Harry Connick, Jr., Thinks Justin Bieber Should Have Won Grammy

Musician Harry Connick Jr., appeared on ABC's "The View" telecast today to talk about a few things, but mainly to promote his new DVD and CD. The DVD was shot last summer during Connick's much admired Broadway run. He also expressed his disappointment for not being chosen as a judge for this year's American Idol show. Connick was one of the show's musical mentors last season.

But what seemed to stun several of The View's co-hosts was Connick's answer when asked about Esperanza Spalding's recent Grammy win for Best New Artist. "I don't know who she is", he said. He went further to say that he did not see the telecast but was disappointed when he heard that Justin Bieber was passed over for Spalding. He feels that because of Bieber's popularity music was given a much needed boost, and that was justification for winning the award.

Connick believes that Bieber is a savior for a suffering music industry? Wow! Isn't the Grammy Awards about music rather than popularity? The notable accomplishments of the multi-talented Justin Bieber over the past year didn't exactly save music, it made Bieber and a lot of behind the scenes people in his camp very rich, and millions of young girls go delirious.

The late seventies is an example of good music being overlooked, notably jazz [and rock], with the sudden surge and popularity of disco. Now that same once disregarded music of the past, jazz, is some of the most popular music today. In some cases, those old recording are selling better now than they did then.

While Bieber is in the studio making a new CD, Spalding on the other hand is studying, composing and recording music. Unlike Norah Jones' Best New Artist win from a few years ago, this year's best new artist was unknown to the masses, but come to think of it, it sends a good message that the Grammy voters didn't care about popularity, they cared about music - at last. Right now music's most artful form is jazz. Something that Connick knows very well.

Connick's Broadway performances will air tomorrow night on PBS.