New Music From Anne Murray -Thanks To A Treasure Trove Of Forgotten Recordings

The legendary Anne Murray, who has a new album, was recently honored with an All-Star Tribute Show at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, TN.

Credit: Cooper Smith

Nearly two decades after retiring from music, it’s been quite a year for Anne Murray.

She released a new album (which comes with a fascinating back story), she received the JUNO Lifetime Achievement Award, and she returned to Nashville, Tennessee for an All-Star Tribute Concert honoring her incredible music legacy.

The Canadian singer, known for her string of familiar megahits like “Snowbird,” “Could I Have This Dance,” (featured on the soundtrack of Urban Cowboy), “A Little Good News,” and covers of “He Thinks I Still Care,” “Danny’s Song,” and “Daydream Believer,” called it quits 17 years ago. She decided to leave music behind, announcing she’d no longer sing in public. She returned home to Nova Scotia to focus on her life and her family.

Murray Retired From Performing In 2008

“I’d been singing for forty years and I was tired,” Murray says. “I’d worked really hard and I just needed time. I wanted to get to know my kids again, I wanted to spend time with friends. And I haven’t regretted one minute of it. The only thing I miss about the road is my road family because we were together for a long time. But I’m still really close with them, we just had a reunion this summer.”

While she had no plans to return to music, something happened about five years ago that started the ball rolling toward the release of her new album Here You Go.

Murray had given all her old archives to the University of Toronto, while her record label, Universal Music Canada/Capitol Records gave theirs, including all of her masters, to the University of Calgary.

Then, a superfan of Murray’s began going through some of those old recordings.

Longtime Fan Discovers Forgotten Recordings

“He was a fan who first saw me in Las Vegas years ago, when he was 15, and he told me he’d discovered several songs that were never released,” she explains. “He told me, ‘You’ve got to listen to this stuff.’ My first reaction was, if I didn’t like them then, I’m not going to like them now. But when I started to listen, I was gobsmacked. There were some really good things there and I wondered how I could have left them behind.”

There were eleven never-released songs that met Murray’s high-standards bar and ended up on the record. The songs were originally recorded during the peak of her career – between 1978 and 1996.

Murray began working with GRAMMY-winning producer Bob Rock (whose clients include Bon Jovi, Michael Buble’ and others) to bring it all together.

“Imagine the fun I had working with Bob Rock who was in Hawaii and his engineer, who was in Calgary. I was in Nova Scotia, and we worked on things back and forth, back and forth. In the end, there were a couple of songs I thought needed things and I had my daughter there, so I said she’s going to go in and sing some background.”

Murray And Her Daughter Add New Vocals To Old Recordings

It turned out to be a family affair with Murray and her daughter both adding vocals to “Bring All Your Heartaches To Me,” and Murray’s spectacular cover of Bryan Adams’ “Straight From The Heart.”

Her nephew, Dale Murray, a musician with his own studio, added guitar to both songs, including a beautiful pedal steel guitar solo on “Straight From The Heart.”

“He’s so good,” Murray says. “And you know where he learned it? He picked it up because I have a children’s album called Hippo in the Bathtub. He was raised on it and it has all kind of pedal steel.”

Murray’s signature vocals today shine, through just as they did all those years ago.

“It was so much fun to get back in the studio,” she says. “They convinced me to sing with Dawn on “Straight From The Heart.” So, I did some background vocals, but I wouldn’t have done it without her.”

The album is a gift to longtime Murray fans, and a nice introduction to those just discovering her music. Her producer says it was a joy to make.

“I don’t believe I’ve had such an incredible experience working on a record,” Rock says. “Anne’s silky voice is perfect in every way! She’s also a badass! Ha!”

Murray Paved The Way For A Number Of Women In Music

Murray, who won four GRAMMY Awards and holds the record for JUNO Awards at 26 (JUNOs are Canada’s equivalent to the GRAMMYs), was considered a trailblazer in pop, country, and adult contemporary in both the U.S. and Canada throughout her career. She was the first woman to win Album of the Year (for A Little Good News) at the Country Music Awards, the first Canadian female solo artist to reach No. 1 on the U.S. charts, and the first Canadian female to earn a Gold Record (for “Snowbird”).

Fellow female Canadian artists like Shania, Celine Dion, and k.d. lang, have all thanked her for paving the way.

Murray admits it was tough standing her ground in a male-dominated field. And yet, she followed her own instincts whether it involved record label executives urging her to move to the U.S. (she chose to remain in Canada), warning her not to get pregnant at the height of her career (she was already pregnant at the time), or telling her one song would be a hit over another.

“I mean even with the release of ‘You Needed Me,” I had to physically go to the tower in Los Angeles and beg them because they’d already pressed another single. I went into the President’s office and said, ‘Please, you have to go with me here. I know this is a hit, just go with me.’”

The head of the label ended up listening to her. While she was still in his office, he picked up the phone and made the switch she requested. Murray proved to be right. “You Needed Me reached No. 1 and won the singer her second of four GRAMMY Awards.

Music fans have signaled to Murray loud and clear; she’s much-loved and not forgotten. In March, she was presented with the JUNO Lifetime Achievement Award. She’s only the second person to receive it. The first was Pierre Juneau, a Canadian film and broadcast executive, and the JUNO Awards were named in his honor.

Murray told the crowd she never dreamed when she began pursuing her love of music at 15 years old, she might be able to make a living at it. Her career would go far beyond that.

Last month, Murray traveled to Nashville, accompanied by a large group of family members, for an All-Star show celebrating her lengthy music career.

Artists like Martina McBride, The Gatlin Brothers, k.d. lang, and many more, performed some of Murray’s greatest hits. There were also video tributes from Reba McEntire and Blake Shelton.

At 80, Murray says she is grateful for the music, the many devoted fans, and her success. But she’s also happy to be right where she is today. After so many years in the spotlight, she’s content to leave the traveling, touring, and performing behind.

“These days my life is pretty good,” she says with a smile. “I’m really enjoying it.”

Along with her new album, Universal Music Canada/Capitol Records has released newly remastered editions of Anne Murray’s Greatest Hits and Christmas Wishes.

Tis the season to sit back and listen to a little Anne Murray music.