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November 18, 2021 6:37 pm  #1


CBC-TV To Air Anne Murray Documentary In December

When you think CanCon (and possibly overplayed CanCon) on the radio, two names come to mind: Anne Murray and Gordon Lightfoot. The former is the subject of a new documentary from the CBC, while the latter is one of those interviewed about the life and fame of a woman who is arguably Canada's most famous female singer. It tells the story of how an obscure gym teacher from Nova Scotia became an international star, thanks to a string of hits that started with "Snowbird" and the effect it had on her life and Canadian music. 

It's called "Anne Murray: Full Circle" and it will have its debut in theatres for one night before being seen on CBC-TV for free the next evening, Dec. 17th. 

"The documentary shows how Murray's impeccable song choices produced hit after hit; how she worked alongside some of the biggest names in music, including Glen Campbell, Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton — all who featured her on their variety shows; and how she rubbed elbows with the likes of John Lennon and Alice Cooper, while inspiring up-and-coming Canadian artists."

Read more and see the trailer here.

 

November 18, 2021 6:48 pm  #2


Re: CBC-TV To Air Anne Murray Documentary In December

Canada's most famous female singer?   And Celine Dion was who then.......
 

 

November 18, 2021 7:34 pm  #3


Re: CBC-TV To Air Anne Murray Documentary In December

... Shania Twain?

Just kidding RA. You said "argueably."

Last edited by Dale Patterson (November 18, 2021 7:35 pm)


"Life without echo is really no life at all." - Dan Ingram
 

November 18, 2021 7:48 pm  #4


Re: CBC-TV To Air Anne Murray Documentary In December

markow202 wrote:

Canada's most famous female singer?   And Celine Dion was who then.......
 

Anne Murray's been around much longer, which is not to take anything away from Dion. Therefore she's been famous longer. And if you look at chart success, Dion had 12 Top 10 hits in the U.S. Murray managed 16. Dion may have had more exposure and better publicity, seeking the spotlight, but someone down south bought Murray's records. 

But they're both very different kinds of artists. I don't think of Murray as a "diva." But I confess I do think of Dion that way. 

And, as Dale so aptly noted, it is "arguable."

     Thread Starter
 

November 18, 2021 8:34 pm  #5


Re: CBC-TV To Air Anne Murray Documentary In December

RadioActive wrote:

Anne Murray's been around much longer, which is not to take anything away from Dion. Therefore she's been famous longer.

I think "famous" has to take into account current awareness. I'd wager you'd get a lot more Celine, Shania, Avril, or even Alessia answers if you asked random people in 2021.
 

 

November 18, 2021 8:48 pm  #6


Re: CBC-TV To Air Anne Murray Documentary In December

Yes, if you asked in 2021. But Murray has simply been around a lot longer than the trio you mention. Not sure if it's fair to compare a 70s and 80s artist to one who may be more top of mind today. Those people would always win given that scenario.

Regardless, the special looks intriguing to me and it may be the first thing I'll watch off the CBC in years. 

     Thread Starter
 

November 18, 2021 8:51 pm  #7


Re: CBC-TV To Air Anne Murray Documentary In December

Anne Murray specials always had great ratings for CBC and later CBS.  It will be interesting to see what the ratings for this more documentary style of program will be.  This could be her last special.  Looking at the trailer lots of old rare and unseen film clips.  I hope CBC gives it a reasonable amount promotion.   Wouldn't be surprised if they bought some time on a few commercial radio stations like Newstalk 1010 or AM 740 to promote the show.  

 

November 18, 2021 8:58 pm  #8


Re: CBC-TV To Air Anne Murray Documentary In December

RadioActive wrote:

Yes, if you asked in 2021. But Murray has simply been around a lot longer than the trio you mention. Not sure if it's fair to compare a 70s and 80s artist to one who may be more top of mind today. Those people would always win given that scenario.
 

Fame isn't permanent. If you can't be named now, you're, by definition, no longer famous.

 

November 18, 2021 10:15 pm  #9


Re: CBC-TV To Air Anne Murray Documentary In December

What was interesting about Anne Murray was she was thought of as more a country artist who could record pop songs in most of the world.  However in Canada it was the opposite, she was regarded as a pop artist who could do country. In Canada, most of her popularity and sales were in the pop or a/c charts and everywhere else more in country music.  She was one of the first artists who had a long and very successful career in both popular and country music. 

