BBC drama that ran for two seasons * ''Harry'' (talk show), a 2016 American daytime talk show ...

'' debuted on September 12, 2016.

Playground Sessions

In January 2019, it was announced that Connick was hired by piano instruction software company Playground Sessions as a video instructor.

''True Love: A Celebration of Cole Porter''

On October 25, 2019, he released a new album of Cole Porter compositions rearranged by Connick himself from Porter's The Great American Songbook including “Anything Goes” and “You Do Something To Me.” After selecting the songs, and writing and orchestrating the arrangements, he assembled and conducted the orchestra which features his longtime touring band with additional horns and a full string section. Along with his album, Connick announced his return to Broadway on September 16, 2019 with ''Harry Connick Jr. — A Celebration of Cole Porter'', a multimedia celebration of the Cole Porter songbook. The production was conceived and directed by Connick himself with the addition of theatrical and film elements accompanied by a company of dancers and an onstage orchestra.

2020–present: ''Alone With My Faith'', ''Annie''

Harry released his new album ''Alone With My Faith'' on March 19, 2021. With the Coronavirus pandemic casting a long shadow in 2020, Connick retreated to his home studio during the lockdown and emerged with an album of new music. He arranged all of the songs, played every instrument, and sang every part. In addition to the familiar, traditional songs, Connick wrote and recorded new tracks that tell the story of his experience coping during lockdown and feeling the full spectrum of emotions that came with it. Both the album cover and the music videos for “Amazing Grace” and “Alone With My Faith” were conceived and directed by Harry’s daughter Georgia Connick. ''Alone With My Faith'' earned Connick his 16th career GRAMMY nomination for Best Roots Gospel Album as part of the 64th annual GRAMMY awards.

''Annie Live!''

Harry joined the cast of

Annie Live! ''Annie Live!'' is an American musical television special that aired on NBC on December 2, 2021. It was a performance of the 1977 Broadway musical ''Annie'', which is based on the comic strip '' Little Orphan Annie'' by Harold Gray. The producti ...

as Sir Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks - opposite Taraji P. Henson's devious Miss Hannigan. The live production aired December 2, 2021 on NBC and also coincided with the release of the Annie Live! Cast Album – the original soundtrack of the NBC television event.

''Australian Idol'' (2023)

On 28 September 2022, Australia’s

Seven Network The Seven Network (commonly known as Channel Seven or simply Seven) is a major Australian commercial free-to-air Television broadcasting in Australia, television network. It is owned by Seven West Media, Seven West Media Limited, and is one of ...

announced Connick Jr. would be a judge on the revival of '' Australian Idol'' in 2023.

Touring Big Band members

The following musicians have toured as the Harry Connick Jr. Big Band since its inception in 1990: * Piano and vocalsHarry Connick Jr. * Drums

Shannon Powell Shannon Powell (born April 8, 1962) is an American jazz and ragtime drummer. He has toured internationally and played with Ellis Marsalis, Harry Connick, Jr., Danny Barker, Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestr ...

, Duffy Jackson, Arthur Latin II (

Winard Harper Hiram Winard Harper (born June 4, 1962) is an American jazz drummer. Career Harper played in the 1980s with Dexter Gordon, Johnny Griffin, and with Betty Carter for four years. While working with Carter he met Wycliffe Gordon, with whom Harper ...

Jeff "Tain" Watts Jeff "Tain" Watts (born January 20, 1960) is a jazz drummer who has performed with Wynton Marsalis, Branford Marsalis, Betty Carter, Michael Brecker, Alice Coltrane, Ravi Coltrane, and others. Biography Watts got the nickname "Tain" from Kenny ...

subs) * Bass

Ben Wolfe Benjamin Jonah Wolfe is an American jazz bassist who has performed in groups with Wynton Marsalis, Harry Connick Jr., and Diana Krall. He is currently on the teaching faculty at The Juilliard School Jazz Division. Career Wolfe was born in Baltim ...

