Anne Murray - Biography

Our Songbird's Career Takes Flight

In the studio with Brian Ahern and friends

After a summer of singing, Anne began teaching physical education at a high school in Summerside, Prince Edward Island. However, her first year of teaching was destined to be her last. She was offered a spot on a teen television show, Let's Go and returned to Singalong Jubilee during the summer as a featured soloist. After much soul searching, Anne decided to give the music business a "try." After all, if it didn't work out, she could always go back to teaching. She has never looked back!

Gene MacLellan, writer of Snowbird, Put Your Hand
in the Hand and more

A Singalong Jubilee cast album was eventually released by tiny Arc Records, one of Canada's first record labels. The show's musical director, Brian Ahern, convinced Anne, after much cajoling, that she should record her first solo album. The result was What About Me, produced by Ahern in Toronto, and released in 1968 on the Arc label. A year later, Anne signed with Capitol Records, and in the fall of 1969, she released her second album, This Is My Way.

This album gave the world Anne's first hit single, Snowbird. (Snowbird was not the first single from this album. Capitol's Paul White had chosen Thirsty Boots for this honour. Snowbird was the flip side of the second single.) The song's composer, Gene MacLellan, was a shy fellow Canadian, who did not start writing songs until 1968.

Glen Campbell presents
Snowbird gold record

Snowbird was only his second composition and was written in about 25 minutes. However, radio stations loved it and it went on to become one of North America's most played songs of 1970. And for the first time in history, an American gold record was awarded to a solo Canadian female - Anne Murray.

Suddenly, Anne was in demand for television and stage appearances all over North America. She had hit the big time. The success of Snowbird was followed by hits on both the pop and country charts. She became a regular on The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, and her popularity increased even further. It was a chaotic and exhausting time, and Anne felt she was burning out. She picked up the phone and called an old friend - Leonard Rambeau.

Anne with Leonard Rambeau

Anne had first met Leonard when she was teaching Phys Ed. He had hired her to sing at a youth group benefit. Anne was very impressed by Leonard's professionalism and organizational skills, and told him, "If I ever need a manager, I'll call you." From that first concert, their friendship grew. Leonard offered to help Anne with her business affairs, including answering fan mail. Anne moved to Toronto when her career started to take off.

Leonard decided to give up his government career to form Balmur Ltd. with Anne. As general manager of Balmur, Leonard did everything from road manager to running the lights at shows. In 1977, Leonard took over Anne's exclusive management. For the next 18 years, he was Anne's manager, mentor and friend.

One of the things that made them such a strong team was that they both shared the same basic philosophy - what is most important in life is family and friends. When Anne was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 1993, she saved her final thank you for Leonard.

Anne with Bill, William and Dawn
in Australia 1982

Anne Murray married Bill Langstroth in 1975. Anne and Bill welcomed their first child, William (Will), in 1976. After taking some time off, Anne returned to her career with enthusiasm and commitment.

Referring to Will's birth, Anne remarked, "I figured, if I can do that, I can do anything!" Three years later, the Langstroth family welcomed a new addition - a baby girl, named Dawn. When her children were young, Anne took them on the road with her, lining up extended engagements in Las Vegas to try and bring some stability to an otherwise hectic life. "You just do what you have to do when they're young."

Juggling career and family, Anne continued to make television and concert appearances and records throughout the 1970s and '80s.