Norah Jones

Norah Jones Headshot

Singer • Songwriter • Musician

Birth Date: March 30, 1979

Age: 44 years old

Birth Place: New York City, New York

Parents: Ravi Shankar

Musician, vocalist and songwriter Nora Jones became an overnight sensation at the age of 22 when her debut album, Come Away with Me, soared up the charts and swept the Grammy Awards. The album and its two successors proved to record executives that audiences were ready for a sophisticated alternative to flashy, fleshy female pop singers. Jones' sound included elements of jazz, '70s singer/songwriters, and classic country, but she was also a frequent collaborator with artists as diverse as Ray Charles and the Foo Fighters. At any given time, she was involved in several surprising side projects that expressed her versatility and talent in every area of music creation and production. Film director Wong Kar-Wai saw something else in the gorgeous ingénue as well, casting the untrained actress in the starring role of his film, "My Blueberry Nights," which opened the Cannes Film Festival in the spring of 2007.

Norah Jones was born Geethali Norah Jones Shankar on March 30, 1979, in Brooklyn, NY. Her father was Ravi Shankar, India's most famous musical export and the undisputed virtuoso of classical Indian sitar - made famous in the States due to his musical collaborations with Beatle George Harrison. Her mother, Sue Jones, was a dancer and concert promoter who had a nine-year relationship with Shankar. When Norah was four years old, the couple broke up and mom and daughter moved to the Dallas suburb of Grapevine, TX. Norah was singing with the church choir by the time she was five, learning piano two years later, and by high school showed such a passion and talent for music that she enrolled in the Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing Arts in Dallas. While still a high school student, she won the DownBeat Student Music award (a national competition sponsored by the premiere jazz publication) two years in a row - in 1996 for Best Jazz Vocalist and in 1997 for Best Original Composition. She continued her training at the University of North Texas, where she focused on Jazz piano. Following her second year of college, she spent a summer subletting a friend's apartment in New York City and essentially never went back.

The young Texas transplant was in her element in New York City, with its countless live jazz clubs, singer/songwriter lounges, and thousands of fellow musicians to inspire her. She began writing songs and networking with different players, settling into a groove with Jesse Harris (guitar), Lee Alexander (bass) and Dan Reiser (drums), who came to be known as The Handsome Band. In the fall of 2000, the group cut a few demos that landed Jones a record deal with renowned jazz label Blue Note. She was paired with veteran producer Arif Mardin, whose track record with Dusty Springfield, Aretha Franklin, and the Bee Gees was well-suited to Jones' solid foundation in popular music standards.

It took nearly a year to complete Come Away with Me, and in the meantime Jones continued to explore new territory, playing with trip hoppers Wax P tic and jazz fusion guitarist Charlie Hunter. When Come Away With Me hit stores Jones found virtual overnight success, with the album's first single "Don't Know Why" establishing a hushed, sleepy, take on jazz vocals, country standards, and folk simplicity that would become her calling card. Jones and the Handsome Band toured the world as the album reached number one on the Adult Recurrent album charts, selling first 10 million, then 20 million records. At the 2003 Grammy Awards, the 23- year-old newcomer took home a total of eight trophies that magical night, including Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist.

All ears were on Jones' follow-up album, Feels like Home, for proof that her early success was more than just beginner's luck. Again Jones, Mardin, and The Handsome Band delivered the goods, with a collection of songs that leaned more towards country and bluegrass, and included guest artists Dolly Parton and The Band's Levon Helm. Feels Like Home sold more than a million copies during its first week on the shelves - a milestone for the Blue Note label - and was another critical pick, taking home Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance of the Year for the single "Sunrise." That same year she and Ray Charles shared a Grammy for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for the single, "Here We Go Again" off Charles' last album, Genius Loves Company. By now, Jones fame had afforded her the chance to collaborate with artists she grew up listening to, as well as pop and rock contemporaries like Ryan Adams, Outkast, Dave Grohl, and Wyclef Jean. She and The Handsome Band also occasionally took the stage at small clubs (with the addition of innovative guitarist Jim Campilongo and vocalist Richard Julian) to perform covers of classic country songs under the moniker, the Little Willies.