, Neal Caine * GuitarJonathan Dubose Jr., Evan Vidar (

Bryan Sutton Bryan Sutton is an American musician. Primarily known as a flatpicking acoustic guitar player, Sutton also plays mandolin, banjo, ukulele, and electric guitar. He also sings and writes songs. Biography Early career Sutton's grandfather and ...

subs) * Piano, KeyboardsHarry Connick Jr., Howard Kaplan,

Jonathan Batiste Jonathan Michael Batiste (born November 11, 1986) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, bandleader, and television personality. He has recorded and performed with artists in various genres of music ( Stevie Wonder, Prince, Willie Nelson, ...

* Lead trumpet

Roger Ingram Roger O'Neal Ingram (born November 13, 1957) is a jazz trumpeter, educator, author, and instrument designer. He played trumpet for the orchestras of Maynard Ferguson, Woody Herman, Wynton Marsalis, Ray Charles, and Harry Connick Jr. Early life T ...

(Dave Stahl, Walter White, Walt Johnsonsubs) * 2nd trumpetDan Miller, Derrick Gardner, Bijon Watson, Sal Cracchiolo ( Earl Gardner,

Greg Gisbert Gregory Lyle Gisbert (born February 2, 1966 in Mobile, Alabama) is an American jazz trumpeter and flugelhornist.Gary W. Kennedy, ''"Greg Gisbert''. '' Grove Jazz'' online Early years and school Gisbert played drums with his father as a chil ...

, Darryl Shawsubs) * 3rd trumpet Jeremy Davenport,

Joe Magnarelli Joseph Anthony Magnarelli (born January 19, 1960) is an American jazz trumpeter and flugelhornist. Early life and education Magnarelli was born in Syracuse, New York. He received a bachelor's degree from the State University of New York at Fr ...

Mark Braud Mark Braud (born June 21, 1973) is an American jazz trumpeter and band leader, who is a current leader of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band's New Orleans band, and Mark Braud's Jazz Giants. He has been a sideman for dozens of groups including Harry ...

* 4th trumpet Leroy Jones,

* Lead alto saxophoneBrad Leali, Mike Smith, Jon Gordon, Ned Goold, Geoff Burke * 2nd alto saxophoneMark Sterbank, Will Campbell, Ned Goold * 1st tenor saxophone

Jerry Weldon Jerry Weldon (born September 27, 1957) is a tenor saxophonist, noted for his involvement in various groups such as Lionel Hampton Orchestra and Harry Connick, Jr.'s big band. He is seen as a "veteran" of the New York jazz scene. Career Weldon g ...

(Geoff Burke sub) * 2nd tenor saxophoneJimmy Greene, Ned Goold * Baritone saxophoneDave Schumacher ( Howard Johnsonsub) * ClarinetLouis Ford * Lead trombone Mark Mullins, John Allred, Jeff Bush * 2nd trombone

Craig Klein Bonerama is a brass funk rock band from New Orleans. Bonerama was formed in 1998 by trombone players Mark Mullins and Craig Klein, who, from 1990

, John Allred * 3rd trombone

Lucien Barbarin Lucien Barbarin (July 17, 1956 – January 30, 2020) was an American trombone player. Barbarin toured internationally with the Preservation Hall Jazz Band and with Harry Connick Jr. He made his debut at the age of six, playing drums in the On ...

, Craig Klein * Bass tromboneJoe Barati * VocalsJonathan Dubose Jr., Jonathan Batiste (The Honolulu Heartbreakers – subs)

Connick and New Orleans, Hurricane Katrina

Connick, a New Orleans native, is a founder of the

Krewe of Orpheus The Krewe of Orpheus is a New Orleans Mardi Gras super krewe and social organization. History and Formation Orpheus is a musically themed krewe taking its name from Orpheus of Classical mythology. The Krewe of Orpheus was founded by Harry Con ...

which is a music-based New Orleans

krewe A krewe (pronounced "crew") is a social organization that puts on a parade or ball for the Carnival season. The term is best known for its association with Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans, but is also used in other Carnival celebrations ar ...

