HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Morna Anne Murray (born June 20, 1945) is a retired Canadian singer. Her albums, consisting primarily of
pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' ( ...
, country, and
adult contemporary music Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quiet sto ...
, have sold over 55 million copies worldwide during her over 40-year career. 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). Murray is also well known for her Grammy Award-winning 1978 number 1 US hit "
You Needed Me "You Needed Me" is a song written by Randy Goodrum, who describes it as being about "unconditional undeserved love". It was a number one hit single in the United States in 1978 for Canadian singer Anne Murray, for which she won a Grammy Award. I ...
". 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 Kathryn Dawn Lang (born November 2, 1961), known by her stage name k.d. lang, is a Canadian pop and country singer-songwriter and occasional actress. Lang has won Juno Awards and Grammy Awards for her musical performances. Hits include the so ...
,
Céline Dion Céline Marie Claudette Dion ( ; born 30 March 1968) is a Canadian singer. Noted for her powerful and technically skilled vocals, Dion is the best-selling Canadian recording artist, and the best-selling French-language artist of all time. Her ...
, and Shania Twain. She is also 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''. Murray has received four Grammys, a record 24 Junos, three American Music Awards, three Country Music Association Awards, and three Canadian Country Music Association Awards. She has been inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame, the Juno Hall of Fame, The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, and Canadian Broadcast Hall of Fame. She is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame Walkway of Stars in Nashville and has her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles and on Canada's Walk of Fame in Toronto. In 2011, ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' ranked her 10th on their list of the 50 Biggest Adult Contemporary Artists Ever.


Early life

Morna Anne Murray was born in the coal-mining town of Springhill, Nova Scotia, to her parents, 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. After expressing an early interest in music, she studied piano for six years. By 15 she was taking voice lessons. Every Saturday morning, she took a bus ride from Springhill to Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia, for singing lessons. One of her earliest performances was of the song "Ave Maria" at her high school graduation in 1962. Following high school, Murray attended
Mount Saint Vincent University Mount Saint Vincent University, often referred to as the Mount, is a public, primarily undergraduate, university located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and was established in 1873. Mount Saint Vincent offers undergraduate programs in Arts, S ...
in Halifax for one year. She later studied Physical Education at University of New Brunswick in Fredericton. After receiving her degree in 1966 she taught physical education at a high school in Summerside, Prince Edward Island, for one year. Her brother Bruce Murray released several recordings of his own.


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 "Unchained Melody" is a 1955 song with music by Alex North and lyrics by Hy Zaret. North wrote the music as a theme for the prison film '' Unchained'' (1955), hence the song title. Todd Duncan sang the vocals for the film soundtrack.Robert Rodr ...
" and "Little Bit of Soap". On the label her name was misspelled "Anne Murry". While there, she was encouraged to audition for the 1960s CBC musical variety television show ''
Singalong Jubilee ''Singalong Jubilee'' was a CBC Television programme produced between 1961 and 1974. It featured musical performances by local singers, playing folk, country, and gospel music, in studio on stage and on location. Anne Murray Morna Anne Murray ...
'', 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 to ''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

