2004 - A Well Deserved Break
Junos, Edmonton, 2004
It's 2004 and Anne has just claimed a "well-deserved break from touring." For most
people, that translates into rest and relaxation…maybe six months on one of her favourite
beaches in Australia. But for our prolific and energetic artist, it seems that "a change
is as good as a rest"!
To mark the 30th anniversary of her first of four Grammy Awards (1974 Best Country
Vocal Performance - Female: Love Song), Anne moved from her successful 2003 Christmas
Tour of the Eastern United States into the creation of her 33rd studio album. I'll be
seeing you was released by EMI Music Canada as a standard single CD in September 2004
and renamed All of Me for release as a DualDisc CD (the first Canadian artist to do so)
in the U.S. in January 2005. This collection of some of Anne's all-time-favourite classic
songs (from Charlie Chaplin's Smile to Twilight Time) evokes deep emotions in fans…
bringing "an instant smile from the memories stirred." People Magazine proclaims All
of Me the "Critic's Choice", gives it a four-star review and describes the "real delight"
of Anne's "warm, rich" voice.
Her gift of a voice, her inherent passion for singing and her candid acknowledgement that
"you use it or lose it" keep Anne working hard. In addition to the recording studio, she maintained
an active itinerary of live appearances throughout 2004, including:
Anne and her mother, Marion Murray,
at the campaign launch for the new
Springhill Community Centre
as a Juno Awards presenter in Edmonton, Alberta (April 4)
as a performer at the Merritt Mountain Music Festival in Merritt, British Columbia (July 18)
as an honoured guest at the 15th anniversary of the Town of Springhill, Nova Scotia's Anne Murray Centre (July 28)
with her beloved mother and other family members at the grand opening of the Dr. Carson and Marion Murray Community Centre (September 15)
The latter two events each represent Anne's particularly strong sense of community:
She proudly lends her name and memorabilia of her musical accomplishments to the Anne Murray
Centre, a non-profit association that is owned and operated by the town and the province.
All of the Centre's revenue goes into maintaining the facility, providing local employment
through tourism and promoting awareness of the music of Nova Scotia and Canada.
Anne was delighted to accept the role of honorary chair of the fundraising campaign
to replace the town arena that collapsed after a peewee hockey game in 2002. Named for her
parents, the new Dr. Carson and Marion Murray Community Centre sports an NHL-size ice sheet
with seating for 800 people, a walking track, multi-purpose room, community room with seating
for up to 300, and a gym.
Anne Murray Centre, Springhill, Nova Scotia
"My five brothers and I grew up in 'the rink'," Anne recalls, with a fond smile. "There was only a
skating rink in the building at that time – and I skated there four days a week. I played girls' high
school hockey on Friday afternoons, with just skates, hockey sticks and a puck. And sometimes Dad would
rent the arena for a family game. It was great fun!"
With that same sense of fun, Anne came up with a great idea to help reach the community
centre project's aggressive goal of $1.5 million towards construction of the $6.1 million
facility. She began selecting the most memorable outfits that she wore on television
specials and tours and auctioned them off to fans on e-Bay! The first "piece of Anne
Murray history" was a jacket, skirt, tank top and belt that she wore for the CBC
television special Greatest Hits, Volume II, with Kenny Rogers and K.T. Oslin in 1989.
"I have lots of 'priceless garments' because they have a short lifespan from being steamed and
pressed after every performance and people tend to remember them. We auctioned off several of my
outfits and raised money for the community centre. Now that's the way to recycle!"
- Anne Murray
Anne's personal success combined with her visible love and support for Springhill was
featured in the article, "Women of Success – Impact on The Economy of Their Hometowns," in
Progressive Choices – Canadian Women In Business magazine (Summer/Fall 2004 edition).