. It takes its name from

Orpheus Orpheus (; Ancient Greek: Ὀρφεύς, classical pronunciation: ; french: Orphée) is a Thracian bard, legendary musician and prophet in ancient Greek religion. He was also a renowned poet and, according to the legend, travelled with Jaso ...

of classical mythology. The Krewe of Orpheus parades on St. Charles Avenue and Canal Street in

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

on Lundi Gras (Fat Monday)the day before

Mardi Gras Mardi Gras (, ) refers to events of the Carnival celebration, beginning on or after the Christian feasts of the Epiphany (Three Kings Day) and culminating on the day before Ash Wednesday, which is known as Shrove Tuesday. is French for "Fat ...

(Fat Tuesday). On September 2, 2005, Connick helped organize and appeared in the

-sponsored live telethon concert, ''

A Concert for Hurricane Relief ''A Concert for Hurricane Relief'' was an hour-long, celebrity-driven benefit concert broadcast live on September 2, 2005. Sponsored by the NBC Universal Television Group, its purpose was to raise money, relief, and awareness in response to the ...

'', for relief in the wake of

Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cost ...

. He spent several days touring the city to draw attention to the plight of citizens stranded at the

Ernest N. Morial Convention Center The Ernest N. Morial Convention Center is located in Downtown New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. The lower end of building one is located upriver from Canal Street on the banks of the Mississippi River. It is named after former Mayor of ...

and other places. At the concert he paired with host

Matt Lauer Matthew Todd Lauer (; born December 30, 1957) is an American former television news personality, best known for his work with NBC News. After serving as a local news personality in New York City on WNBC, his first national exposure was as the ne ...

and entertainers including

Tim McGraw Samuel Timothy McGraw (born May 1, 1967) is an American country singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He has released 16 studio albums (11 for Curb Records, four for Big Machine Records and one for Arista Nashville). 10 of those album ...

Faith Hill Audrey Faith McGraw (; born September 21, 1967), known professionally as Faith Hill, is an American singer and actress. She is one of the most successful country music artists of all time, having sold more than 40 million albums worldwide. Hill' ...

Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer. Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...

Mike Myers Michael John Myers OC (born May 25, 1963) is a Canadian actor, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. His accolades include seven MTV Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. In 2002, he was awarded a star on the Hollyw ...

, and

John Goodman John Stephen Goodman (born June 20, 1952) is an American actor. He gained national fame for his role as the family patriarch Dan Conner in the ABC comedy series '' Roseanne'' (1988–1997; 2018), for which he received a Golden Globe Award, an ...

. On September 6, 2005, Connick was made honorary chair of

Habitat for Humanity Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI), generally referred to as Habitat for Humanity or Habitat, is a US non-governmental, and nonprofit organization which was founded in 1976 by couple Millard and Linda Fuller. Habitat for Humanity is a Ch ...

's Operation Home Delivery, a long-term rebuilding plan for families who survived Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and along the

Gulf Coast The Gulf Coast of the United States, also known as the Gulf South, is the coastline along the Southern United States where they meet the Gulf of Mexico. The coastal states that have a shoreline on the Gulf of Mexico are Texas, Louisiana, Mississ ...

. His actions in New Orleans earned him a Jefferson Award for Public Service. Connick's album '' Oh, My NOLA'', and ''

'' were released in 2007, with a following tour called the My New Orleans Tour.

Musicians' Village

Connick and

devised an initiative to help restore New Orleans' musical

heritage Heritage may refer to: History and society * A heritage asset is a preexisting thing of value today ** Cultural heritage is created by humans ** Natural heritage is not * Heritage language Biology * Heredity, biological inheritance of physical c ...

and New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity, working with Connick and Marsalis announced on December 6, 2005, plans for a Musicians' Village in New Orleans. The Musicians' Village includes Habitat-constructed homes, with an ''Ellis Marsalis Center for Music'', as the area's centerpiece. The Habitat-built homes provide musicians, and anyone else who qualifies, the opportunity to buy decent, affordable housing. In 2012, Connick and Marsalis received the S. Roger Horchow Award for Greatest Public Service by a Private Citizen, an award given out annually by Jefferson Awards.