" What About Me," the lead single and title cut on her debut album, was written by Scott McKenzie and was a sizable Canadian radio hit. The project covered songs by Joni Mitchell,
Ken Tobias Kenneth Wayne Paul Tobias (born July 25, 1945) is a Canadian singer-songwriter. He is noted for penning the 1971 chart-topping hit for The Bells, " Stay Awhile", and for several top-selling recordings of his own. Early career Born and raised ...
, 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 in the fall of 1969. 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). 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 ''The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour'' was an American music and comedy television variety show hosted by singer Glen Campbell from January 29, 1969, to June 13, 1972, on CBS. He was offered the show after he hosted a 1968 summer replacement for ' ...
''. After the success of "Snowbird", she had a number of subsequent singles that charted both pop and country simultaneously. During the 1970s and 1980s, her hits included Kenny Loggins's "
Danny's Song "Danny's Song" is a song written by American singer-songwriter Kenny Loggins, as a gift for his brother Danny for the birth of his son, Colin. It first appeared on an album by Gator Creek and a year later on the album '' Sittin' In'', the debut ...
" (1972) (peaked at No. 7 on the Hot 100), " A Love Song" (1973), " He Thinks I Still Care", The Beatles' "
You Won't See Me "You Won't See Me" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1965 album ''Rubber Soul''. It was written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney. As with songs such as "We Can Work It Out" and " I'm Looking Through Y ...
" (1974); her all-time biggest Hot 100 hit "
You Needed Me "You Needed Me" is a song written by Randy Goodrum, who describes it as being about "unconditional undeserved love". It was a number one hit single in the United States in 1978 for Canadian singer Anne Murray, for which she won a Grammy Award. I ...
" (1978), " I Just Fall in Love Again", " Shadows in the Moonlight", " Broken Hearted Me" (1979), "
I'm Happy Just to Dance With You "I'm Happy Just to Dance with You" is a song written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney and recorded in 1964 by the English rock band the Beatles for the film soundtrack to ''A Hard Day's Night''. Lead vocals are by George Harrison, whose perfor ...
" (1980), which hit No. 64 on the Hot 100 and #23 on the Country chart,
The Monkees The Monkees were an American rock and pop band, formed in Los Angeles in 1966, whose lineup consisted of the American actor/musicians Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork alongside English actor/singer Davy Jones. The group was conc ...
' 1967 No. 1 hit "
Daydream Believer "Daydream Believer" is a song composed by American songwriter John Stewart shortly before he left the Kingston Trio. It was originally recorded by the Monkees, with Davy Jones singing the lead. The single reached No. 1 on the U.S. ''Billboard ...
", " Could I Have This Dance" from the '' Urban Cowboy'' motion picture soundtrack (1980), " Blessed Are the Believers" (1981), " Another Sleepless Night" (1982), " A Little Good News" (1983), " Just Another Woman in Love", " Nobody Loves Me Like You Do", and "Time, Don't Run Out on Me" (1985). She performed " O Canada" at the first
American League The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league ...
baseball game played in Canada on April 7, 1977, when the Toronto Blue Jays played the
Chicago White Sox The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and ...
at
Exhibition Stadium Canadian National Exhibition Stadium (commonly known as Exhibition Stadium or CNE Stadium) was a multi-purpose stadium that formerly stood on the Exhibition Place grounds, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Originally built for Canadian National Exhi ...
. She reprised the Canadian national anthem prior to the first World Series game held in Canada, Game 3 of the
1992 World Series The 1992 World Series was the championship series of Major League Baseball's (MLB) 1992 season. The 89th edition of the World Series, it was a best-of-seven playoff played between the American League (AL) champion Toronto Blue Jays and the Nat ...
at the
SkyDome Rogers Centre (originally SkyDome) is a multi-purpose retractable roof stadium in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated at the base of the CN Tower near the northern shore of Lake Ontario. Opened in 1989 on the former Railway Lands, i ...
. Following the last game at
Maple Leaf Gardens Maple Leaf Gardens is a historic building located at the northwest corner of Carlton Street and Church Street in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The building was initially constructed in 1931 as an arena to host ice hockey games, though it has sinc ...
, she concluded the arena's closing ceremony by singing "
The Maple Leaf Forever "The Maple Leaf Forever" is a Canadian song written by Alexander Muir (1830–1906) in 1867, the year of Canada's Confederation. He wrote the work after serving with the Queen's Own Rifles of Toronto in the Battle of Ridgeway against the Fen ...
" at centre ice wearing a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey. 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 The Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC; french: Banque canadienne impériale de commerce) is a Canadian multinational banking and financial services corporation headquartered at CIBC Square in the Financial District of Toronto, Ontario. T ...
). 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 "What a Wonderful World" is a song written by Bob Thiele (as "George Douglas") and George David Weiss. It was first recorded by Louis Armstrong and released in 1967 as a single. It topped the pop chart in the United Kingdom, but performed poor ...
'', a platinum inspirational album, which went to No. 1 Contemporary Christian, No. 4 Country and No. 38 pop. Her last charting single in Canada was the title track "
What a Wonderful World "What a Wonderful World" is a song written by Bob Thiele (as "George Douglas") and George David Weiss. It was first recorded by Louis Armstrong and released in 1967 as a single. It topped the pop chart in the United Kingdom, but performed poor ...
" in 2000. She released '' Country Croonin''' in 2002, the follow-up to her successful 1993 album, ''
Croonin' ''Croonin is a studio album by Canadian country vocalist Anne Murray. It was released by EMI Music Canada and SBK Records on November 2, 1993. The album peaked at number 1 on the '' RPM'' Country Albums chart. Heartland Records put out a ''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. 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 Bryan Guy Adams (born 5 November 1959) is a Canadian musician, singer, songwriter, composer, and photographer. He has been cited as one of the best-selling music artists of all time, and is estimated to have sold between 75 million and mor ...
and Murray closed the show with a duet, "What Would It Take". 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. Murray's final public concert was held at the
Sony Centre Sony Centre or Sony Center is a chain of stores in Europe that sells electrical goods made by manufacturer Sony. Sony Centres are not part of the Sony group; the name is used by a number of separate entities. The Sony brand and logo, and the Son ...
in Toronto on May 23, 2008. '' Anne Murray Duets: Friends & Legends'' was released in November 2007 in Canada and January 2008 in the U.S. The album comprised seventeen tracks that included many of Murray's biggest hits over her four-decade career, re-recorded as duets with other established, rising, and – in one case – deceased female singers. These artists included
Céline Dion Céline Marie Claudette Dion ( ; born 30 March 1968) is a Canadian singer. Noted for her powerful and technically skilled vocals, Dion is the best-selling Canadian recording artist, and the best-selling French-language artist of all time. Her ...
, Shania Twain,
k.d. lang Kathryn Dawn Lang (born November 2, 1961), known by her stage name k.d. lang, is a Canadian pop and country singer-songwriter and occasional actress. Lang has won Juno Awards and Grammy Awards for her musical performances. Hits include the so ...
, Nelly Furtado, Jann Arden, Québec's
Isabelle Boulay Isabelle Boulay, (born 6 July 1972) is a French Canadian singer. Biography Born in Sainte-Félicité, Quebec, where her parents owned a restaurant, Boulay moved to the nearby city of Matane at the start of her adolescence, and studied literat ...
, Murray's daughter
Dawn Langstroth Dawn Joanne Langstroth (born April 16, 1979) is a Canadian singer, songwriter and painter. Raised in Toronto, she has released two EPs, self-titled ''Dawn Langstroth'' and ''No Mercy,'' and released her debut album ''Highwire'' in 2009. Langstr ...
,
Olivia Newton-John Dame Olivia Newton-John (26 September 1948 – 8 August 2022) was a British-Australian singer, actress and activist. She was a four-time Grammy Award winner whose music career included 15 top-ten singles, including 5 number-one singles on the ...
, Emmylou Harris,
Martina McBride Martina Mariea McBride (née Schiff, born July 29, 1966) is an American country music singer-songwriter and record producer. She is known for her soprano singing range and her country pop material. McBride was born in Sharon, Kansas, and reloca ...
,
Shelby Lynne Shelby Lynne (born Shelby Lynn Moorer, October 22, 1968) is an American singer and songwriter and the older sister of singer-songwriter Allison Moorer. The success of her pop rock album '' I Am Shelby Lynne'' (1999) led to her winning the Grammy ...
,
Amy Grant Amy Lee Grant (born November 25, 1960) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. She began in contemporary Christian music (CCM) before crossing over to pop music in the 1980s and 1990s. She has been referred to as "The Queen of Christia ...
,
Carole King Carole King Klein (born Carol Joan Klein; February 9, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who has been active since 1958, initially as one of the staff songwriters at 1650 Broadway and later as a solo artist. Regarded as one ...
, the
Indigo Girls Indigo Girls are an American folk rock music duo from Atlanta, Georgia, United States, consisting of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers. The two met in elementary school and began performing together as high school students in Decatur, Georgia, part of ...
, Irish sextet
Celtic Woman Celtic Woman is an all-female Irish musical ensemble conceived and created by David Kavanagh, Sharon Browne and David Downes, a former musical director of the Irish stage show ''Riverdance.'' In 2004, Downes recruited five Irish female music ...
,
Dusty Springfield Mary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'Brien (16 April 1939 – 2 March 1999), known professionally as Dusty Springfield, was an English singer. With her distinctive mezzo-soprano sound, she was a popular singer of blue-eyed soul, pop and dr ...
, and
Sarah Brightman Sarah Brightman (born 14 August 1960) is an English classical crossover soprano singer, actress and dancer. Brightman began her career as a member of the dance troupe Hot Gossip and released several disco singles as a solo performer. In 1981, ...
. The duet with soprano Brightman was of her 1970 hit song, "Snowbird". ''Anne Murray Duets: Friends and Legends'' was recorded in four cities – Toronto, Nashville, New York, and Los Angeles. According to ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' 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). Also for the week ending February 2, 2008, the CD debuted at No. 8 on ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
''s Top Country Albums chart and at No. 3 on its Top Internet Albums chart. Murray was nominated for the 2008 Juno Award for
Album of the Year Album of the Year, often abbreviated to AOTY, may refer to: Awards * ARIA Award for Album of the Year, Australia * Brit Award for British Album of the Year, UK * Grammy Award for Album of the Year, US * Juno Award for Album of the Year, CA * Lati ...
and Pop Album of the Year. 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. 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." 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."


