Harry Connick, Jr. is an amazing jazz musician, singer, and bandleader, as well as a talented actor. He was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. Harry has a wonderful sense of humor (just check out his tweets!) He just seems like a great guy who doesn’t take himself too seriously. Harry also happens to be Irish American, so he is a natural for my list of favorites.

Henry Louis Gates discovers Harry’s Irish roots in a recent episode of Finding Your Roots on PBS. It is a great episode – click here to watch. It is interesting to see Harry’s reaction to revelations about his great-great-grandfather, James Connick, who came to Mobile, Alabama from Ireland during the Famine.

Harry felt better when he learned of a fifth-great-grandfather David McCulloch, an Irish immigrant who settled in Pennsylvania in the 18th century. During the Revolutionary War he was an American privateer, capturing British ships and cargo. The British government had a sizeable bounty on McCulloch’s head, but they never did captured him.

It is good to hear the stories of Harry’s Irish immigrant ancestors, because we are reminded of the diversity of the Irish immigrant experience.

I loved Harry in the 1990 film, Memphis Belle. Click here to check out his version of Danny Boy from the movie. My favorite Christmas album ever is Harry’s 2008 effort, What a Night! And, he has a new album coming out on June 11th titled, Every Man Should Know. Can’t wait to hear it.

Keep up the good work, Harry. You make Irish America proud!