Personal life

On April 16, 1994, Connick married former

Victoria's Secret Victoria's Secret is an American lingerie, clothing, and beauty retailer known for high visibility marketing and branding, starting with a popular catalog and followed by an annual fashion show with supermodels dubbed Angels. As the largest ret ...

model

Jill Goodacre Jill Goodacre Connick (born March 29, 1964) is an American actress and former model. She was one of Victoria's Secret's main models in the 1980s and early 1990s. She is married to singer Harry Connick Jr. Career Victoria's Secret Goodacre was a ...

who is originally from Texas, at the

St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans The Cathedral-Basilica of Saint Louis, King of France (French language, French: ''Cathédrale-Basilique de Saint-Louis, Roi-de-France'', Spanish language, Spanish: ''Catedral-Basílica de San Luis, Rey de Francia''), also called St. Louis Cathedr ...

. Jill is the daughter of sculptor

Glenna Goodacre Glenna Maxey Goodacre (August 28, 1939 – April 13, 2020) was an American sculptor, best known for having designed the obverse of the Sacagawea dollar that entered circulation in the US in 2000, and the Vietnam Women's Memorial in Washington, ...

, originally from

Lubbock Lubbock ( ) is the 10th-most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and the seat of government of Lubbock County. With a population of 260,993 in 2021, the city is also the 85th-most populous in the United States. The city is in the northw ...

, and now

Santa Fe, New Mexico Santa Fe ( ; , Spanish for 'Holy Faith'; tew, Oghá P'o'oge, Tewa for 'white shell water place'; tiw, Hulp'ó'ona, label=Tiwa language, Northern Tiwa; nv, Yootó, Navajo for 'bead + water place') is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. ...

. The song "Jill", on the album ''

'' (1991) is about her. They have three daughters: Georgia Tatum (born April 17, 1996), Sarah Kate (born September 12, 1997), and Charlotte (born June 26, 2002). The family lives in

New Canaan, Connecticut New Canaan () is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 20,622 according to the 2020 census. About an hour from Manhattan by train, the town is considered part of Connecticut's Gold Coast. The town is bounde ...

and

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

. Connick is a practicing

. In 2011, Harry wrote Kate's debut song "A Lot Like Me". The song was released to celebrate the debut of American Girl's newest historical characters Cecile Rey and Marie Grace Gardner. "A Lot Like Me" is available on iTunes. The proceeds from "A Lot Like Me" went towards Ellis Marsalis Center for Music. Connick is a supporter of hometown NFL franchise

New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. Since 1975, the te ...

. He was caught on camera at the

Super Bowl XLIV Super Bowl XLIV was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champions New Orleans Saints and the American Football Conference (AFC) champions Indianapolis Colts to decide the National Football League (NFL) champ ...

, which the Saints won, in

Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...

by the television crew of ''

'' during the post-game celebrations. Ellen's mother Betty was on the sidelines watching the festivities when she spotted Connick in the stands sporting a

Drew Brees Drew Christopher Brees (; born January 15, 1979) is an American former American football, football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. A member of the New Orleans Saints for most of his career, Brees i ...

jersey. Connick was arrested by the Port Authority Police in December 1992 and charged with having a 9mm pistol in his possession at

JFK International Airport John F. Kennedy International Airport (colloquially referred to as JFK Airport, Kennedy Airport, New York-JFK, or simply JFK) is the main international airport serving New York City. The airport is the busiest of the seven airports in the New ...

. After spending a day in jail, he agreed to make a public-service television commercial warning against breaking gun laws. The court agreed to drop all charges if Connick stayed out of trouble for six months.

Discography

* '' Dixieland Plus'' (1977) * '' Pure Dixieland'' (1979) * '' Harry Connick Jr.'' (1987) * '' 20'' (1988) * ''

When Harry Met Sally ''When Harry Met Sally...'' is a 1989 American romantic comedy-drama film written by Nora Ephron and directed by Rob Reiner. It stars Billy Crystal as Harry and Meg Ryan as Sally. The story follows the title characters from the time they m ...

