Your Songs is a studio album by American jazz singer Harry Connick Jr. that was released by Columbia. It was released first in the United States on a limited edition double vinyl LP on August 25, 2009, then on CD on September 22.
Background.
Most of the songs were chosen by record producer Clive Davis, who aimed towards classic, familiar songs, as contemporary as possible. Davis had expressed an interest in working with Connick. Connick had an idea of bringing in a famous arranger for the album, but Davis suggested Connick do the arrangements himself.
The song "Bésame Mucho" was suggested by Connick's father, Harry Connick Sr., a former district attorney for the Parish of Orleans. They sang a duet on the album "New Orleans...My Home Town" (1998). Branford and Wynton Marsalis contribute to the album. Both are multiple Grammy winners. Both are childhood friends of Connick. Trumpeter Wayne Bergeron and guitarist Bryan Sutton also play on the album.
Connick said in a radio interview that "Smile" was dedicated to a girl named Nicola. She and her mother attended one of Connick's shows in Paris, France, several years before. Nicola was seven at the time, and Connick took her on a tour of Paris. They stood under the Eiffel Tower. Although she was blind, she knew where she was and had a smile on her face.
Promotion.
On August 4, 2009, Connick had an album listening party in New York City, hosted by Sony Music chief creative executive Clive Davis. Amongst those in attendance were Alan Cumming, Bernadette Peters, Brian Williams, Kelli O'Hara, Rachael Ray, Mario Cantone, Rosie Perez, and David Hyde Pierce.
A number of public listening events were held, from August 24–30, 2009. Connick did not attend the exclusive vinyl listening events, which were held in cities such as Orlando, Florida, Washington, D.C., Chicago, New York, Oakland, California, New Orleans, West Babylon, New York, and Los Angeles.
He made a number of TV appearances in September and October 2009. In September he appeared on "Oprah" on the 25th, then on "Today" (28th), "The View" (29th), and "Late Show with David Letterman" and "Imus in the Morning" on September 30. In October, he was a guest on the "Today" on the 1st, "Rachael Ray" in the week of October 5, and he set out to a week-long promotional tour in Australia from October 2 through to 9th, which included a visit to "Hey Hey It's Saturday", and an appearance as a guest judge on "Australian Idol" on October 11, 2009.
Release.
The album was released first in the United States on a limited edition double vinyl LP on August 25, 2009. The CD album was released on September 22.
The first single of the album was Burt Bacharach and Hal David's "(They Long to Be) Close to You", and it was released exclusively on Amazon.com on August 25, 2009.
After the U.S. release, Connick was in Paris, France in September 2009, to record a song with French First Lady Carla Bruni. She and Connick's wife, Jill Goodacre, both former supermodels, are long time friends. The duet is a French and Italian version of "And I love her", written by Lennon–McCartney. The duet is released as a bonus track on European editions of "Your Songs".
As of 2013, the album has sold 396,000 copies in United States.
Tour.
A worldwide concert tour began in January 2010.
Tour dates.
Asia (2010)
Europe (2010)
North America (2010)
Asia (2010)
North America (2010)
North America (2011)
Broadway.
He held a series of concerts, called "Harry Connick Jr. in Concert on Broadway", at the Neil Simon Theatre on Broadway, from July 15 to July 31, 2010. The concerts on July 30 and 31 were filmed live, and aired on PBS on March 2, 2011 for a "Great Performances" special on the concerts. These were also released on video, CD/DVD and album in March 2011, as "Harry Connick Jr.: In Concert on Broadway".
Harry Connick Jr. won an Emmy Award in the category Outstanding Music Direction for "Harry Connick Jr. In Concert on Broadway".
The "In Concert on Broadway" album is nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.
Awards and nominations.
"Your Songs" was nominated for a Grammy Award, in the category Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. This was announced on Wednesday, December 2, 2009. The 52nd Grammy Awards took place on January 31, 2010 in Los Angeles. The award went to Michael Bublé for his Michael Bublé Meets Madison Square Garden.
References.
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