MUSIC Murray looks back on her hometown, career

Anne Murray had crossover hits practically before the phrase existed.
TORONTO -- One of Anne Murray's hit songs asks "Could I have this dance, for the rest of my life?" It seems, after 35 years as an artist, the answer has been a resounding "Yes."
The native of Springhill, Nova Scotia, will perform Wednesday at Edward W. Powers Auditorium. In a recent phone interview it was evident that Murray is very down to earth, and her love for her birthplace shows in her conversation.
Though she lives in Toronto, she spends summers at her home in Pugwash, Nova Scotia, not too far from Springhill.
Effect of disasters
Life was not totally idyllic in Springhill. Two disasters that struck the coal mines of her town in her early years, the "Explosion of 1956" and the "Bump of 1958," also had an effect on Murray.
"Talk about a hard-luck town," she said. "It was amazing."
She was 11 years old when the explosion took place and remembers several of her friends losing their fathers. Her own father was a doctor and her mother a nurse, so those were busy, stressful times for her family.
During the "Bump of 1958," which is somewhat like a partial cave-in, a lot more of her friends lost their fathers, as 75 men were killed. "We used to go down to the pithead for hours for news of anybody coming up." In addition to that, she said, "In 1957 [the year between the mine disasters] the business section of the town burned."
Murray left that little town to become an internationally known, award-winning singing star with a smooth melodic contralto that is instantly recognized by millions.
Regarding her music and longevity in the business, Murray doesn't show the slightest hint of self-absorption. "I've been very lucky," she says, "I feel blessed to have had this long career. People still buy the records and come to the concerts."
Wide-ranging career
Murray has also managed to avoid being pigeonholed by a certain style. She had crossover hits practically before the phrase existed. Her first hit, "Snowbird," was more of a pop hit than a country one, and then came her 1974 Grammy for Best Country Performance Female for "A Love Song."
That was followed by a 1978 Best Pop Vocal Grammy for "You Needed Me" and another in 1980 for the aforementioned "Could I Have This Dance," then 1983's "A Little Good News." Her music even hit the adult contemporary lists, although she is probably most identified with country.
Curiously, Murray didn't grown up listening to country music. "I had so many influences," she says, "I was influenced by everything. The only kind [of music] I didn't listen to was country." Her parents listened to Bing Crosby, the Mills Brothers, Rosemary Clooney, Perry Como, etc., and Murray took classical voice and piano lessons in her younger years.
When she started singing, she says she didn't try to be a certain style of singer, "I was just singing music that I liked. The easiest thing to say is that I have to be moved in some way by what I hear, whether it's the rhythm, the lyrics, the music itself. That was in the days when I was choosing new songs. I don't get much airtime [on radio] anymore, so I've gone to television with the last two albums."
Newest album
Her latest album, "Country Croonin'," has her singing 30 of her favorite country hits and has been selling well through TV advertising.
She also did her first inspirational collection, "What a Wonderful World," in 1999. Murray, who was raised Catholic, says "they wanted a whole album of Protestant hymns. That didn't feel honest to me. It felt like I would be jumping on the bandwagon because gospel has done very well, but I didn't want to be seen as horning in on that market in an insincere way."
So they came up with the idea of including some modern songs with an inspirational message such as "Lean On Me," "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and the title tune "What a Wonderful World," among others. That mix of songs felt right, and the resulting album went platinum in Canada and gold in the United States.
One pitfall Murray has avoided which no doubt has contributed to her longevity as a star is drugs. "I was just never much interested. I knew there were people doing that, but they don't bring it up around you when they know you're not using. It's clandestine. I just wasn't interested."
Competition shows
Asked about the newer competition shows such as "Star Search" and "American Idol," Murray said: "I would never put myself in the position of being told all those terrible things. Maybe these kids have thick skins. The idea of rejection like that in front of 30 million people doesn't appeal to me."
She also says she prefers the smaller halls in which to perform. "There was a time when I didn't have a choice," she says, "but smaller places are more intimate for the kind of show I do. I can talk to the audience and establish a rapport."
Murray says she is booked for appearances through the end of this year. "As long as people keep showing up, I'll continue to do this," she says.
And with that, the dance continues.