It wasn’t planned, it just kind of happened, she said. In the hustle and bustle of the 2008 Juno Awards, Anne Murray and Jill Barber ran into each other on the red carpet.
“Literally, we bumped into each other, because it was chaos and mayhem at that thing,” said Murray, who ended up being interviewed with her fellow Nova Scotian songbird.
It was a chance, and interesting meeting. Both singers had found out only a few weeks before that they had both been left of the list of nominees — she for best album and Barber for best new artist.
“It is funny, because there we were, and neither one of us won,” said Murray. “I didn’t expect to win. I didn’t prepare an acceptance speech.”
With 40 years in the industry, the Springhill native said she has her share of Junos. Still, that doesn’t mean she wouldn’t have loved getting another one for Duets: Friends & Legends album.
The album — which features Murray sing alongside a diverse collection of women — has gone triple-platinum in Canada and has made Billboard’s Top 10 country charts.
Ironically, it’s an album she originally did not want to do when her record company suggested it.
“It’s gravy, because I didn’t expect this to happen,” said Murray. “I wasn’t going to do it, and that was it, so it shows you what I know. I’m glad they insisted, and pushed me, because it was a great experience.”
Murray recently hit the road to tour the album. She performed to a hometown crowd in Moncton on Tuesday, and is in Halifax tomorrow night. Joining her on tour, and appearing on the album with her, is Murray’s daughter, Dawn Langstroth.
Murray has gone on the record as saying this is her last cross-Canada tour, but the former school teacher said it’s not her last performance.
“The last time I did a coast-to-coast Canadian tour was 1996, so, if I wait that long again, I will be in my 70s, and I won’t be doing those tours,” she said. “This is all gravy for me.”
