Anne Murray - lead vocals; George Abarre - guitar; Peter Cartenelli - bass; Bryan Gato - pedal steel, keyboards; Debby Griman - backing vocals; Adin Mason - guitar; Kevin MacKenzie - drums; Bruce Murray - backing and lead vocals; Pat Ricco Jr - conductor, piano; Steve Sexton - keyboards
Clocking in with 26 songs in less than 100 minutes proves that when she's onstage Anne Murray is all about giving the audience its money worth. Born in Nova Scotia, Murray quickly became a vocal icon in her native Canada, and had a 20-year run of Top 10 hits on both the pop and country charts in North America and Europe.
This show, taped for the Silver Eagle Cross Country radio concert series, was recorded in Toronto, upon her return to the music scene after a long absence to raise her family. After the audience sings the Canadian national anthem (Murray had been booked into the opening weekend events for the launch of the Kingswood Music Theater, and this show was the second of two nights she played at the venue).
Murray has always been greatly loved by Canadian audiences, and this recording bares proof. Just before she does her medley of encores, she tells the cheering audience: "Thank you, so much. I just love a frenzied middle-of-the-road audience. It makes me feel like I am in rock'n'roll, where the real money is…"
Murray opens with a re-make of the 1960s Bruce Channel classic "Hey! Baby," which Murray turned into a hit herself. Nearly all of her biggest pop and country hits are featured in the show, including "Shadows In The Moonlight," "I Just Fall In Love," and "Love Song." She moves over to lean on the piano for a cabaret version of "Another Sleepless Night" before returning to the bandstand and delivering the rest of her hits, including "What About Me," "Could I Have This Last Dance," "Snow Bird," and the memorable ballad "You Needed Me."
Murray also scored several hits with her MOR (middle of the road) covers of 1960s rock gems such as The Beatles' "You Won't See Me," The Monkees' "Daydream Believer," and "Walk Right Back," originally cut in 1960 by the Everly Brothers. She ends the show with "From Now On" (sung by younger brother, Bruce Murray) and "Falling In Love," a duet featuring both siblings.
Murray was working as a high school physical education teacher when, on a whim, she auditioned as a singer on a popular Canadian TV variety show, entitled Sing-Along Jubilee. She didn't get the gig, but two years later one of the show's producers asked her to try again for another variety show called Lets Go!. Murray joined the show, and, in 1968, began a career as a recording artist. An alliance with Glen Campbell, who featured Murray on his own variety show, led to a deal with Capitol Records. In 1970, the single "Snowbird," from her debut LP, became a worldwide Top 10 smash, and even prompted the King, Elvis Presley, to call the recording one of his all time favorite pop records.