Joseph Harry Fowler Connick, Jr. was born in the vibrant city of New Orleans, Louisiana, to a family with a rich cultural heritage. His father, Harry Connick, Sr., served as the District Attorney of New Orleans from 1973 to 2003, while his mother, Anita Frances Levy, was a lawyer and judge. Connick's paternal grandparents were of Irish, English, and German descent, and his maternal grandparents were Jewish immigrants from Vienna, Austria, and Minsk, Belarus.
Tragedy struck when Connick's mother passed away from ovarian cancer when he was just 13 years old. Despite this loss, his parents, who owned a record store, continued to encourage his passion for music. By the age of three, Connick was already playing the piano, and by 10, he was performing with a New Orleans jazz band. He went on to study at the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts and later attended Hunter College in New York and the Manhattan School of Music.
At the age of 19, Connick released his first album for Columbia Records and began a successful run at the Algonquin's Oak Room, followed by his second album a year later. He also wrote the score and sang several songs for Rob Reiner's When Harry Met Sally... (1989),which became a multi-platinum soundtrack. Throughout his career, Connick has earned numerous awards and accolades, including one gold, four platinum, and three multi-platinum albums, as well as two Grammy Awards.
In addition to his music career, Connick has also had a successful acting career, making his film debut as Clay Busby in Memphis Belle (1990). He has since appeared in films such as Copycat (1995) and Independence Day (1996),playing the role of Captain Jimmy Wilder.