Always questioned whether her and Gordon Lightfoot were actually overplayed on radio.  To me another cancon fairytale that wasn't true.  I was in radio in the 70's and both Anne and Gord were not played any more than other artists of the day at the stations I was involved with.  Also interesting to note for both of them, their biggest successes and popularity internationally, especially in the US was from 1971 and the years after.  The same time that cancon came into effect. 

 

November 18, 2021 10:44 pm  #10


Re: CBC-TV To Air Anne Murray Documentary In December

To be fair, when I said overplayed, I was referring to oldies stations - although I admit I wasn't entirely clear about that. I remember the various versions of SOWNY going way back when CHUM and CKOC were still playing 60s and 70s music, and the large volume of posts complaining about the number of times Anne Murray and Gordon Lightfoot were played on those stations. 

It made perfect sense, of course. They both had a ton of hits and it was just easier to play them than one-or-two-hit-wonder Canadian artists. If I recall, the only other one mentioned quite as much was Andy Kim. It's not that listeners didn't like the music - it's just that many felt they were over exposed due to the CanCon requirements and the format and they grew somewhat tired of hearing them over and over and over.

The old SOWNY boards had quite a few threads about that over the years. And I don't think they were completely wrong. 

     Thread Starter
 

November 18, 2021 11:54 pm  #11


Re: CBC-TV To Air Anne Murray Documentary In December

I looked up a little more research on Anne Murray's TV specials.  She had 5 on CBS, and each show had over 40 million viewers in the US.  Just to compare  Adele's two hour special last week had 10.3 million viewers on CBS and this was a smash hit for the network.  Adele's program, which included interview segments with Oprah has been the highest rated entertainment show so far this year  even beating out the Oscars. 

Anne's had 11 specials on CBC which all had huge viewership.  One program in 2005, Music of My Life had 7 million viewers and broke all records for Thursday evening ratings in Canada and her Christmas special in 2008 had a 43% audience share and over 4.2 million viewers.  How times have changed.  I don't imagine the upcoming special will have numbers anywhere like that but it could do well, if promoted properly and people are aware of the show. 

 

November 19, 2021 11:17 am  #12


Re: CBC-TV To Air Anne Murray Documentary In December

Shes no longer famous period.  Shes not even wanted on any "throwback" playlists, and I most people have not even heard of het unless they are from that era.  Dolly Parton would walk over her and im not speaking in a biased opinion, although shes american.  The CBC really has nothing else creative to think of, its unfortunate.  

We have Shania, Celine, KD Lang, Alanis Morrissette the list goes on..... they moved the world.   

 

November 19, 2021 11:38 am  #13


Re: CBC-TV To Air Anne Murray Documentary In December

markow202 wrote:

Canada's most famous female singer?   And Celine Dion was who then.......
 

She is Quebecois, not Canadian.  Or, if you prefer, French Canadian. 
If you're counting her in as Can Con, count your blessings that Quebec has not yet separated. When they do, there will be a QRTC and her music will be counted as coming from another country. (ie not Canadian content) 

 
 


RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person. 
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.

 
 

November 19, 2021 12:58 pm  #14


Re: CBC-TV To Air Anne Murray Documentary In December

grilled.cheese wrote:



 

My Union, United Steelworkers has sot of adopted that song as our unofficial anthem.


I started out with nothing and I still have most of it.
 

November 19, 2021 1:11 pm  #15


Re: CBC-TV To Air Anne Murray Documentary In December

Wow, we  seem to be getting overly political and emotional here.  It is just a TV special and has nothing to do with Quebec separating or CBC creativity. 

As mentioned above, this could be Murray's final television program that she headlines. It is totally appropriate for CBC to do a documentary style program on her career.  She has not been in the public eye for years and her last album to go platinum in both the US and Canada was in 1999. 

Shania, Celine, Alanis, KD, Sara, Nelly, Joni, Diana, Jann, Buffy, Alannah, Feist, Avril, Carly Rae, Alessia and others have all given the world and Canada a lot of great music.  All have been and were popular in Canada and elsewhere.  It's interesting that Anne has sung with many of them over the years.  In fact in 2007 her Duets: Legends and Friends CD went double platinum in Canada with virtually no radio play.

