CBS is preparing another special stuffed with social-distance music.
This one is led by Harry Connick Jr. and his daughter, Georgia (shown here), a filmmaker. “United We Sing: A Grammy Salute to the Unsung Heroes” (8-10 p.m. June 21), a road trip to New Orleans, will include the greats of jazz (Herbie Hancock, Wynton and Branford Marsalis, Jon Baptiste, Irma Thomas, Trombone Shorty) and pop.
Connick grew up in New Orleans, where Ellis Marsalis (the father of Wynton and Branford) was one of his music teachers. Marsalis died April 1 at 85, of pneumonia brought on by COVID-19.
In the special, the Connicks take an RV trip to meet and honor essential workers. Along the way, they also meet celebrities – Oprah Winfrey, Brad Pitt, Queen Latifah and more. And they hear music, incl.uding Andra Day, Dave Matthews, John Fogerty, Cyndi Lauper, Rockin Dopsie and country’s Tim McGraw and Little Big Town.
That concludes with Connick, Thomas and Trombone Shorty performing in iconic New Orleans locations.
CBS has been particularly into new specials during the COVID months. It’s had two country specials – one with Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood, another replacing the postponed Academy of Country Music Awards – plus “Greatest Stayathome Videos,” “Haircut Night in America” and two multi-network events. And on June 26, it will have a social-distance edition of the daytime Emmys.