Released Vinyl: August 25, 2009CD:September 22, 2009(see release history) Your Songs(2009) In Concert on Broadway(2011) | ||
Your Songs is a studio album by American multi-platinum selling recording artist Harry Connick Jr., released by Columbia Records. It was released first in the United States on a limited edition double vinyl LP on August 25, 2009, then released on CD on September 22.
Contents
- Background
- Promotion
- Release
- Tour
- Tour dates
- Broadway
- Deluxe Limited Edition CDDVD package
- Awards and nominations
- References
The album is a collaboration with Connick and record producer Clive Davis.
Background
Most of the songs are 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, who at first did not know what that meant, as he had never done such a collaboration before. Connick had an idea of bringing in a famous arranger for the album, but Davis suggested for Connick to do the arrangements himself, and he did. The finished arrangements however is influenced by Davis.
Since Davis is no longer heading up contemporary labels like arista and J Records, his focus as Chief Executive Officer of Creative, his focus has been on executive producing adult contemporary fare from the past for artists like Barry Manilow and Harry Connick Jr. to meager results
The song "Bésame Mucho" was suggested for the album by Connick's father, the previous district attorney of the Parish of Orleans, Harry Connick Sr.. Father and son has previously sung a duet on Sr.'s 1998 album release New Orleans...My Home Town, which also included songs which Jr. has recorded on his albums since.
The brothers Branford and Wynton Marsalis contribute to the album. Both are multiple Grammy winners, Branford on saxophone, and Wynton who has received nine Grammys and a Pulitzer Prize for Music, on trumpet. Both are childhood friends of Connick. Also Grammy nominated trumpeter Wayne Bergeron, and guitar player Bryan Sutton plays on the album.
Connick said in a radio interview, that track number thirteen, "Smile", is dedicated to a girl named Nicola. She and her mother attended one of Connick's shows in Paris, France, several years ago. Nicola was seven at the time, and Connick took her on a tour of Paris. They stood under the Eiffel tower, and even though she could not see where she was, as she was blind, she had the biggest smile on her face. They have remained friends since, and "Smile" is for her. The song includes a trumpet solo by Roger Ingram.
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.
Tour
A worldwide concert tour began in January 2010.
Tour dates
North America (2010)
New Zealand (2010)
Australia (2010)
Europe (2010)
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.
Deluxe Limited Edition CD/DVD package
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.