Anne Murray Talks ‘Totally Unexpected’ New Album and Why It May Be Her ‘Last Foray into the Music Business’

Murray’s iconic career was honored in The Music of My Life: An All-Star Tribute to Anne Murray at the Grand Ole Opry on Monday, Oct. 27

In 2008, Anne Murray gracefully retired from recording and performing, choosing to conclude a legendary, 40-year career on her own terms and at a point when her voice, which has enchanted legions of fans worldwide and led to her being dubbed “Canada’s Snowbird,” was still at its best.

Fast forward to 2025. Murray sits proudly in Nashville, a city where many musicians count her as an inspiration made their name. She tells PEOPLE in a rare interview that it feels “shocking” to be at this stage in her life and career, discussing her first new body of recorded work in almost two decades: Here You Are.

“It’s shocking because it just came out of left field. Just totally out of left field,” Murray, 80, shares. “I never would’ve known about it had it not been for this superfan who dug deep and found all of these things that were in the archives.”

Universal Music

The cover of Anne Murray’s new album ‘Here You Are’

The iconic artist, whom Elvis Presley once called one of his favorite singers, recalls that conversations about the forgotten works from her archive began roughly “five years ago.” She admits, “I really didn’t pay much attention because I thought, ‘Well, if there are songs that have been discarded, they’ve been put to the side, I mustn’t have wanted them at that time either, and so they mustn’t be that great.’ “

Evidently, persistence from the fan led Murray to reevaluate her perspective on the tracks.

“Well, he says, ‘Yeah. But you should have listened to them.’ I finally came around, and I finally listened. I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised at what I heard. I was shocked, actually, as I said. I went, ‘Wow. How could I leave these behind? They’re good songs.’ “

The valiant efforts to bring those recordings to light — and into Murray’s good graces — culminate in Here You Are. With 11 previously-unreleased tracks spanning just 33 minutes of runtime, Murray weaves a short but sweet tapestry that effortlessly intermingles her country, pop and adult contemporary sensibilities into a cohesive singular voice that is certain to delight new and old fans alike.

Christina Martin

Anne Murray with her daughter, Dawn Langstroth, and nephew, Dale Murray

Murray didn’t tackle the project alone, either. She brought along her daughter, Dawn Langstroth, and nephew, Dale Murray, who recorded new vocals and a guitar solo on “Bring All Your Heartaches to Me,” which is featured on the project.

She shares, “They asked me to program them and do whatever I wanted to do. I did all that and worked on them a little bit. I had my daughter come and do some background vocals. I had my nephew play some pedal steel.”

“It was so fun to get back in the studio again and after all these years. I don’t know, it was just a labor of love that was totally unexpected,” Murray says, though she admits that this surprise effort to release a project is likely to be her last.

“I think that my last album was … my album was called Duets. I thought that was my last album. This was a real surprise,” she reflects. “I suspect it will be my last foray into the music business. But if there’s something else on the horizon, who knows? You never know.”

Though Murray recognizes Here You Are may mark the end of her recording career, she adds that she is “open to just about anything at this stage.”

In tandem with celebrating the release of her new album, Murray was also lauded on country music’s most iconic stage with The Music of My Life: An All-Star Tribute to Anne Murray at the Grand Ole Opry on Monday, Oct. 27. The lineup brought together Trisha Yearwood and Martina McBride, as well as fellow Canadian music royalty such as Michelle Wright and k.d. lang, who all took to the stage to perform in honor of Murray’s legendary career and impact on country music, kudos she feels “honored” to receive.

However, reflecting on the iconic moments throughout her career that culminated in a dedicated Opry tribute, Murray shares that “times were not quite so easy” when she “got started.”

Katy Ann

Anne Murray

“But there was a time when I was back in Nova Scotia, and all of a sudden I had a song on the Billboard charts with ‘Snowbird,’ and what’s the likelihood of that? It was the farthest thing from my mind,” the Grammy, Juno and CMA Award winner says. “I just went, ‘Well, okay. If that’s the way it’s going to be.’ That’s the way I felt about this all these years later, that if this is coming your way, you just go with it.”

Continuing her legendary modesty, Murray adds, “I played a lot of the state fairs. I played a lot of … I don’t know, just … Those people were always so appreciative, and that’s where my base lay. That was the career. There never was a whole lot of hoopla about my career or anything. I just had a hit record every now and then, and just quietly went home to Canada. That’s how it worked for me.”

Ultimately, Murray surmises that at this stage in her career, she’s “very proud of this album” and “really happy” to be in a position where she can both release new work to her legions of fans and be present for a legendary night, earmarking a legendary career in the music industry.

“The fact that I’m having this tribute concert now means that not everybody has forgotten, but I’m flattered and I’m honored that this is happening,” she shares.

Here You Are is available on all major streaming platforms now.