CBS, GRAMMYs honoring essential workers

Harry Connick Jr hosts the event airing June 21st

CBS and the Recording Academy have announced a new two-hour special event United We Sing: A GRAMMY Salute to the Unsung Heroes hosted by GRAMMY and Emmy Award-winning singer and actor Harry Connick, Jr., celebrating essential workers across America. The special will be broadcast Sunday, June 21st from 8-10 pm ET/PT on the CBS Television Network.

The show features GRAMMY and Emmy Award-winning singer and actor Harry Connick, Jr. and his filmmaker daughter, Georgia Connick, as they take a road trip in an RV to thank and celebrate essential workers who risk their own lives on a daily basis to keep us safe. Connick highlights the contributions of these everyday heroes with the help of his celebrity friends, including Sandra Bullock, Drew Brees, Queen Latifah, Brad Pitt, Oprah Winfrey and Renée Zellweger, who deliver surprise messages to America’s unsung heroes. Additionally, the special will feature performances by Jon Batiste, Harry Connick, Jr., Andra Day, John Fogerty, Jamie Foxx, Herbie Hancock, Cyndi Lauper, Little Big Town, Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Dave Matthews, Tim McGraw, Rockin Dopsie, Irma Thomas and Trombone Shorty.

The Connicks’ journey begins at their home in Connecticut, and after stopping in various cities along the way, they reach their final destination of New Orleans, LA At each stop, the father-daughter duo listens to the stories of essential workers in healthcare, food preparation, sanitation, law enforcement, trucking and more to honor their dedication and public service during this unique moment in history.

The two-hour special event culminates in Connick’s hometown of New Orleans, with moving musical performances by Connick, Trombone Shorty and Irma Thomas at iconic locations throughout the city.

The special will invite donors to contribute to charities that support underserved children, such as No Kid Hungry and the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music in New Orleans, as well as to the MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund, a charitable organization of the Recording Academy.

United We Sing: A GRAMMY Salute to the Unsung Heroes was filmed with a minimal crew practicing social distancing and with extensive safety precautions in place.

The special is produced by Renato Basile and Ann Marie Wilkins. Executive producers are Harry Connick, Jr. and Ken Ehrlich. Leon Knoles is the director. The show is produced by AEG Ehrlich Ventures in partnership with the Recording Academy.

Buddy Iahn
Buddy Iahn

Buddy Iahn founded The Music Universe when he decided to juxtapose his love of web design and music. As a lifelong drummer, he decided to take a hiatus from playing music to report it. The website began as a fun project in 2013 to one of the top independent news sites. Email: info@themusicuniverse.com