Harry Connick's faith deep, not loud

Harry Connick Jr. is known worldwide for his music, but few know about his Catholic faith. The singer is one of three judges on the final season of American Idol.
Harry Connick Jr. is known worldwide for his music, but few know about his Catholic faith. The singer is one of three judges on the final season of American Idol.

He's a Grammy-winning singer, a popular actor and a judge on American Idol. Harry Connick Jr. is known for his jazz music and his roles in movies such as Hope Floats, Independence Day and Dolphin Tale. Less known is the role his Catholic faith plays in his life and career.

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NWA Democrat-Gazette file photo

Harry Connick Jr., (right) seen here shaking hands with Rob Walton during a Wal-Mart shareholders meeting in Fayetteville, has a new album. The singer said he hopes to one day record a gospel album.

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NWA Democrat-Gazette file photo

Singer Harry Connick Jr. performs onstage at FOX’s American Idol in May 2013 in Los Angeles. Connick, along with Jennifer Lopez and Keith Urban, served as a judge of the show’s talent in 2013, and returned this week as a judge for the final season of American Idol.

In his latest CD, That Would Be Me, the singer obliquely refers to his faith in lyrics, but listeners won't hear a direct reference to God. Connick prefers to let listeners find their own meaning in his songs, and he admits he doesn't speak of his faith publicly very often.

"It isn't something I talk about a lot," Connick said. "It's personal to me and something I tend to work on in private. Some people are very outspoken about their faith. I'm not one of those people."

Connick grew up in New Orleans with a Catholic father and Jewish mother. His parents wanted him to choose his own religious path, and Connick was eventually baptized while attending a Jesuit high school. Living in New Orleans, he was close to his father's family, while his mother's family was far away in New York.

"I didn't know them very well and there are a million Catholic Connicks in and around New Orleans," he said. "I liked going to church and I liked being a part of it. I liked the way it felt to be among people in the Catholic Church and decided when I was 14 that I wanted to be Catholic. So I got baptized and confirmed and that's sort of the beginning of my Catholicism, officially, I guess."

That faith background has influenced his life even if he isn't one to shout it from the rooftops. He said his faith has changed over time.

"Faith waxes and wanes and it's something I think of as a gift," he said. "People who have a perfect faith are very, very lucky. It's something that I work on and that I question and I take great pride in and embrace. It's complicated.

"Faith is something that's a source of a lot of wonder for me and I think it always will be. I have a strong faith, but there are many areas that I think about and pray about in my quest to be better, and I like that it's something that holds great interest for me."

The 48-year-old said he was honored last year to perform in a concert welcoming Pope Francis to New York. He sang the hymn, "How Great Thou Art."

"I happen to really like Pope Francis," Connick said. "I think he's, from what I know, a very good man who is kind of shaking things up in a good way in the Catholic Church. To be asked to play in a concert welcoming him to New York was indeed a great honor. I was so thrilled to be a part of it. It's one of those unforgettable moments. When you are sitting in a practice room as a kid and working on your craft you can't imagine that one day you'd be playing at an event like that."

Catholic musician John Michael Talbot knows what it's like to perform at papal events. The founder of Little Portion Hermitage near Berryville once sang for Pope John Paul II in front of an audience approaching 1 million. He was used to large crowds from his days performing with the folk rock group Mason Proffit, so singing in such a large venue, even for the pontiff, wasn't too nerve-wracking.

"I just sang. I just did my thing and sang 'Holy Is Thy Name,'" Talbot said.

Talbot, well known in Catholic circles and beyond, was surprised to learn that Connick is also a Catholic. He said he enjoys Connick's music. Their shared faith adds a new dimension.

Connick has about 30 records to his credit -- and more than 28 million albums sold worldwide -- but his latest one is different in that it's the first one where he gave up total control of the process. He got together with producers Eg White (who has worked with Sam Smith, Adele and Florence and the Machine) and Butch Walker (who has worked with Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Pink and Weezer).

"This one is really different because it's the first time I've worked with producers that have really made significant suggestions and contributions to the music," he said. "Most of the time it's me and I'm the guy driving the car. This time I was in the passenger seat -- very much a part of all things musically, but I was not in charge per se. I wanted to feel what that felt like because that's the normal way to make a record."

At times it was uncomfortable, but in hindsight, Connick said, he's happy with the experience.

Connick said he likes all the songs on the new album but he's partial to a few, including "Tryin' to Matter."

"The lyrics don't quite mean what you think they mean," he said. "I like things that are sort of poetic enough to allow people to interpret them in different ways."

In addition to his music, Connick also has a successful movie, TV and Broadway career, including a years-long role on Will & Grace and roles in 22 movies. He returned this week as a judge for the final season of American Idol. So what does the future hold? Connick has featured hymns on some of his albums but doesn't have one exclusively religious. But he's open to that.

"People have asked if I'll ever do a gospel record and I think I will at some point," he said. "I love the combination of that style of music with that message. When I go to church I tend to like more hymns, more understated stuff, but musically I love, love gospel music."

Religion on 01/09/2016

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