Jones continued to dedicate time to her love of jazz standards, performing at the Tanglewood Jazz Festival and the New Orleans Jazz Festival. In early 2007, Jones released her third album, Not Too Late. For the first time, the seasoned songwriter had written or co-written every track on the album, which critics noted for its darker tone than the previous, more lighthearted efforts. Its single "Thinkin' About You" became her biggest single since "Don't Know Why."
Jones had one more release on her schedule for 2007 - her feature film debut in Wong Kar-Wai's offering, "My Blueberry Nights." The "Chungking Express" (1994) and "2046" (2004) director cast the captivatingly beautiful performer, despite the fact that her only prior onscreen experience was in a cameo playing piano in the film "Two Weeks Notice." Despite her lack of formal training, Jones was given the starring role in the road movie about a young woman traveling the country looking for love. The highly-anticipated film was scheduled to kick off the Cannes Film Festival in May of 2007.

Credits

HSN Today With Tina & Friends Featuring Norah Jones

Guest
Show
2024

Willie Nelson's 90th Birthday Celebration

Music Performer
Special
2023

Montreux Jazz Festival

Music Performer
Show
2023

A Grammy Salute to the Beach Boys

Music Performer
Special
2023

Women Who RockStream

Self
Docuseries
2022

Be My Guest With Ina GartenStream

Self
Series
2022

Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade

Music Performer
Show
2021

The 44th Annual Kennedy Center Honors

Music Performer
Show
2021

89th Annual Christmas in Rockefeller Center

Music Performer
Show
2021

The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration

Music Performer
Show
2021

CBS Saturday Morning

Music Performer
Show
2021

Norah Jones: I Dream Of Christmas

Music Performer
Show
2021

Baloise Session

Music Performer
Show
2020

Norah Jones: To Live (Live From Home 6/22/20)

Music Performer
Show
2020

GMA3: What You Need to Know

Music Performer
Show
2020

Willie Nelson: American Outlaw

Music Performer
Show
2020

Norah Jones: I'm Alive

Music Performer
Show
2020

Norah Jones: Tryin' to Keep It Together

Music Performer
Show
2020

Norah Jones: Flame Twin

Music Performer
Show
2020

Norah Jones: To Live

Music Performer
Show
2020

Norah Jones: Hurts to Be Alone

Music Performer
Show
2020

Norah Jones Feat. Tarriona Tank Ball: Playing Along

Composer
Show
2019

Norah Jones Feat. Tarriona Tank Ball: Playing Along

Music Performer
Show
2019

Norah Jones Feat. Rodrigo Amarante: I Forgot

Composer
Show
2019

Norah Jones Feat. Rodrigo Amarante: I Forgot

Music Performer
Show
2019

Joni Mitchell 75: A Birthday Celebration

Self
Show
2019

Norah Jones Feat. Tarriona Tank Ball: Take it Away

Actor
Show
2019

Norah Jones Feat. Tarriona Tank Ball: Take it Away

Composer
Show
2019

Sesame Street: Awesome Alphabet Collection

Music Performer
Show
2019

Today With Hoda & Jenna

Music Performer
Show
2019

Norah Jones at Baloise Session

Self
Show
2019

The Music Center Presents Joni 75: A Birthday Celebration

Music Performer
Show
2019

Blue Note 80: Essential Norah Jones

Music Performer
Show
2019

Blue Note 80: Next Grooves

Music Performer
Show
2019

ACL Hall of Fame New Year's Special

Music Performer
Show
2018

Today 3rd Hour

Music Performer
Show
2018

Norah Jones: Live at Ronnie Scott's

Music Performer
Show
2018

Nihal Arthanayake

Guest
Show
2018

2K Love Songs

Music Performer
Show
2018

Cozy Coffeehouse

Music Performer
Show
2018

Grammy Gold

Music Performer
Show
2018

Blue Note Records: Beyond the Notes

Self
Movie
2018

Echo in the CanyonStream

Self
Movie
2018
90%

The Great Songwriters

Actor
Show
2016

ChelseaStream

Music Performer
Talk
2016
41%

Norah Jones

Music Performer
Show
2016

Norah Jones: Flipside

Music Performer
Show
2016

Norah Jones: Come Away With Me (Live at the Filmore)

Music Performer
Show
2016

Norah Jones: Carry On

Music Performer
Show
2016

The Late Show With Stephen ColbertStream

Guest
Talk
2015

The Late Show With Stephen ColbertStream

Music Performer
Talk
2015

The Late Late Show With James CordenStream

Music Performer
Talk
2015

A MusiCares Tribute to Paul McCartney

Actor
Show
2014

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy FallonStream

Music Performer
Talk
2014

The Big Interview With Dan RatherStream

Guest
Series
2013

PBS NewsHour Weekend

Guest
Show
2013

OnSTAGE

Actor
Show
2013

OnSTAGE

Music Performer
Show
2013

The Oscars

Music Performer
Show
2013

Tony Bennett - Duets II

Actor
Show
2012

CBS This Morning: Saturday

Music Performer
Show
2012

Norah Jones: Little Broken Hearts

Music Performer
Show
2012

Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi Feat. Norah Jones: Black

Music Performer
Show
2012

Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi Feat. Norah Jones: Season's Trees

