As headlines across the world mourn Tony Bennett as the "Last of the Crooners," I wondered aloud "whatever happened to Harry Connick Jr?"
When I was a much younger man, I knew a girl whose musical tastes were based off of whatever music her boyfriend liked at the time. As I got to know her a little bit better, she really only, personally, liked one musician, Harry Connick Jr. She said that there was something about his smooth, velvety voice that made her heart melt. Other than that, she could take or leave music as a whole.
In 1991, when music was seemingly exploding in a million different directions, she preferred a song that sounded like it was recorded on good equipment in 1941. Harry Connick Jr's album Blue Light, Red Light went multi-platinum in an age well past big band's glory.
What's he been up to since? Apparently I really haven't been paying attention, he's been in 2 dozen movies that have grossed over a billion dollars and recorded over 2 dozen albums that have sold over 30 million copies. And that doesn't include his stints on American Idol.
He's been nominated for an armful of Grammys and never stopped working. As a matter of fact, his last album, Alone With My Faith, was nominated for best Roots Gospel album in 2022.
Then why is Tony Bennett the last of the crooners?
Because in an age of stripping away American Traditions, Harry Connick Jr. seems to embrace Americana. It is that simple.
If Harry Connick Jr. doesn't currently have mainstream success because he's a relic of America's past, isn't that really more of an indictment of America than Connick Jr. himself?
Do I like Harry Connick Jr?
Listen, I'm sure he's a fine fellow, but he is WAAAAAY outside of my wheelhouse.
I spent the evening listening to an obscure punk band from Brooklyn, New York called Mustafina.
And as soon as I hit the Publish Button, I am turning on the Butthole Surfers' classic Sweat Loaf
So......
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