, CC , ONS , LL.D (born Morna Anne Murray June 20 , 1945 ), is a Canadian singer born in Springhill, Nova Scotia , known for her rich alto voice and her taste in choosing songs that appeal to pop, country and adult contemporary listeners alike. For many, her fame as the representative Canadian singer is rivaled only by Gordon Lightfoot . Unlike many internationally-renowned Canadian singers, she has always resided in Canada and now lives in Toronto, but spends most summers in Nova Scotia.
Murray was the first Canadian singer to reach #1 on the US charts. She is often cited as the Canadian woman who paved the way for other international success stories such as Céline Dion , Sarah McLachlan and Shania Twain . So far, her albums have sold over 54 million copies worldwide. She is the most successful crossover female artist in music history, as well as one of the most successful Christmas artists of all time with her Christmas albums selling in the millions. (In fact her album "Christmas Wishes" is one of the Top 5 selling female holiday albums in history and her "Greatest Hits" album has sold over 7 million copies worldwide). Her single "A Little Good News" has sold over 12 million copies.
She has also been a staple on TV with 4 highly-rated US specials on CBS (over 40 million viewers each), countless Canadian specials on CBC and has appeared on Solid Gold, Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, Saturday Night Live, Johnny Carson, Dean Martin Summer Show, Singalong Jubilee, Dinah!, The Mike Douglas Show, Oprah, 20/20, CNN, Smothers Brothers, The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, Regis and Kathy Lee, The Pat Sajak Show etc...The 2005 CBC special " Anne Murray-The Music of my Life" broke ratings records for a Thursday night, with over 1 million viewers tuned in. She has also had several high-profile commercials for her albums in the US and Canada. She is the first female artist to receive a CMA award for "Album of the year", and she has both hosted the Junos in Canada as well as the CMA's in the USA.
Her music has wide appeal and she is popular with very young kids (her commercials were in heavy rotation on cartoon networks and she has a children's album), country and pop fans, the older generation, ballroom dancers and newlyweds (especially due to "Could I Have this Dance"), lovers of Christian music ("What a Wonderful World", 'Robbie's Song for Jesus") and easy listening music, and on the other side of the spectrum, even had dance singles (i.e. "Who's Leaving Who") which appealed to a strong gay following. The song was later covered by dance queen Hazell Dean . Anne's music has been pigeonholed ( wrongly a lot might say) in the Country category even though she has touched many music styles. She is known as "The Lady", and is sometimes referred to as the "Singing Sweetheart of Canada". Her fame has been a boon to her home province of Nova Scotia, where the "Anne Murray Centre" is located.
Murray first came to the public eye in Canada as a cast member on the 1960's CBC music/comedy television show ''Singalong Jubilee.'' (She would later marry the show's host, Bill Langstroth.) She had a Canadian hit with the song "What About Me," the title track for her first album release. Her later live recording of the song, with a faster arrangement, would become the version heard in America.
Her first hit, "Snowbird" ( 1970 ), reached the top ten on the US Pop charts, but was a surprise Country hit, as well, and a number of her subsequent singles have charted both pop and country simultaneously. During 1970s and early 1980s , her hits included "Danny's Song" ( 1972 ), "A Love Song" ( 1973 ), a remake of The Beatles ' " You Won't See Me " ( 1974 ), "The Call" ( 1976 ), "You Needed Me" ( 1978 ), "I Just Fall In Love Again," "Shadows in the Moonlight" and "Broken-Hearted Me" (all 1979 ), a remake of The Monkees ' "Daydream Believer" ( 1979 ), "Could I have this Dance" (from the movie Urban Cowboy , 1980 ), "Blessed Are the Believers" ( 1981 ), "A Little Good News" ( 1983 ), and "Time Don't Run Out on Me" ( 1985 ).. Her hits started to taper off into the mid '80s, and her last top 100 charting pop hit was "Now and Forever (You and Me)" from 1986 (it hit the country charts at #1-she has 11 #1 country songs in all). Murray was a fixture for a while in Vegas, famous for signing million-dollar deals and even had a casino chip featuring her likeness. Earlier in her career, she had a famous gig at the Troubador, where the now famous picture of her, John Lennon , Mickey Dolenz , Harry Nilson and Alice Cooper was taken.
