Murray was the first Canadian female solo singer to reach No.1 on the U.S. charts and also the first to earn a Gold record for one of her signature songs, "Snowbird" (1970).[4] She is often cited as one of the female Canadian artists who paved the way for other international Canadian success stories such as k.d. lang, Céline Dion, and Shania Twain.[5][6] Murray is well known for her Grammy Award-winning 1978 number-one hit (in several countries) "You Needed Me", and is the first woman and the first Canadian to win Album of the Year at the 1984 Country Music Association Awards for her Gold-plus 1983 album A Little Good News.
Morna Anne Murray was born in the coal-mining town of Springhill, Nova Scotia, to Dr. James Carson Murray, the town's physician, and Marion Margaret (née Burke) Murray, a nurse involved in community charity work. Anne has five brothers. Murray's father died of leukemia aged 72 in 1980; her mother died on April 10, 2006, aged 92 after a series of strokes during heart surgery. Murray's youngest brother Bruce died of pancreatic cancer aged 69 on September 15, 2020.[10]
After expressing an early interest in music, she studied piano for six years. By age 15, Murray took a bus ride every Saturday morning from Springhill to Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia, for singing lessons. One of her earliest performances was of the song "Ave Maria"[a] at her high school graduation in 1962.[10] Following high school, Murray attended Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax for one year. She later studied Physical Education at University of New Brunswick in Fredericton. After receiving her degree in 1966,[11] Murray taught physical education at Athena Regional high school in Summerside, Prince Edward Island, for one year.
Her brother Bruce Murray released several recordings of his own[12] with several songs on the RPM charts between 1976 and 1982.[13]
Career
Early years
In 1965, Murray appeared on the University of New Brunswick student project record "The Groove" (500 pressed). She sang two songs on the record – "Unchained Melody" and "Little Bit of Soap". On the label, her name was misspelled "Anne Murry".[14] While there, she was encouraged to audition for the 1960s CBC musical variety television show Singalong Jubilee, but was not offered a singing position.
After a summer of singing in local venues across the Maritimes, Murray began teaching physical education at the high school in Summerside, Prince Edward Island. After one year of teaching, she was cast for Singalong Jubilee. As a regular member of the "Singalong Jubilee" cast, Murray appeared on the Singalong Jubilee Vol. III soundtrack and Our Family Album – The Singalong Jubilee Cast records released by Arc Records. The show's musical director, Brian Ahern, advised Murray that she should move to Toronto and record a solo album. Her first album, What About Me, was produced by Ahern in Toronto and released in 1968 on the Arc label.
Chart success, 1970s–1980s
Murray in 1970
"What About Me," the lead single and title cut on Murray's debut album, was written by Scott McKenzie and was a sizable Canadian radio hit. The project covered songs by Joni Mitchell, Ken Tobias, and John Denver. After a year-long stint on Arc, Murray switched to Capitol Records in 1969 to record her second album, This Way Is My Way, which was released that fall. It featured the single that launched her career, "Snowbird", which became a No.1 hit in Canada. "Snowbird" became a surprise hit on the U.S. charts as well, reaching No.8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1970. It was also the first of her eight No.1 Adult Contemporary hits. "Snowbird" was the first Gold record ever given to a Canadian artist in the United States (RIAA certified Gold on November 16, 1970).[4][15] As one of the most successful female artists at that time, she became in demand for several television appearances in Canada and the United States, eventually becoming a regular on the hit U.S. television series The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour.
Murray was a celebrity corporate spokeswoman for The Bay, and she also did commercials and sang the company jingle ("You Can Count on the Commerce") for the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC).[18]
Murray's last Hot 100 hit was "Now and Forever (You and Me)" from 1986; it was also her last No.1 on both the American and Canadian country charts.
1990s–2000s
Murray's last charting single in the U.S. was 1991's "Everyday", which appeared on Billboard's Country Singles chart. In 1996, Murray signed on with a new manager, Bruce Allen. She recorded her first live album in 1997, and in 1999, she released What a Wonderful World, a platinum inspirational album,[4] which went to No.1 Contemporary Christian, No.4 Country and No.38 pop. Murray's last charting single in Canada was the title track "What a Wonderful World" in 2000.
