Norah Jones

When singer/pianist Norah Jones glided onto the scene with 2002’s Come Away With Me, the country was ready for a soothing voice and pretty jazz-pop songs from a beautiful and funny young lady. It didn’t hurt that she had expert guidance from Arif Mardin, who came out of retirement to produce her debut. Eighteen million in worldwide sales and eight Grammys later (including Album and Record of the Year and Best New Artist), she was officially a star. Though she’s the daughter of famed sitar player Ravi Shankar, she was raised in Grapevine, Texas, and her influences lean as much toward Willie Nelson (her side project, the Little Willies, was named as a tongue-in-cheek homage to her mentor) as Billie Holiday and Bill Evans. Jones studied jazz piano at the University of North Texas, but her musical explorations also visit the realms of blues, folk and country. She earned more accolades (and sales) with 2004’s Feels Like Home, 2007’s Not Too Late and 2009’s The Fall, and Billboard magazine named her Jazz Artist of the Decade. Jones also sang tracks on three other Grammy Album of the Year winners: OutKast’s Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, Ray Charles’ Genius Loves Company and Herbie Hancock’s River: The Joni Letters. (Her track with Charles, “Here We Go Again,” also won Record of the Year.)