Though her singles continued to make the country charts for a few more years, by the early '90s, in the wake of country's Neotraditionalist movement, her smooth, polished sound fell out of favour with country radio, as well. She still remains a top concert draw, and performs regularly in the US, Canada, and occasionally in Australia. Though they yielded no chart singles, recent albums, including a 1993 album of standards, "Croonin'", a 1999 collection of quasi-inspirational songs, "What a Wonderful World", and a 2002 album of country standards, "Country Croonin'", have all made the country, pop, and/or adult contemporary charts. Her 1999 album "What a Wonderful World", for example, sold over 1 million copies in the US alone. It peaked in the US ''Billboard'' charts at #4 Country, #38 Pop and #1 Contemporary Christian. Her 2001 album "Country Croonin'" sold over 500,000 copies in the US alone and was a top-ten US country album. Her music has been featured on "The Sopranos", the movie "Urban Cowboy", the Burt Reynolds film "Stick", the "Convoy" movie, on "That 70's Show" and on "Ellen" amongst others. Her span on the US Billboard charts started in 1970 and her latest entry was in 2005.
Murray has always staunchly kept her personal life as private as possible. Thus, she has been called "Garbo-esque" in certain media circles. She wed Bill Langstroth in the 70's, with Ruth Buzzi participating in the ceremony, and that union produced two children, confronted her about it on her now-defunct talk show in the US. Most recently, she has been touted as a possible candidate for future Governor General Of Canada , a post that is symbolic. Her mom, Marion, with whom Anne was very close, died April 10, 2006.
She was the first Canadian female to have a #1 pop single in the United States, with "You Needed Me" in 1978. She was also the first Canadian female to earn a U.S. gold record, for "Snowbird." Murray's ''Snowbird'' may have inspired use of the term " Snowbird " to describe Canadians and Americans who spend their winters in warmer climates.
Typically, though, largely due to the amount of softer, country-tinged ballads in her repertoire, Murray has had more success on the Adult Contemporary and Country charts in America than on the pop charts. For example, '' Billboard '' magazine ranked "I Just Fall In Love Again" as the #1 Country hit of 1979, and it was also one of her eight #1 Adult Contemporary hits (the first was "Snowbird" and the last was "Daydream Believer"), but on the Hot 100 it stalled at #12.
Despite Murray's more successful track record in the Country and Adult Contemporary fields as compared to the pop charts, her only #1 pop hit, "You Needed Me," failed to reach pole position on either the Country (#4) or AC (#3) charts. "You Needed Me" also brought Murray one of her rare appearances on the U.K. pop chart, where it peaked at #22.
Her 1996 album "Anne Murray" was a top 10 album in Canada and spawned the A/C hit "What Would it Take".
In 1998, Anne sang "When I Fall in Love" with Celine Dion on her DVD called "An Intimate Evening With Anne Murray...Live".
Her single, "Another Sleepless Night" was used in a sketch by surrealist UK Comedians Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer in their "Bang Bang, It's Reeves & Mortimer" series - in which Vic and Bob dressed up as a couple of German Lederhosen boys with long blonde hair, moustaches and cowboy boots with exponentially expanding breasts - culminating in Vic Reeves highlighting the fact that he had heard tales of a Turkey nearby - which must be overpowered and taken as a gift for the Fuhrer before the Norwegian explorer Amundsen gets there first.
In the movie '''', the Academy Award -nominated song '' Blame Canada '' included a line referring to Murray as a "bitch". Reportedly, the producers of that year's Oscar telecast considered omitting the line when it was to be performed along with the other Best Song nominees, however Murray indicated she got the joke and was not offended.
- Jerry Seinfeld and Bruce Springsteen were both opening acts for Anne Murray
- John Lennon said that her version of "You Won't See Me" was the best Beatles cover ever.