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. She has appeared on '' The Johnny Cash Show'', ''
The Bobby Vinton Show ''The Bobby Vinton Show'' was a Canadian musical variety television series produced for the CTV Television Network between 1975 and 1978, with a total of 52 episodes broadcast. Featuring Bobby Vinton, a best-selling popular music singer since the ...
'', '' Solid Gold'', ''
Sesame Street ''Sesame Street'' is an American educational children's television series that combines live-action, sketch comedy, animation and puppetry. It is produced by Sesame Workshop (known as the Children's Television Workshop until June 2000) an ...
'', '' The Muppet Show'', '' Family Guy'', '' Saturday Night Live'', '' The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson'', ''Dean Martin Summer Show'', ''Singalong Jubilee'', ''Dinah!'', ''The Today Show'', ''
Dolly! ''Dolly'' is an American variety show starring Dolly Parton broadcast in first-run syndication from September 13, 1976 to March 7, 1977. Background In the mid-1970s, Parton was approached by Bill Graham, president of Show Biz, Inc., the same co ...
'', '' The Mike Douglas Show'', ''Christmas in Washington'', ''Boston Pops'', ''The Helen Reddy Show'', '' The Oprah Winfrey Show'', '' 20/20'',
CNN CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel, and presently owned by t ...
, ''Perry Como's Christmas in New Mexico'', ''
The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour ''The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour'' was an American music and comedy television variety show hosted by singer Glen Campbell from January 29, 1969, to June 13, 1972, on CBS. He was offered the show after he hosted a 1968 summer replacement for ' ...
'', ''Night of a 100 Stars'', ''
Live with Regis and Kathie Lee ''Live with Kelly and Ryan'' (or simply ''Live'') is an American syndicated morning talk show hosted by Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest. Executive produced by Michael Gelman, the ''Live with...'' show formula has aired under various hosts since ...
'', '' The Pat Sajak Show'', ''Royal Canadian Air Farce'' and ''Good Morning America''. Her 2005 CBC special ''Anne Murray: The Music of My Life'' broke ratings records for a Thursday night, with more than 7 million Canadian viewers tuned in. She also appeared on ABC-TV's '' American Bandstand'', and on regional US dance/variety programs. On August 25, 2008, Murray appeared on the popular TV program ''
Canadian Idol ''Canadian Idol'' is a Canadian reality television competition show which aired on CTV, based on the British show ''Pop Idol''. The show was a competition to find the most talented young singer in Canada, and was hosted by Ben Mulroney. Jon Dore ...
'' as a mentor. '' Anne Murray: Full Circle'', a documentary film by Adrian Buitenhuis and Morgan Elliott, was broadcast by CBC Television in 2021.


