Anne Murray

Where do you call home?
Thornhill. It’s technically a suburb of Toronto, even if I don’t see where one suburb finishes and another one starts. I’ve been in the same house since 1979, when I was pregnant with my daughter – it’s my dream home, even if I’ve hardly been in it over the last 30 years.

What’s the difference between writing a book and writing a song?
Book writing isn’t unlike doing an album, where the work is never done; there’s always something you can fix. It’s hard going back down some of those roads. My whole career, I’ve kept things close to my chest, and now I’m talking about all of this private stuff. In the end, you just have to cut the cord, let it go and suffer the consequences.

Where do you go on vacation?
I’ve always tried to spend part of the summer in Pugwash, Nova Scotia. One of my brothers called me years ago and said there was a beautiful piece of property for sale, so we bought 32 acres. On any given day, you’ll see four Murrays – sometimes eight – playing golf, and we get together for parties, dinner and singsongs.

We heard your first job in housekeeping helped you teach Vegas hotel staff how to make beds.
It didn’t stop with Vegas! I’ve taught maids from coast to coast how to make beds. Oh, jeez, when you’re having to remake a bed at 4 a.m., it’s no fun.

So when housekeeping comes, do you say, “Do you have a minute?”
Yes! I watch them and I say, “You’re not doing it right!” I’ve never taught anyone how to clean the toilet, but I’m a pretty good toilet cleaner too.

What’s on your playlist these days?
My daughter, Dawn, has a new album called Highwire. It’s fantastic, so I’ve been listening to that. And Eva Cassidy… She’ll make you cry. Listen to her version of “Danny Boy,” and you’ll hear the greatest voice of all time.

Age  64
Profession  Singer and author
Location  Thornhill, Ontario; Pugwash, Nova Scotia, or on the road
Claim to fame  “Snowbird”
Latest project   Her autobiography – All of Me – due out on October 27
Last vacation  Spain
Next vacation  Golfing in Ireland
Travel essential  Her Memory Foam pillow, which she takes everywhere
Favourite souvenirs  A commemorative plaque decorated with spoons, gold nuggets, sleds and dogs, a beautiful handmade parka and soapstone carvings she received as gifts during a tour of Canada’s North.

Click here to check out the new album by Dawn Langstroth, Anne Murray’s daughter. Or listen to Anne Murray speak exclusively with Michael Posner about her biography on the Audio Channel on your seatback entertainment system.