- Elvis considered Anne as his favourite female singer
- Anne's music is "out of this world": Roberta Bondar, the first Canadian female astronaut, played her songs in space
- She has a flower named after her: "The Anne Murray iris"
- Her album "There's a Hippo in my Tub" has inspired a cartoon series
- Her 1980 hit, "Could I Have this Dance", remains one of the top wedding song requests to this day
- She once had the same manager as Alice Cooper
- Her hometown of Springhill, NS is home to the "Anne Murray Centre" which is a non-profit museum housing her memorabilia. The town was economically depressed and was the site of a great mining disaster when Anne was young.
- As an undergraduate at the University Of New Brunswick , she recorded a song that was issued by Radio UNB in 1965 as part of an audio yearbook.
- George Bush Sr. often quoted from Anne's hit "A Little Good News" and said she was his favourite singer. In addition to George Bush Sr., she has also performed for Queen Elizabeth II, Ronald Reagan and Pierre Elliott Trudeau
- She has duets with Kenny Rogers , Aaron Neville , Dave Loggins , Vince Gill , Glen Campbell , Bryan Adams as well as with her brother Bruce and her daughter Dawn
- Her hit "Snowbird" is one of the most played songs in the history of music with over 4 million spins.
- "You Needed Me" was #1 in Malaysia for 10 weeks.
- In 2000 she published a book "What a Wonderful World' which was a best seller in Canada.
- In 1978, she won the Grammy for best pop vocal, female, beating out Carly Simon , Barbra Streisand , Olivia Newton-John and Donna Summer . She also has 3 Country Grammies.
- The name "Anne Murray" is a registered trade mark.
- There is a lesser-known Ann Murray out there - an Irish opera singer
- Anne Murray founded and co-owned BALMUR LTD, a music publishing and management company
- Burt Reynolds called Anne on the phone and had her sing "You Needed Me" to his fiancée.
- Elton John once said: "I know two things about Canada : hockey and Anne Murray".
- Her fans are known as "Anne fans" or "Snowbirds".
- All her albums have been re-released on CD by EMI music Canada under "The Signature Series"
- The week ending 4/28/84, according to ''Billboard'', Anne Murray was the top grossing performer for the week, having grossed $466,844.00 US , ahead of Kenny Rogers, Duran Duran , Culture Club , The Grateful Dead and The Scorpions .
- Like many stars, she has been the victim of a persistent stalker, a farmer from Saskatchewan who has served jail time for his obsession and harassment. The song "Straw Hat and Old Dirty Hank" by the Barenaked Ladies is about this incident. {Link without Title}
- Anne has recorded one French song ("Si Jamais je te Revois"), one bilingual (The French Waltz), and a Spanish version of "Broken Hearted Me"
- The 1976 Episode of Saturday Night Live in which she appeared with Elliott Gould won an Emmy
- Her 4 CBS TV specials each reached an estimated 40 million US viewers, and her "Sounds of London" special introduced North American audiences to the girl group Bananarama .
- Her first album ''What about Me'' has been re-released several times and has been bootlegged countless times in the US, Australia and the UK under different titles.
- Songs she turned down include "Lucille" (a big hit for Kenny Rogers), "True Colors" (later a smash hit for Cyndi Lauper), "Something to talk About" (a breakthrough hit for Bonnie Raitt) and "I Honestly love You", a hit for her Australian country-pop diva equivalent, Olivia Newton-John.
- Julio Iglesias said of Anne "Singers there are many. But Anne Murray has got class".
- Barry Manilow once wrote a song and sent it to Anne, saying "There aren't many of us left" (referring to singers capable of tackling the "big" ballads.
- Anne has recorded over 80 songs (about 8 albums worth of songs) written by Canadians.
