ANNE MURRAY

1998 INDUCTEE

Anne Murray was terrified when she made her first public performance at age 15, but the experience convinced her that singing was to be her life.

Anne Murray was born in Springhill, Nova Scotia. Her father was the resident doctor in this tiny coal-mining town, and her mother was and a registered nurse. Having five brothers spurred her onwards in singing as she "wanted to do something better than they did." As a youngster Canada's "songbird" enjoyed singing along with her favourites, Connie Francis, Bobby Darin, Buddy Holly, Bing Crosby, Patti Page and Rosemary Clooney. Murray enjoyed a wide variety of music like classical, country, gospel and folk.

Those influences played a big part of this versatile singer's future. For more than 30 years, Anne Murray has been Canada's most recognizable voice, and one of the world's most successful singing stars. Her voice is unparalleled and her sound defies description as it effortlessly crosses the folk, country, rock, and pop labels.

It was her second album, "This Is My Way," that put Murray on the world map with her first big hit, "Snowbird." In fact, "Snowbird" became one of North America's most played songs in the 1970's and Anne Murray became the first solo Canadian female artist to be awarded an American Gold Record.

She has recorded 30 albums, has received numerous national and international honours, and has sold millions of records. Still touring and recording, Murray says, "I think the Walk of Fame is a great idea and I'm honoured to be part of it."

In 2006 Murray received a tremendous honour when the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame chose her and Leonard Cohen as recipients of the Legacy Award for their extraordinary contributions to and support of the Canadian songwriting industry. Murray was recognized for her unfailing 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 iconic Canadian recording artists and fellow Canada's Walk of Fame inductees: Paul Anka, Gordon Lightfoot and Joni Mitchell.

Murray's final studio album Anne Murray Duets: Friends & Legends, was released in November 2007 in Canada and January 2008 in the U.S. The album comprises 17 tracks that include 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 Canadian superstars and fellow CWOF inductees, Céline Dion and Shania Twain along with  k.d. lang, Nelly Furtado, Jann Arden, a CD-closing French-language duet with Québec's Isabelle Boulay, and Murray's daughter, Dawn Langstroth; Australia's decades-long veteran Olivia Newton-John; Nashville's Emmylou Harris, Martina McBride, Shelby Lynne, and pop/country/contemporary Christian crossover artist Amy Grant; songwriting and recording legend Carole King; influential folk-rock duo Indigo Girls; Irish sextet Celtic Woman; Britain's late blue-eyed soul legend and close personal friend of Murray's, Dusty Springfield; and a duet of her landmark, career-establishing #1 hit from 1970, "Snowbird," with world's biggest selling soprano, Sarah Brightman.

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 #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. Anne Murray Duets: Friends and Legends 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 #42, making it her highest-charting U.S. CD release since 1999's What a Wonderful World, which peaked at #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 #8 on Billboard's Top Country Albums chart and at #3 on its Top Internet Albums chart. Murray was nominated for the 2008 Juno Award for Album of the Year 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, and Sony BMG Music released an Elvis Presley Christmas album, titled Elvis Presley Christmas Duets, on October 14, 2008 featuring a virtual duet of "Silver Bells" with Anne Murray.

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., followed by the "Coast-to-Coast – One Last Time" tour in April and May in Canada. Anne Murray's final public concert was held at the Sony Centre in Toronto on May 23, 2008.

In January, 2009, Alfred A. Knopf Canada announced that Murray, in collaboration with author Michael Posner, would be writing a memoir of her private life and 40-year career in show business. The autobiography, titled All of Me, was released on October 27, 2009. The autobiography is a self-portrait of Canada’s first great female recording artist. All of Me documents Murray's life, from her childhood in the tragedy-plagued small coal-mining town of Springhill, Nova Scotia, to her success on the world stage. The book remains on Canada's non-fiction best sellers list.

Following the release of her autobiography, All of Me, Murray 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.

RELATED NEWS

Anne Murray offers round of golf for charity in support of Red Cross relief efforts in Japan

Apr 14 2011

Canadian Icon Anne Murray is among artists who have donated personal items and memorabilia to an EMI auction in support of Red Cross relief efforts in Japan.

The 65-year-old Springill native, who has won 24 Junos and four Grammys, is auctioning off 18 holes of golf with herself at the Angus Glen Golf Club course in Markham, Ont.

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