American icon Harry Connick, Jr., has brought New Orleans jazz to a new art form. Connick was born in New Orleans to lawyer parents who owned a record store, encouraging young Harry to perform. He appeared on his first jazz album at age 10 and moved to New York City at age 18. After a year in the Big Apple studying at the Manhattan School of Music, Connick caught the attention of a Columbia Records exec and within a year recorded his self-titled debut album. His first two albums encompassed his love for his hometown and jazz before he entered the mainstream market with the soundtrack for Rob Reiner's 1989 film When Harry Met Sally.

From there, Connick became an American star. He toured the world and found that his When Harry Met Sally album went double-platinum. He released two albums in 1990, We Are in Love and Lofty's Roach Soufflé, while also appearing in his debut on-screen performance in Memphis Belle. Now with a big band backing him, the jazz artist toured again and appeared in a few more Hollywood films, including the role of a serial killer in Copycat.

His fame started a slow decline during the ‘90s, as several of his more poppy albums failed to maintain the strong following he had seen in the previous decade. In 2001, he continued his crossover whirlwind with the album Other Hours, an instrumental collection of Tony-nominated songs for the Broadway musical Thou Shalt Not. He also created a Christmas album, produced two albums on two separate labels and was a regular guest on the NBC sitcom Will & Grace before the show ended in 2006.

When Hurricane Katrina hit his home town, Connick took action, organizing the benefit telethon A Concert for Hurricane Relief on NBC. His most recent album, Oh, My Nola, was a tribute to his city.