- with "Northern Lights" on the USA for Africa album
- 1986 at Labbatt Theatre at Expo 86 in Vancouver
- 2005 Canadian Tsunami Relief Concert in Toronto, singing with Bryan Adams
- Brian Ahern (now married to Emmylou Harris )
- Tom Catalano
- Jim Ed Norman
- Khyle Lenning
- Tommy West (former Jim Croce producer)
- Jack White
- Mark Spiro
- David Foster
- Ed Cherney
- Jerry Crutchfield
- Arc Records
- Capitol Records
- EMI
- Capitol Nashville
- Liberty Records
- SBK
- Straightway Records
- Chordant Records/ Sparrow
- CEMA special markets
(based on sales)
- ''Snowbird'' Country Albums 5 Pop Albums 41 (GOLD)
- ''Anne Murray'' Country Albums 11 Pop Albums 121
- ''Talk It Over In The Morning'' Country Albums 26 Pop Albums 179
- ''Anne Murray/Glen Campbell'' Country Albums 4 Pop Albums 128
- ''Annie'' Country Albums 14 Pop Albums 143
- ''Danny's Song'' Country Albums 4 Pop Albums 39
- ''Country'' Country Albums 6 Pop Albums 32 (GOLD)
- ''Love Song'' Pop Albums 24
- ''Highly Prized Possession'' Country Albums 8 Pop Albums 70
- ''Keeping In Touch'' Country Albums 26 Pop Albums 96
- ''Together'' Country Albums 15 Pop Albums 142
- ''Let's Keep It That Way Country'' Albums 2 Pop Albums 12 (PLATINUM)
- ''I'll Always Love You'' Country Albums 4 (GOLD)
- ''New Kind Of Feeling Country'' Albums 2 Pop Albums 23 (PLATINUM)
- ''Anne Murray's Greatest Hits'' Country Albums 2 Pop Albums 16 (4X PLATINUM)
- ''I'll Always Love You'' Pop Albums 24 (GOLD)
- ''Somebody's Waiting'' Country Albums 15 Pop Albums 88
- ''A Country Collection'' Country Albums 7 Pop Albums 73
- ''Where Do You Go When You Dr''eam Country Albums 4 Pop Albums 55 (GOLD)
- ''Christmas Wishes'' Country Albums 34 Pop Albums 54 (GOLD)
- ''The Hottest Night Of The Year'' Pop Albums 90
- ''Greatest Hits'' The Billboard 200 177 (4X PLATINUM)
- ''Little Good News'' The Billboard 200 72 Country Albums 9 (GOLD)
- ''Christmas Wishes'' Top Country Albums 34 (2x PLATINUM)
- ''Heart Over Mind'' The Billboard 200 92 Country Albums 4 (GOLD)
- ''Something to Talk About'' The Billboard 200 68 Country Albums 2 (GOLD)
- ''Harmony'' The Billboard 200 149 Top Country Albums 9
- ''As I Am'' Top Country Albums 29
- ''Greatest Hits, Vol.'' 2 Top Country Albums 32
- ''You Will'' Top Country Albums 47
- ''15 of the Best'' Top Country Albums 62
- ''Croonin'' Top Country Albums 54
- ''An Intimate Evening with Anne Murray'' Top Country Albums 45
- ''What a Wonderful World: 26 Inspirational Classics'' The Billboard pop 200 38 '''Christian albums 1''' Country Albums 4 (PLATINUM)
- ''What a Wonderful Christmas'' The Billboard 200 83 Top Contemporary Christian 4 Top Country Albums 6
- ''Country Croonin'' The Billboard 200 109 Top Country Albums 13 (GOLD)
- ''All of Me'' The Billboard 200 66 Top Country Albums 13
NOTE: ''The Very Best of Anne Murray'' (1997) went gold.