Personal life

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. She is
Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
.


Marriage and children

In 1975 Murray married Bill Langstroth, music producer and longtime host of ''
Singalong Jubilee ''Singalong Jubilee'' was a CBC Television programme produced between 1961 and 1974. It featured musical performances by local singers, playing folk, country, and gospel music, in studio on stage and on location. Anne Murray Morna Anne Murray ...
''.Country music producer Bill Langstroth dies at 81
/ref> They had two children – William (born 1976) and
Dawn Dawn is the time that marks the beginning of twilight before sunrise. It is recognized by the appearance of indirect sunlight being scattered in Earth's atmosphere, when the centre of the Sun's disc has reached 18° below the observer's horizo ...
(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. Langstroth died in May 2013. In January 1998, Murray and Dawn performed at a benefit concert for Sheena's Place, an
eating disorder An eating disorder is a mental disorder defined by abnormal eating behaviors that negatively affect a person's physical or mental health. Only one eating disorder can be diagnosed at a given time. Types of eating disorders include binge eating d ...
treatment centre in Toronto. Both have spoken publicly about Dawn's struggle with
anorexia nervosa Anorexia nervosa, often referred to simply as anorexia, is an eating disorder characterized by low weight, food restriction, body image disturbance, fear of gaining weight, and an overpowering desire to be thin. ''Anorexia'' is a term of Gre ...
, which developed when she was 10 years old. Dawn has since sought treatment and continues to pursue a career in music. Murray lived in Markham, Ontario, for over forty years, from the late 1970s through 2019. In 2019, she returned to live in her home province of Nova Scotia, settling in Halifax.


