Connick has just released his newest CD, Come by Me (Columbia Records), which features a seamless blend of Big Band, American classics, New Orleans funk, straight ahead jazz and Connick's own signature love songs, and is now taking those songs on the road in a sold-out tour. His voice can be heard in the animated film Iron Giant, and he'll be seen in three more films due out this fall: My Dog Skip, Simian Line with William Hurt and Letters From a Wayward Son.

PEOPLE Online's Dina Tevas recently spoke with Connick about his new projects.

On your new album, Come by Me, you combine the talents of your big band with the lush sounds of an orchestra. What inspired this combination?

The standards that I chose to be on Come by Me are just the songs that I liked at that particular moment. For instance, I heard "Charade" on the radio one day and decided to write my own arrangement for the album. Also, people always ask me if I had ever recorded "Danny Boy," and since I hadn't, I thought this would be a great opportunity to do it. If I was doing the album today, it would probably be an entirely different compilation of songs based on my day-to-day life experiences. However, I would have kept the combination of big band and orchestra because it swings, and, it challenges me to work with over 70 musicians in one recording studio.

You are one of the few artists known for always recording your albums live. Why do you do it?

I record live because the interaction between musicians is vital in jazz music. It also keeps the whole recording process really spontaneous and hot.

What inspires you as a songwriter?

It's not like I need to look out the window at a sunset to be inspired to write songs. The music is just in my head and the creative approach of writing the material for the album is more of an instinctual process for me. The lyrics to a song come to me first and then I write the musical arrangements.

What made you choose to lend your voice to the animated feature Iron Giant? Did you identify with Dean, the good-natured beatnick who sees value in everything?

I chose Iron Giant because I had never done an animated feature film and I thought it would be a different experience. I'm always up to doing something new and challenging. And I had an idea immediately who Dean was. I grew up in the South surrounded by guys who see the world in a different way. Artists, jazz musicians, crazy guys in New Orleans. I had a blast working on this project, a real blast.

You've said that at the end of the day the most important thing for you is your family.

Being a good husband and father is my first priority in life. The music and the movies have always come second, to the point that I have no problem turning down projects that conflict with family priorities. The devotion to my family is something that was instilled in me and my sister at a very young age by our parents. It's my duty and responsibility to pass that on to my children.

You're on the road so much performing, how do you cope with being separated from Jill [Goodacre, his wife, the former Victoria's Secret model] and your children? Do they ever come on the road with you?

While I'm on tour I will fly home on my off days during the week so that I can see my family as often as possible. When I'm making a movie, Jill and the girls are with me on location, but not while I'm touring with my band. Touring is too hectic and my daughters are too young to travel on the tour bus.

We hear that you love to work out. How do you manage while you're on tour?

When I'm on tour I work out by playing basketball with my band, rollerblading and boxing. I actually broke my thumb in June playing a fierce basketball game--Band vs. Crew. So playing the piano for the remainder of the tour has been challenging, but I have managed with my splint..

You've had so much success in your life at everything you've tried. What's your secret?

Being loved by my family.