- ''Snowbird'' '''Adult Contemporary 1''' Country Singles 10 Pop Singles 8 (GOLD) b/w "Just Bidin' My Time"
- ''Sing High - Sing Low'' Pop Singles 83 Adult Contemporary 21 b/w "Days Of The Looking Glass"
- ''''I Say A Little Prayer/By The Time I Get To Phoenix'' Country Singles 40 Pop Singles 81 Adult Contemporary 13 DUET WITH GLEN CAMPBELL b/w "All Through The Night"
- ''Put Your Hand In The Hand'' Country Singles 67 (better known version by the Canadian group ''Ocean'')
- ''Talk It over in the Morning'' Adult Contemporary 7 Pop Singles 57
- ''Things'' Country Singles 22
- ''A Stranger in My Place'' Country Singles 27
- ''Cotton Jenny'' Country Singles 11 Pop Singles 71 Adult Contemporary 32 ''written by Gordon Lightfoot'' b/w "Destiny"
- ''Danny's Song'' '''Adult Contemporary 1''' Country Singles 10 Pop Singles 7 ''originally recorded by Loggins & Messina'' b/w "Drown Me"
- ''Send A Little Love My Way'' Country Singles 79 Pop Singles 72 Adult Contemporary 10 ''written by Henry Mancini; from the movie '''Oklahoma Crude''''' b/w "Head Above The Water"
- ''What About Me'' Adult Contemporary 2 Country Singles 20 Pop Singles 64 b/w "Let Sunshine Have Its Day"
- ''He Thinks I Still Care'' '''Country Singles 1''' ''flip side of "You Won't See Me"; remake of George Jones' "She Thinks I Still Care"''
- ''Just One Look'' Pop Singles 86 Adult Contemporary 50 ''remake of 1963 hit by Doris Troy''
- ''Love Song'' '''Adult Contemporary 1''' Country Singles 5 Pop Singles 12 ''written by Kenny Loggins'' b/w "You Can't Go Back"
- ''Son Of A Rotten Gambler'' Country Singles 5 ''flip side of "Just One Look"''
- ''You Won't See Me'' '''Adult Contemporary 1''' Pop Singles 8 ''remake of cut from the Beatles' 1966 album '''Rubber Soul'''''
- ''Day Tripper'' Pop Singles 59 Adult Contemporary 40 ''remake of 1966 hit by the Beatles'' b/w "Lullaby"
- ''Sunday Sunrise'' Country Singles 49 Pop Singles 98 Adult Contemporary 13 b/w "Out On The Road Again"
- ''A Stranger in My Place'' Country Singles 79
- ''Golden Oldie'' Country Singles 41 Adult Contemporary 44 b/w "Together"
- ''Things'' Pop Singles 89 Adult Contemporary 12 ''remake of 1962 hit by Bobby Darin'' b/w "Caress Me Pretty Music"
- ''The Call'' Country Singles 19 Pop Singles 91 Adult Contemporary 6 b/w "Lady Bug"
- ''Sunday School To Broadway'' Country Singles 57 Adult Contemporary 42 b/w "Dancin' All Night Long"
- ''Walk Right Back'' Country Singles 4 Adult Contemporary 15 Pop Singles 103 ''remake of 1961 hit by the Everly Brothers'' b/w "A Million More"
- ''You Needed Me'' Adult Contemporary 3 Country Singles 4 '''Pop Singles 1''' (GOLD) b/w "I Still Wish The Very Best For You"
- ''Broken Hearted Me'' '''Adult Contemporary 1''' '''Country Singles 1''' Pop Singles 12 b/w "Why Don't You Stick Around"
- ''I Just Fall in Love Again'' '''Adult Contemporary 1 Country Singles 1''' Pop Singles 12 b/w "Just To Feel This Love From You"
- ''Shadows in the Moonlight'' '''Adult Contemporary 1 Country Singles 1''' Pop Singles 25 b/w "Yucatan Cafe"
- ''Could I Have This Dance'' Adult Contemporary 3 Pop Singles 33 b/w "Somebody's Waiting" ''from the movie '''Urban Cowboy'''''
- '' Daydream Believer '' '''Adult Contemporary 1''' Country Singles 3 Pop Singles 12 ''remake of 1967 hit by the Monkees'' b/w "Do You Think Of Me?"