Murray was briefly mentioned in the Oscar-nominated satirical song "Blame Canada," which appeared in the 1999 film South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut. Although the tune contained the line "With all their hockey hullabaloo/And that bitch Anne Murray, too", the singer indicated that she was not offended by the song (although she did turn down a chance to sing it at the Oscars telecast that year, pleading a prior commitment).
She released Country Croonin' in 2002, the follow-up to her successful 1993 album, Croonin'. In 2004, she released I'll Be Seeing You in Canada only, which features a collection of songs from the early 20th century to the mid-1940s. The 2005 American version, titled All of Me, features a bonus disc containing many of her hit singles. The album is dedicated to her friend Cynthia McReynolds who died of cancer.[10]
On December 26, 2004, Murray joined other Canadian music stars in the Canada for Asia Telethon, a three-hour, tsunami relief concert broadcast on CBC Television (January 13, 2005) to support CARE Canada's efforts. Bryan Adams and Murray closed the show with a duet, "What Would It Take".[19]
On October 10, 2007, Murray announced that she would embark on her final major tour. She toured in February and March 2008 in the U.S. on the "Coast-to-Coast – One Last Time" tour followed by a run in April and May in Canada.[20][21] Murray's final public concert was held at the Sony Centre in Toronto on May 23, 2008.[22][23]
Anne Murray Duets: Friends and Legends was recorded in four cities – Toronto, Nashville, New York, and Los Angeles. According to Billboard magazine, the album reached No.2 on the Canadian pop album charts and was certified Double Platinum in Canada after merely two months, representing sales of over 200,000 units. The album was the second-highest debuting CD on the Billboard Top 200 albums chart for the week ending February 2, 2008. It entered the chart at No.42, making it her highest-charting U.S. CD release since 1999's What a Wonderful World, which peaked at No.38 on the Top 200 and was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[4] Also for the week ending February 2, 2008, the CD debuted at No.8 on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart and at No.3 on its Top Internet Albums chart.[24] Murray was nominated for the 2008 Juno Award for Album of the Year and Pop Album of the Year.[25][26]
Murray (third from left) was one of 8 notable Canadians to carry the Olympic Flag at the 2010 Olympic Opening Ceremony
Murray's album What a Wonderful World was re-released in July 2008 in North America as a 14-song package. A new Christmas album, titled Anne Murray's Christmas Album with bonus DVD was released in October 2008. Sony BMG Music also released an Elvis Presley Christmas album, titled Christmas Duets on October 14, 2008, featuring a virtual duet of "Silver Bells" with Murray.[10][pageneeded][27]
Murray retired from both recording and performing after the issue of her final Christmas album in 2008, later explaining, "I did it for 40 years and that's long enough to do anything...I wanted to go out still singing well, and not having to make excuses."[28] Despite continuing offers to take part in live concert appearances, duets and other recording activities, Murray has remained firmly retired since then, and insists she hasn't second-guessed the decision for a moment: "I was one of those who couldn't. I have too much trouble settling for less."[29]
Television
Murray has had five highly rated U.S. specials on CBS (over 40 million viewers each) and several Canadian specials on CBC including Anne Murray in Nova Scotia, Intimate Evening with Anne Murray, Anne Murray RSVP, A Special Anne Murray Christmas, Legends & Friends, Greatest Hits II, What a Wonderful World, Ladies Night Show, Anne Murray in Walt Disney World and Anne Murray's Classic Christmas. Her 2008 television special, Family Christmas, garnered a 43 per cent share on CBC with 4.2 million viewers.[30]
In 2009, Murray released her autobiography, All of Me, and embarked on a 15-city book signing tour, starting in Nashville on October 27, 2009, and ending in Ottawa on November 24, 2009. The tour also included a special In Conversation interview with Michael Posner at the International Festival of Authors in Toronto on October 30, 2009.[33]
Her nephew Paul Murray was lead singer of the 1990s Canadian alternative rock group Sandbox.[35]
Marriage and children