Actually I do disagree a bit with her not being on throwback playlists.  She does appear quite regularly on Sirius XM radio on various channels including 70's on 7 and of course country channels.  It is in Canada that you rarely hear Anne any longer on the radio, other than maybe AM 740 in our area.  Even on Roger Ashby's oldies show he has only played Anne Murray songs a few times.      

Last edited by paterson1 (November 19, 2021 1:14 pm)

 

November 19, 2021 3:18 pm  #16


Re: CBC-TV To Air Anne Murray Documentary In December

Anne Murray deserves a doc, the same way Hank Snow, Jack Scott, Glenn Gould, Oscar Peterson and many other earlier Canadians artists do. What's to argue? These more recent artists will get their deserved due, but let's not forget what went before.


"Life without echo is really no life at all." - Dan Ingram
 

December 17, 2021 12:57 am  #17


Re: CBC-TV To Air Anne Murray Documentary In December

Just a reminder for those who are interested in this documentary, it airs Friday night at 8 PM on the CBC. After that, it will be available free on CBC Gem. 

     Thread Starter
 

December 17, 2021 3:48 pm  #18


Re: CBC-TV To Air Anne Murray Documentary In December

Sure didn't promote it much what I saw.  I have seen a total of two promos as of yesterday for the special.  A shame since Anne gave CBC some big big ratings with her many specials over the years.   I am basing this mostly on CBC News Channel which has plenty of promo for Gem, Family Feud, Great Canadian Baking Show, War of the World's, Marketplace, Winter Olympics etc.

Maybe the main network has been giving this special more profile.  Ian Hanomansing did interview her  one or two weeks back..  Some say that may have been her last major interview. .   

Last edited by paterson1 (December 17, 2021 3:58 pm)

 

December 17, 2021 6:49 pm  #19


Re: CBC-TV To Air Anne Murray Documentary In December

paterson1 wrote:

Sure didn't promote it much what I saw.   

Agree.  The only piece I saw was a Toronto Star article.  I've set the PVR now...thanks (again) RA.


 

 

December 17, 2021 8:50 pm  #20


Re: CBC-TV To Air Anne Murray Documentary In December

I did an interview with Anne; upon her retirement.  Towards the end of the interview, I took a big gulp and asked the following question.  "Anne, just after Snowbird was released, I played it one day for the first time; on CKFH.  A couple of minutes later the phone rang and the voice on the other end; who sounded a lot like you, thanked me for playing it.  I was told it was the first time you heard it on the radio."  It sounded like you; but I was afraid to ask."

Pause.  "It was me, John."  I breathed a sigh of relief.  I can't say enough about Anne.  Looking forward to the special.

 

December 18, 2021 12:36 am  #21


Re: CBC-TV To Air Anne Murray Documentary In December

Highly enjoyable two hours tonight. When the doc touched on "A Little Good News," the point was made that it was
a song that could be rereleased every five years. Right now, with everything that's going on in the world, might be
a good time. Play it now, play it often.

Last edited by mike marshall (December 18, 2021 1:41 am)

 

December 18, 2021 1:06 am  #22


Re: CBC-TV To Air Anne Murray Documentary In December

Interesting comments in this thread. I also enjoyed the show. I still fondly my one brief conversation with her. Even if she's not remembered, or even heard of, by a lot of younger people, she was a giant trailblazer for Canadian musical talent.

 

December 18, 2021 11:59 am  #23


Re: CBC-TV To Air Anne Murray Documentary In December

mike marshall wrote:

Highly enjoyable two hours tonight. When the doc touched on "A Little Good News," the point was made that it was
a song that could be rereleased every five years. Right now, with everything that's going on in the world, might be
a good time. Play it now, play it often.

I had forgotten that song, Mike ( haven't watched the show yet);  until your post.

Just played the YouTube video and it all came back like the years had not passed.  A great version and a message that resonates even stronger today.
 

 

December 18, 2021 4:09 pm  #24


Re: CBC-TV To Air Anne Murray Documentary In December

I PVR'd the show last night but I was flipping between it and Canada's Walk of Fame over on CTV.  My television has the top five trending shows that I can look up.  Anne's special was the most trending show on Bell Fibe  from about 8:10 until the special ended at 10pm.  Walk of Fame pretty good, Eric McCormack and Traci Melchor co hosted and were a good paring.  Eric is quite witty and the two played off each other well.  Good video segments with all of the inductees this year.