Norah Jones

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Born on 03-30-1979 Nationality American		Buy Norah Jones Contact Information Posters and Photos Music Autographs		Search for Norah Jones Mailing Address Auctions		Norah Jones Fun Love Match
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Biography

Geetali Norah Jones Shankar was born on March 30th, 1979 in New York City. Her father is the celebrated classical sitar musician Ravi Shankar. She was raised in Grapevine, Texas by her mother who moved there when Norah was four years old. She began singing in the church choir when she was a child and took piano lessons most of her life. She and her mother moved from Grapevine to Dallas when she was fourteen. She attended the Interlochen Arts Camp and the Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Dallas, Texas. At age sixteen she legally changed her name to Norah Jones, dropping the Geetali and Shankar. After graduating high school, she went on to attend the University of North Texas majoring in Jazz Piano. She won Best Student Jazz Vocalist two years in a row while attending the University. She left school after two years to move back to New York and pursue her career.

She started her career playing in various bands. Her debut album, Come Away With Me, was released in February of 2002. The single Don't Know Why, written by Jesse Harris, hit number one within months of its release. The album went on to win an amazing five Grammy Awards in 2003 including Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year for Jessie Harris's Don't Know Why, and Best New Artist. Her sophomore album, Feels Like Home sold a million copies in the first week of its release in the United States and was the second best-selling album of 2004. She has continued to sing and collaborate with other musicians. Her film debut is My Blueberry Nights, a road movie that examines the trials of the meaning of true love. The film is directed by Wong Kar Wai and is his American film debut, and also stars Natalie Portman, Jude Law and Ed Harris.

Jones cites Billy Holiday, Etta James, Ray Charles and Joni Mitchell as inspirations and early influences to her musical style, which is a mix of jazz, blues and folk.

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