- ''I'm Happy Just To Dance With You'' Country Singles 23 Pop Singles 64 Adult Contemporary 13 ''remake of 1964 hit by the Beatles'' b/w "What's Forever For"
- ''Lucky Me'' Pop Singles 42 Country Singles 9 Adult Contemporary 8 b/w "Somebody's Waiting"
- ''Blessed Are The Believers'' '''Country Singles 1''' Pop Singles 34 Adult Contemporary 10 b/w "Only Love"
- ''It's All I Can Do'' Country Singles 9 Pop Singles 53 Adult Contemporary 14 b/w "If A Heart Must Be Broken"
- ''We Don't Have To Hold Out'' Country Singles 16 Adult Contemporary 33 b/w "Call Me With The News"
- ''Another Sleepless Night'' Adult Contemporary 11 Country Singles 4 Pop Singles 44 b/w "It Should Have Been Easy"
- ''Hey! Baby!'' Adult Contemporary 26 Country Singles 7 ''remake of 1962 hit by Bruce Channel'' b/w "Song For The Mira"
- ''Somebody's Always Saying Goodbye'' Adult Contemporary 36 Country Singles 7 b/w "That'll Keep Me Dreamin'"
- ''A Little Good News'' Adult Contemporary 11 '''Country Singles 1 Hot Country Singles & Tracks 1''' Pop Singles 74 The Billboard Hot 100 88 b/w "I'm Not Afraid Anymore"
- ''Just Another Woman in Love'' Adult Contemporary 7 Hot '''Country Singles & Tracks 1''' b/w "Heart Stealer"
- ''Nobody Loves Me Like You Do'' Adult Contemporary 10 '''Country Singles & Tracks 1''' Pop Singles 103 DUET WITH DAVE LOGGINS b/w "Love You Out Of Your Mind"
- ''That's Not the Way (It's S'posed to Be)'' Adult Contemporary 12 Hot Country Singles & Tracks 46 Pop Singles 106 b/w "The More We Try"
- ''I Don't Think I'm Ready for You'' Adult Contemporary 30 Hot Country Singles & Tracks 7 b/w "Take Good Care Of My Heart" ''from the movie '''Stick'''''
- ''Time Don't Run Out on Me'' Adult Contemporary 11 Hot Country Singles & Tracks 2 b/w "Let Your Heart Do The Talking"
- ''My Life's a Dance'' Hot Country Singles & Tracks 26
- ''Now and Forever'' ''(You and Me)'' Adult Contemporary 7 '''Hot Country Singles & Tracks 1''' Pop Singles 92 b/w "I Don't Wanna Spend Another Night Without You"
- ''On and on'' Hot Country Singles & Tracks 23
- ''Who's Leaving Who'' Adult Contemporary 26 Hot Country Singles & Tracks 62 b/w "Reach For Me"
- ''Anyone Can Do the Heartbreak'' Hot Country Singles & Tracks 27
- ''Are You Still in Love With Me'' Hot Country Singles & Tracks 20 Adult Contemporary 33 (her last entry on the AC chart) b/w "Give Me Your Love"
- ''Flying on Your Own'' Hot Country Singles & Tracks 52
- ''Perfect Strangers'' Hot Country Singles & Tracks 52
- ''Slow Passin' Time'' Hot Country Singles & Tracks 36
- If I Ever Fall in Love Again Hot Country Singles & Tracks 28
- ''Who But You'' Hot Country Singles & Tracks 55
- ''Bluebird'' Hot Country Singles & Tracks 39
- ''Feed This Fire'' Hot Country Singles & Tracks 5
- ''Everyday'' Hot Country Singles & Tracks 56
- ''Bluebird'' Hot Country Singles and tracks 39
- ''Snowbird'' Oct 1970 #23
- ''You Needed Me'' Dec 1978 #22
Note: Anne Murray was UK's Country Female vocalist of 1974.
- - Best Country Vocal Performance - Female: Love Song
- - Best Pop Vocal - Female: You Needed Me
- - Best Country Vocal Performance - Female: Could I Have This Dance
- - Best Country Vocal Performance - Female: A Little Good News
- An Intimate Evening with Anne Murray (feat Celine Dion, Bryan Adams, Jann Arden) 1997
- What a Wonderful World (feat Deborah Cox, Dawn Langstroth) 2001
- Anne Murray's Classic Christmas (feat Roch Voisine & Barenaked Ladies)
- Anne Murray in Jamaica 2005
- Anne Murray-What a Wonderful World (book & CD) (2000)-Balmur Book Publishing
- Anne Murray Centre Scrapbook (2000)-Raincoast Books/Balmur Publishing
- Snowbird-The Story of Anne Murray (Barry Grills) (1996) Quarry Press
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