Harry Connick, Jr.

Harry Connick Jr. (born September 11, 1967) is a singer, pianist, actor, and humanitarian. His music encompasses jazz, some of it very much in the style of the crooners of the 1940s and early '50s, funk and blues. His father, Harry Connick, Sr., was district attorney of New Orleans for 27 years. He married model Jill Goodacre in 1994.

Early history

Harry Connick, Jr., was born Joseph Harry Fowler Connick in New Orleans, Louisiana, on September 11, 1967. His parents were both lawyers who also owned a record store; his father was of Irish descent and a Catholic, while his New York-born mother was Jewish. His musical talents soon came to the fore when he learned the keyboards at the age of three, played publicly at six and recorded with a local jazz band at 10. His musical talents were developed at the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts and under the tutelage of Ellis Marsalis and James Booker.

Related Topics:
Louisiana - Irish - Catholic - New York - Jewish - New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts - Ellis Marsalis - James Booker

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Connick attended Jesuit High School in New Orleans. He moved to New York City to study at Hunter College and the Manhattan School of Music, where a Columbia Records executive persuaded him to sign with that label. His first record, Harry Connick Jr., was a mainly instrumental album of standards. He soon acquired a reputation in jazz due to extended stays at high-profile New York venues. His second album, 20, featured his vocals and added to this reputation.

Related Topics:
Jesuit High School - New Orleans - New York City - Hunter College - Manhattan School of Music - Columbia Records

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