Philanthropy and support for causes

Murray kept close ties with her hometown, Springhill, Nova Scotia, located about an hour east of Moncton, New Brunswick, and 1.5 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. 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. Murray was involved in a variety of charitable organizations. In addition to being the Honorary National Chairperson of the Canadian Save The Children Fund, 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. On February 12, 2010, Murray was one of the eight Canadians who carried the
Olympic flag The International Olympic Committee (IOC) uses icons, flags and symbols to elevate the Olympic Games. These symbols include those commonly used during Olympic competition—such as the flame, fanfare and theme—as well as those used throughout ...
during the opening ceremonies of the XXI Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. Murray was a public supporter of Canadian environmentalist and geneticist
David Suzuki David Takayoshi Suzuki (born March 24, 1936) is a Canadian academic, science broadcaster, and environmental activist. Suzuki earned a PhD in zoology from the University of Chicago in 1961, and was a professor in the genetics department at the ...
's Nature Challenge.


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. On May 11, 2007, ''Golf For Women'' magazine named Murray the world's best female celebrity golfer, noting her 11 handicap.


Discography

Since 1968, Murray has had 32 studio albums and 15 compilation albums. :Studio albums * '' What About Me'' (1968) * '' This Way Is My Way'' (1969) * '' Honey, Wheat and Laughter'' (1970) * '' Straight, Clean and Simple'' (1971) * '' Anne Murray / Glen Campbell'' (1971) (with
Glen Campbell Glen Travis Campbell (April 22, 1936 – August 8, 2017) was an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, actor and television host. He was best known for a series of hit songs in the 1960s and 1970s, and for hosting '' The Glen Campbell Good ...
)
* '' Talk It Over in the Morning'' (1971) * '' Annie'' (1972) * ''
Danny's Song "Danny's Song" is a song written by American singer-songwriter Kenny Loggins, as a gift for his brother Danny for the birth of his son, Colin. It first appeared on an album by Gator Creek and a year later on the album '' Sittin' In'', the debut ...
'' (1973) * '' Love Song'' (1974) * '' Highly Prized Possession'' (1974) * ''
Together ''ToGetHer'' (, aka Superstar Express) is a 2009 Taiwanese drama starring Jiro Wang of Fahrenheit, Rainie Yang and George Hu. It was produced by Comic International Productions ( 可米國際影視事業股份有限公司) and directed by Linzi ...
'' (1975) * '' Keeping in Touch'' (1976) * ''
There's a Hippo in My Tub ''There's a Hippo in My Tub'', rereleased as ''Anne Murray Sings for the Sesame Street Generation'', is a 1977 children's album by Anne Murray. Although the album did not make any of the major charts in the US or Canada, it was certified Platinum ...
'' (1977) * '' Let's Keep It That Way'' (1978) * '' New Kind of Feeling'' (1979) * '' I'll Always Love You'' (1979) * ''
Somebody's Waiting ''Somebody's Waiting'' is the fifteenth studio album by Canadian country pop artist Anne Murray, released in March 1980 via Capitol Records. The album charted lower in the U.S. than most of Murray's other releases from the same period, peaking a ...
'' (1980) * '' Where Do You Go When You Dream'' (1981) * '' The Hottest Night of the Year'' (1982) * '' A Little Good News'' (1983) * '' Heart over Mind'' (1984) * '' Something to Talk About'' (1986) * ''
Harmony In music, harmony is the process by which individual sounds are joined together or composed into whole units or compositions. Often, the term harmony refers to simultaneously occurring Audio frequency, frequencies, pitch (music), pitches (timb ...
'' (1987) * '' As I Am'' (1988) * '' You Will'' (1990) * '' Yes I Do'' (1991) * ''
Croonin' ''Croonin is a studio album by Canadian country vocalist Anne Murray. It was released by EMI Music Canada and SBK Records on November 2, 1993. The album peaked at number 1 on the '' RPM'' Country Albums chart. Heartland Records put out a ''Croonin ...
'' (1993) * ''
Anne Murray Morna Anne Murray (born June 20, 1945) is a retired Canadian singer. Her albums, consisting primarily of pop, country, and adult contemporary music, have sold over 55 million copies worldwide during her over 40-year career. Murray was the fir ...
'' (1996) * ''
What a Wonderful World "What a Wonderful World" is a song written by Bob Thiele (as "George Douglas") and George David Weiss. It was first recorded by Louis Armstrong and released in 1967 as a single. It topped the pop chart in the United Kingdom, but performed poor ...
'' (1999) * '' Country Croonin''' (2002) * '' I'll Be Seeing You'' (2004) * '' Duets: Friends & Legends'' (2007)


