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Writer's pictureAndy McIlvain

God's Gift of Music: Norah Jones

Norah Jones sings songs that stick in your mind and take you back in time.

Do you remember where your were when "Don't Know Why' came out or 'Come Away with Me"?

A natural talent born into the musical family of Indian Sitirist and composer Ravi Shankar Norah has become a staple of American Music.


Norah Jones
Norah Jones

Norah Jones - Singer, songwriter

"In 2002 Norah Jones, age twenty-two, released her debut full-length album, Come Away with Me. A low-key, acoustic work that defies categorization but includes hints of jazz, traditional pop, country, and folk; the CD is the kind of recording that would ordinarily have sold several thousand copies, earned admiring reviews in the music press, and then faded from view. In the beginning, that is exactly the path the recording seemed to take. But to the surprise of many, including Jones herself, Come Away with Me continued to sell steadily month after month, thanks to outstanding reviews, positive word-of-mouth, and unexpected radio play. It took nearly a year, but eventually the album reached the number-one position on Billboard 's album chart, selling some three million copies over twelve months. By 2004 it had sold eight million copies in the United States and an additional ten million worldwide. Far less well known than her fellow nominees, Jones earned five nominations for Grammy Awards. On February 23, 2003, the night of the 45th Annual Grammy Awards, she went home with an armload of trophies, winning for every category in which she was nominated. Her follow-up album, Feels Like Home, followed a different, steeper path when released in 2004: Jones's second effort shot straight to number one, selling one million copies in its first week alone.

"I'm not soft-spoken and romantic, at all. I must be, somewhere deep down, otherwise I wouldn't like that kind of music. But I'm only like that when I'm on stage. I'm pretty much just loudmouthed, obnoxious, and silly.".." from the Norah Jones biography


Norah Jones - Don't Know Why

Video from Norah Jones


"Music video by Norah Jones performing Don't Know Why." from video introduction


How An UNKNOWN Indie Artist Had The Biggest Selling Record Of The Decade | Professor of Rock


"Before Adele, another blockbuster music queen was Norah Jones. Here we celebrate the 20th anniversary of her amazing song Don’t Know Why from her multiplatinum record Come Away with Me. An excessive interview that goes through the history of this jazz phenomenon..." from video introduction


Norah Jones - Come Away With Me

Video from Norah Jones


"Music video by Norah Jones performing Come Away With Me." from video introduction


The Truth About Norah Jones' Famous Parents

"Norah Jones, Grammy winner and creator of hits like "Don't Know Why" and "Happy Pills," to name a few gems, boasts a well-known career that has spanned decades. And as she told The Telegraph in 2016, her trajectory to stardom has been a bit overwhelming at times. "It happened too fast," the musician admitted. "It felt insane and stressful, people knowing who you are, people critiquing you."


Norah Jones and Father Ravi Shankar
Norah Jones and Father Ravi Shankar


Jones took a small break after the 2016 release of her album, Day Breaks, and came back even stronger in 2019 with Begin Again. The singer then followed up that success with the June 2020 debut of Pick Me Up Off The Floor. "I hear a human record," she told Forbes about the work's vibe. "We all get sad, we all need to be picked up, we all sort of have our moments. We go up and down, that's what we do. I think that's what it is."


With the release of Pick Me Up Off The Floor, there's a renewed interest in Jones' life and background, especially where it concerns her parents. The star, born Geethali Norah Jones Shankar to concert promoter, Sue Jones, and famed musician, Ravi Shankar, in 1979, had a compelling childhood similar to many other musicians out there.." from the article: The Truth About Norah Jones' Famous Parents

Norah Jones, Robert Glasper - Let It Ride (Live)

Video from Norah Jones


"Recorded live during the taping of Norah Jones Is Playing Along Podcast." from video introduction



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