In 1975, Murray married Bill Langstroth, music producer and longtime host of Singalong Jubilee.[36] They had two children – William (born 1976) and Dawn (born 1979). Dawn is a singer-songwriter and artist who has recorded with her mother a number of times, including the duet "Let There Be Love" in 1999 for Murray's What a Wonderful World album. Murray and Dawn were featured in a mother–daughter duet of "Nobody Loves Me Like You Do" on Murray's hit 2008 U.S. CD (released in late 2007 in Canada), Anne Murray Duets: Friends & Legends. Murray and Langstroth separated in 1997 and divorced the following year.[37][38] Langstroth died in May 2013.[39]
In January 1998, Murray and Dawn performed at a benefit concert for Sheena's Place, an eating disorder treatment centre in Toronto. Both have spoken publicly about Dawn's struggle with anorexia nervosa, which developed when she was 10 years old. Dawn has since sought treatment and continues to pursue a career in music.[37]
Murray lived in Thornhill, Ontario, for over 40 years, from the late 1970s through 2019.[40] In 2019, she returned to live in her home province of Nova Scotia, settling in Halifax.[29]
Murray kept close ties with her hometown, Springhill, Nova Scotia, located about an hour east of Moncton, New Brunswick, and 2 hours north of Halifax, Nova Scotia. The Anne Murray Centre, located in Springhill, opened on July 28, 1989, and houses a collection of memorabilia from both her personal life and professional career in a series of displays. A registered Canadian charity, the centre aims to foster tourism in the area and promote awareness of the music of Nova Scotia and Canada. All the revenue generated from its operation is used to provide employment for local people and for its ongoing maintenance.[41]
Murray was involved in the construction of the Dr. Carson and Marion Murray Community Centre in Springhill, Nova Scotia. She served as the honorary chair of the fundraising campaign to replace the town arena that collapsed after a peewee hockey game in 2002. Named for her parents, the Dr. Carson and Marion Murray Community Centre sports an NHL-size ice sheet with seating for 800 people, a walking track, multi-purpose room, community room with seating for up to 300, and a gym. The Dr. Carson and Marion Murray Community Centre has become an integral part of the Springhill community since opening on September 15, 2004.[42]
Murray was involved in a variety of charitable organizations. In addition to being the Honorary National Chairperson of the Canadian Save The Children Fund,[43] she served as a spokeswoman for many charities throughout her career – most recently Colon Cancer Canada. On May 20, 2009, Colon Cancer Canada launched the inaugural Anne Murray Charity Golf Classic. Over C$150,000 was raised through the event.[44]
Murray was a public supporter of Canadian environmentalist and geneticist David Suzuki's Nature Challenge.[46]
Hobbies
A longtime golf enthusiast, Murray made history in October 2003 at the Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona, New York, by becoming the first woman to score a hole in one on the 108-yard, par 3, 17th hole at the Kaluhyat Golf Club.[47] On May 11, 2007, Golf For Women magazine named Murray the world's best female celebrity golfer, noting her 11 handicap.[48]
In 2006, the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame chose her and Leonard Cohen as recipients of the Legacy Award for their contributions to and support of the Canadian songwriting industry. Murray was recognized for her support of Canada's songwriters, through her performances and her recordings.[53]
On June 29, 2007, Canada Post issued the limited edition Anne Murray stamp. She was recognized along with three other Canadian recording artists: Paul Anka, Gordon Lightfoot, and Joni Mitchell.[54]
1970 – Best New Artist; Best Contemporary Vocal Performance, Female, "Snowbird"
1973 – Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female, "Danny's Song"
1974 – Best Country Vocal Performance, Female, Love Song (WON)
1978 – Record of the Year, "You Needed Me"; Best Country Vocal Performance, Female, "Walk Right Back"; Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female, "You Needed Me" (WON)
1979 – Best Recording for Children, Anne Murray Sings for the Sesame Street Generation
1980 – Best Country Vocal Performance, Female, "Could I Have This Dance" (WON)
1983 – Best Country Vocal Performance, Female, "A Little Good News" (WON)
1984 – Best Country Vocal Performance, Female, Heart Over Mind; Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, "Nobody Loves Me Like You Do"
Billboard Top 100 Year-End Rankings:
1970 - "Snowbird" - #42
1973 - "Danny's Song" - #36
1974 - "You Won't See Me" - #54; "A Love Song" - #80
↑ The part of the source available online does not say which version of "Ave Maria" this was, but the best-known ones are those by Bach/Gounod and by Schubert.
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