Saturday, September 24, 2022
I got an email a couple pieces of time ago (weeks? months? I don’t remember when it was) advertising a fundraiser for heart and vascular something (did I get it because I went to a cardiologist a few times? Mmm. Did they sell my information? Doesn’t seem like they should have, but I don’t actually know that they did. Also, I was glad to get the email) with Harry Connick, Jr. We like Harry’s music, so of course we got tickets – which were very reasonably priced.
I got several more emails – obviously they didn’t know we had gotten tickets. It wasn’t advertised on Harry’s website. It wasn’t advertised at the venue’s website. There were quite a few empty seats. Whoever was in charge didn’t do a great job promoting the show.
It was lots of fun. He talked and told stories, which is not the best part of a musical concert (but it really is), but it sure adds to the fun. We saw Willy Nelson a few years ago and it was great music, but he said the name of one song and that was all he said. I found that a bit disappointing. Harry did not disappoint.
My favorite bit was when he was talking about being hired at 20 years old to play the score for a Rob Reiner movie. He sat at a piano in a big sound stage with a screen in front of him. Rob told him to watch the movie and play when the line across the bottom was green, and to stop when the line was red. Harry asked what he was supposed to play. Rob said, “Whatever you want.” So, he watched Harry meet Sally and plunked on the piano whatever he wanted. He said it was the greatest job ever. The movie has a gazillion songs by a gazillion artists, but when we got the soundtrack, everything was played by some guy named Harry. It was very disappointing and strange, but we listened to it and liked it. I think that was our first introduction to Harry Connick, Jr.
My favorite song he played was How Great Thou Art – pretty straight, then the band came in and it was all New Orleans-y and even better. Two great concerts two nights in a row. We are winning this weekend.
Harry is one of my favourites too. Not seen him though. 🙂
He is a very talented man. So glad I got that email and knew about the show.
Wish I was on that email list…
We went to see a Harry Connick Christmas show many years ago. He and his band opened with 2 Christmas songs. Then Harry says we need to be more alive so he goes to the rear of the stage and sits down at an upright piano with his back to the audience.
He started to play and off we went to New Orleans. Never heard another Christmas song. It was awesome!!