Music Performer
Show
2012

Norah Jones: Happy Pills

Music Performer
Show
2012

Norah Jones: Everybody Needs a Best Friend

Music Performer
Show
2012

Norah Jones: Miriam

Music Performer
Show
2012

iTunes Festival: Live in London

Actor
Show
2012

Norah Jones: iTunes Festival: Live in London

Actor
Show
2012

Sing Me the Songs That Say I Love You: A Concert for Kate McGarrigle

Actor
Movie
2012

TedStream

Actor
Herself
Movie
2012
69%

TedStream

Self
Movie
2012
69%

LIVE with Kelly

Music Performer
Talk
2011

Q With Jian Ghomeshi

Music Performer
Show
2011

The VoiceStream

Music Performer
Reality
2011

Willie Nelson & Wynton Marsalis Feat. Norah Jones: Here We Go Again - Celebrating the Genius of Ray Charles

Music Performer
Show
2011

The 33rd Annual Kennedy Center Honors

Music Performer
Show
2010

ConanStream

Music Performer
Talk
2010

Norah Jones: Chasing Pirates

Music Performer
Show
2009

ES.TV

Guest
Show
2009

ES.TV

Music Performer
Show
2009

The Project

Guest
Show
2009

The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien

Narrator
Talk
2009

Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

Music Performer
Talk
2009

Live From the Artists Den

Music Performer
Series
2009

Skavlan

Music Performer
Show
2009

Norah Jones: Young Blood

Music Performer
Show
2009

Live on Letterman

Self
Show
2009

Wah Do Dem

Actor
Willow
Movie
2009

Lyons & Bailes Reel Talk

Guest
Show
2007

Today With Kathie Lee & Hoda

Music Performer
Show
2007

Chelsea Lately

Actor
Talk
2007

Norah Jones: Sinkin' Soon

Music Performer
Show
2007

Norah Jones: Until The End

Music Performer
Show
2007

Norah Jones: Thinking of You

Music Performer
Show
2007

My Blueberry Nights

Actor
Elizabeth
Movie
2007

The Colbert Report

Guest
Talk
2005

ET Canada

Guest
Show
2005

The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson

Music Performer
Talk
2005

Norah Jones: Those Sweet Words

Music Performer
Show
2005

Norah Jones: What Am I To You?

Music Performer
Show
2005

Tavis Smiley

Guest
Talk
2004

Norah Jones Feat. Dolly Parton: Creepin' In

Music Performer
Show
2004

Norah Jones: The Long Day is Over

Music Performer
Show
2004

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

Music Performer
Talk
2003

Soundstage

Music Performer
Show
2003

Jimmy Kimmel Live!Stream

Music Performer
Talk
2003

Norah Jones: Sunrise

Music Performer
Show
2003

Norah Jones: Come Away With Me

Music Performer
Show
2002

Norah Jones: Don't Know Why

Music Performer
Show
2002

Woodsongs

Music Performer
Show
2001

Live With Regis and Kelly

Music Performer
Show
2001

Entertainment Studios.com

Guest
Show
2000

Front Row Center

Music Performer
Show
2000

The Daily Show With Jon StewartStream

Guest
Talk
1999

In Performance at The White House

Music Performer
Special
1998

Kickin' It: With Byron Allen

Guest
Show
1998

The View

Music Performer
Talk
1997

Entertainers: With Byron Allen

Guest
Show
1994

Late Night With Conan O'Brien

Music Performer
Talk
1993

Late Show With David Letterman

Guest
Talk
1993

Late Show With David Letterman

Music Performer
Talk
1993

Later ... with Jools Holland

Music Performer
Show
1992

The Tonight Show With Jay Leno

Music Performer
Talk
1992

CBS News Sunday Morning

Guest
News
1979

Austin City LimitsStream

Music Performer
Series
1976

Good Morning America

Music Performer
News
1975

Saturday Night LiveStream

Music Performer
Series
1975

Great PerformancesStream

Music Performer
Franchise
1972

Sesame StreetStream

Guest
Series
1969

Sesame StreetStream

Music Performer
Series
1969

Today

Music Performer
News
1952

News aboutNorah Jones