'' (1989) oundtrack album* '' We Are in Love'' (1990) * '' Lofty's Roach Souffle'' (1990) * ''

'' (1991) * '' 25'' (1992) * ''Eleven'' (1992) Pure_Dixieland''.html" ;"title="e-release of '' Pure Dixieland''">e-release of '' Pure Dixieland''* ''

'' (1993) * '' Forever For Now'' (1993) ompilation album released in the UK* ''

'' (1994) * '' Star Turtle'' (1996) * ''

'' (1997) * '' Come by Me'' (1999) * '' 30'' (2001) * ''

'' (2001) * '' Thou Shalt Not'' (2002) ast recording* '' Other Hours: Connick on Piano, Volume 1'' (2003) * ''

'' (2003) * '' Only You'' (2004) * '' Occasion: Connick on Piano, Volume 2'' (2005) * '' Harry on Broadway, Act I'' (2006) ast recording* '' Oh, My NOLA'' (2007) * '' Chanson du Vieux Carré : Connick on Piano, Volume 3'' (2007) * '' What a Night! A Christmas Album'' (2008) * '' Your Songs'' (2009) * '' In Concert on Broadway'' (2011) ive album* ''Music from The Happy Elf: Connick on Piano, Volume 4'' (2011) * ''Smokey Mary'' (2013) * ''Every Man Should Know'' (2013) * ''That Would Be Me'' (2015) * ''True Love: A Celebration of Cole Porter'' (2019) * ''Alone With My Faith'' (2021)

Filmography

Film

Television

Broadway

* 1990 ''An Evening with Harry Connick Jr. and His Orchestra'' (special, concert) * 2001 '' Thou Shalt Not'' (Broadway Musical)composer * 2006 ''

'' (Broadway Musical) * 2010 '' Harry Connick Jr.: In Concert on Broadway'' (special, concert)Tix On Sale Today For Harry Connick Jr. in Concert on Broadway
broadwayworld.com, May 4, 2010 * 2011 ''

'' (Broadway Musical) * 2019 ''Harry Connick, Jr. - A Celebration of Cole Porter'' (special, concert)

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Connick, Harry Jr. 1967 births 20th-century American male actors 20th-century American male musicians 20th-century American singers 20th-century jazz composers 21st-century American male actors 21st-century American male musicians 21st-century American singers 21st-century jazz composers American baritones American crooners American jazz bandleaders American jazz composers American jazz pianists American jazz singers American male film actors American male jazz composers American male jazz musicians American male musical theatre actors American male pianists American male pop singers American male singer-songwriters American male stage actors American male television actors American people of English descent American people of German descent American people of Irish descent American people of Jewish descent American people of Northern Ireland descent American Roman Catholics Catholics from Louisiana Columbia Records artists Grammy Award winners Hunter College alumni Isidore Newman School alumni Jazz arrangers Jazz musicians from New Orleans Jazz-funk pianists Jesuit High School (New Orleans) alumni Living people Male actors from New Orleans Manhattan School of Music alumni Musicians from New Orleans Primetime Emmy Award winners Singer-songwriters from Louisiana Swing pianists Swing singers Theatre World Award winners Traditional pop music singers Judges in American reality television series

Early life

Career

''When Harry Met Sally...'', chart and movie success

Mid-1990s: funk

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

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

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

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

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

''American Idol'' (Season 9)

2012–2019: ''Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'', ''Every Man Should Know''

''Every Man Should Know''

''American Idol'' (Season 12–13)

''Angels Sing''

''Harry''

Playground Sessions

''True Love: A Celebration of Cole Porter''

2020–present: ''Alone With My Faith'', ''Annie''

''Annie Live!''

''Australian Idol'' (2023)

Touring Big Band members

Connick and New Orleans, Hurricane Katrina

Musicians' Village

Personal life

Discography

Filmography

Film

Television

Broadway

References

Further reading

External links