For almost as long as there has been a viable music industry in Canada, there has been Anne Murray. She was arguably the country's first popular musical artist whose fame transcended the country's national borders.
Her tremendous success paved the way for future female Canadian performers like k.d. lang, Celine Dion, Shania Twain, and Alanis Morissette. But Anne Murray is far more than just a Canadian icon. For people around the world, Anne's unique voice and signature songs have been woven into the soundtracks of our lives - in our homes, our places of work, even at our weddings. Fans around the world have embraced her as an internationally acclaimed performer of the highest calibre, a claim validated by an impressive list of recognitions and awards.
Morna Anne Murray was born on June 20, 1945 in the small coal-mining town of Springhill, Nova Scotia. Her father, James Carson Murray, was a physician and her mother Marion, was a registered nurse who chose to focus her life on raising her family.
Anne learned her characteristic determination and perseverance from them, and growing up surrounded by five brothers - David, Daniel, Harold, Stewart and Bruce!
"I often think that perhaps the reason I became a successful singer was that as a kid I could never do anything as well as my brothers. I wanted to do something better than they did." Like most teenagers, Anne loved music. It was the age of rock 'n roll, and she'd sing along with favorites like Buddy Holly, Bobby Darin and Connie Francis. But unlike most others her own age, Anne's exposure to music extended far beyond rock to a wide variety of other music styles, including the classics, country, gospel, folk, even her parents', Patti Page, Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney albums. She loved them all. .
Anne studied piano for six years, and at 15 began taking classical voice lessons. Every Saturday morning for two years, Anne would get on a bus and ride for two hours to her lesson. Then she'd visit with her grandparents until it was time to take the two-hour trip back home. Her mother recalls "I think it was grade 11, at her graduation that she sang 'Ava Maria'. Anne noticed people were crying in the audience. That's when she knew that her voice must be good." After finishing high school, Anne spent a year at Mt. Saint Vincent, a Catholic women's college in Halifax, then entered the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton to study Physical Education. Her studies didn't diminish her passion for music, and in her second year at university, her friends managed to convince her to audition for Singalong Jubilee, a popular Canadian summer television show shot in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Anne didn't get the job, since there were already enough altos in the cast, but she did make an impression.
Two years later co-host and associate producer Bill Langstroth tracked her down and asked her to appear on the show. She did, and at the end of the summer, began teaching high school phys- ed in Summerside, Prince Edward Island. But her first year of teaching also became her last when she was offered a spot on a television show called "Let's Go".
She decided to give show business a "try". Anne soon became a popular fixture on Singalong Jubilee, and even recorded an album with the cast from the show. The show's musical director, Brian Ahern, convinced Anne to record her first solo album in 1968. WHAT ABOUT ME was produced by Ahern and released on tiny Arc Records - one of Canada's first record labels. A year later Anne signed with Capitol Records, and in the fall of 1969 released THIS IS MY WAY, her first album on the Capitol label. It was this album that produced her first breakthrough hit single, "Snowbird", and the first time in history that an American gold record was awarded to a solo Canadian female.
Did you know?
- Anne's favorite song is Please Come To Boston by Dave Loggins.
When Anne was a young teenager, she was a member of 'The Louis Prima and Keely Smith Fan Club' Anne has sold more than 40 million albums world-wide John Lennon told Anne, at a Grammy Awards ceremony, he regarded her version of You Won't See Me as the best cover of a Beatles song. Anne's Father delivered 4,500 babies over 40 years! Anne thinks the best record ever made is Good Vibrations by the the Beach Boys. Anne has been the recipent of 31 Juno Awards! Shoes are one of Anne's passions. Anne's favorite singers are Dusty Springfield and Harry Nilsson. Anne's golf handicap is 17. Anne was Elvis Presley's favorite female singer. ANNE MURRAY'S WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD made its world-wide television premiere Sunday, February 27, 1999.
NEWS FLASH - What A Wonderful World reached platinum sales level in Canada in December 1999. Anne and Dawn Langstroth were presented with platinum album awards by EMI Music Canada's President, Deane Cameron, at a special Christmas luncheon on December 23 in Toronto.
Anne's 31st studio album 'What A Wonderful World' was released in Canada on July 15, 1999 and in the U.S. on October 19. Produced by Tommy West (Croonin') and Anne, the two cd/cassette album features 26 songs of inspiration such as 'Lean On Me', 'Amazing Grace', 'Put A Little Love In Your Heart', 'How Great Thou Art' and a special duet with her daughter, Dawn Langstroth on 'Let There Be Love'. Anne and Tommy perform their second vocal duet (the first was True Love on Croonin') on Just A Closer Walk With Thee/Take My Hand Lord Jesus.
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