Awards and honours

Anne Murray won four Grammys (including one in the pop category), three American Music Awards, three CMA Awards, and a record 24 Juno Awards. In 1995, Murray received a
Governor General's Performing Arts Award A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political r ...
for Lifetime Artistic Achievement, Canada's highest honour in the performing arts. Murray was ranked No. 24 in
Country Music Television Country Music Television (CMT) is an American pay TV network owned by Paramount Media Networks, a division of Paramount Global. Launched on March 5, 1983, as Country Music Television, CMT was the first nationally available channel devoted to cou ...
's ''40 Greatest Women of Country Music'' in 2002. Murray was invested as an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1975 and promoted to Companion of the Order of Canada in 1984, the second highest honour that can be awarded to a Canadian civilian. She was also one of the first recipients of the newly established
Order of Nova Scotia The Order of Nova Scotia (french: Ordre de la Nouvelle-Écosse) is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. Instituted on August 2, 2001, when Lieutenant Governor Myra Freeman granted Royal Assent to the Order of Nova ...
in 2002. 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. 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. On May 20, 2016, Anne Murray was granted an
honorary degree An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or '' ad hon ...
by
Mount Saint Vincent University Mount Saint Vincent University, often referred to as the Mount, is a public, primarily undergraduate, university located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and was established in 1873. Mount Saint Vincent offers undergraduate programs in Arts, S ...
. Grammy Award Nominations/Wins: * 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 * 1974 - "You Won't See Me" - #54 * 1974 - "A Love Song" - #80 * 1978 - "You Needed Me" - #63 * 1979 - "I Just Fall in Love Again" - #72 * 1980 - "Daydream Believer" - #61 * 1980 - "Broken Hearted Me" - #92


Notes


References


Further reading

* Millard, Bob (1998). "Anne Murray". In ''The Encyclopedia of Country Music''. Paul Kingsbury, Editor. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 361–2. * Grills, Barry (1996) Snowbird: The Story of Anne Murray. Kingston, ON: Quarry Press. * Livingstone, David (1981) Anne Murray: The Story So Far. Scarborough: Prentice Hall Canada, Inc.


External links

*
Anne Murray Centre's official website
* * * *
Entry at thecanadianencyclopedia.ca
{{DEFAULTSORT:Murray, Anne 1945 births Living people Canadian folk singers Canadian women pop singers Canadian women country singers Canadian women guitarists Canadian memoirists Canadian schoolteachers Canadian soft rock musicians Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductees Companions of the Order of Canada Country pop musicians Grammy Award winners Governor General's Performing Arts Award winners Juno Award for Children's Album of the Year winners Members of the Order of Nova Scotia Capitol Records artists EMI Records artists Liberty Records artists University of New Brunswick alumni People from Cumberland County, Nova Scotia People from Thornhill, Ontario Musicians from Nova Scotia Musicians from Toronto SBK Records artists Juno Award for Single of the Year winners Juno Award for Album of the Year winners Juno Award for Artist of the Year winners Ballad musicians Canadian women memoirists Canadian women folk singers Canadian gospel singers Canadian Catholics 20th-century Canadian guitarists 21st-century Canadian guitarists 20th-century Canadian women singers 21st-century Canadian women singers 20th-century women guitarists 21st-century women guitarists