Harry Kalas’ son Kane releases ‘High Hopes,’ a debut album inspired by dad

Kane Kalas joined the family business at age 15, singing the national anthem before a Phillies game as his father, legendary play-by-play announcer Harry Kalas, looked on proudly.

“I’d never seen him that nervous before,” Kalas, now 34, recalled with a chuckle. “I was given a tape of it afterwards and they televised my dad in the booth. As he was watching, there were tears rolling down his eyes. It was so touching.”

Harry the K, of course, was the beloved voice of the Phils for nearly four decades, before he died in 2009. His oldest son, Todd, calls games for the Houston Astros, and now Kane is flexing his pipes in a different arena; in April he released his debut album as a vocalist, High Hopes.

Any Citizens Bank Park habitué will know that the title is a nod to Kalas’ late father. Harry would croon the Frank Sinatra classic, penned by Jimmy Van Heusen and Sammy Cahn, whenever the Phillies made it to the playoffs. The entire album is dedicated to and inspired by Harry the K, with each song carrying a personal meaning.

The album includes songs associated with Frank Sinatra, Harry’s favorite singer, and from Guys and Dolls, his favorite musical. There’s “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” with new lyrics honoring Harry; the Eagles’ fight song with a cameo by Merrill Reese; and a poignant rendition of “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” which was played at Harry Kalas’ memorial service.

“I grew up listening to this stuff,” Kalas explained. “My dad loved Ol’ Blue Eyes and he also loved musical theater, so he used to sing all these songs in the household.”

“The quality of his voice itself was just unbelievable,” Kalas says of his father. “He could reel you in with the cadence with which he spoke and his use of the English language. Growing up with him, I learned how to apply that to music.”

Attending the Benchmark School in Media, Kalas discovered his passion for singing when he was cast in a school production of Camelot. He began classical training, as evidenced by his deep, rich baritone, and operatic style. High Hopes marks his first foray into jazz standards. He’s joined by an ensemble of gifted local musicians headed by DIVA Jazz Orchestra founder and drummer Sherrie Maricle.

For the next two months, however, Kalas will put his singing career on hold as he competes in the World Series of Poker. He took up poker to help pay his way through college and ended up becoming a professional poker player and announcer. He funded the album in part through his winnings, which include the biggest pot in televised history, bringing in over $2 million at a 2018 game in Montenegro. That same year he moved to Puerto Rico for “the weather and the tax incentives.”

He returns to Philly to sing the anthem every year for the Phillies’ home opener and for playoff games. Last year he performed “God Bless America” during the World Series.

“Whenever I sing the anthem they put me next to my father’s statue in the outfield,” Kalas said. “That’s not where most anthem singers stand, but I think it’s perfect to be right there next to my dad, looking up to him as I always have.”