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Celebrating Canada's 'songbird' Anne Murray

Broadcast Date: July 28, 1989

"It's a very emotional experience," singer Anne Murray says of her homecoming to Springhill, N.S., to open a museum in her honour. The new centre houses mementoes and souvenirs from the singer's childhood and career, as shown in this CBC Television report. Murray, a celebrated pop and country artist, has had a steady string of hit singles since her debut in the early 1970's and has been dubbed "Canada's Songbird."

Celebrating Canada's 'songbird' Anne Murray

• Morna Anne Murray was born June 20, 1945, in Springhill, N.S. Murray grew up in a very musical household and began taking classical voice lessons at age 15. She later credited sibling rivalry as her inspiration to excel. "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."

• As a student at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton, Murray auditioned for CBC Television's Singalong Jubilee in 1964. She wasn't offered a part on the popular program. But, two years later, she auditioned again and was offered a spot on the show. Murray performed on the show for a summer and then taught physical education at a Summerside, P.E.I., high school. After one year of teaching, Murray decided to dedicate herself to her music.

• In 1968, Murray recorded and released her first album What About Me. A year later she signed with Capitol Records and released the hit single Snowbird from her second album This Way Is My Way.
• In 1978, Murray became the first Canadian woman to reach the top of the American pop charts with her single You Needed Me.

• In 1975, Murray married Bill Langstroth. The couple had two children, William and Dawn. After 23 years of marriage, Murray and Langstroth separated and eventually divorced.
• Murray has recorded 34 albums over the course of her long career and has won many honours including 24 Juno Awards and a 1993 Gemini Award. In 1975, Murray was made an officer of the Order of Canada, in 1984 she became a companion of the Order of Canada, in 1998 she received a star on Canada's Walk of Fame and in 2006 she received the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame Legacy Award.

Celebrating Canada's 'songbird' Anne Murray

Medium: Television

Program: The National

Broadcast Date: July 28, 1989

Guest(s): Anne Murray

Host: Knowlton Nash
Reporter: Paul Jones

Duration: 2:04

Last updated:
July 24, 2006