Copyright Parade
Key Points Anne Murray received a tribute at the Grand Ole Opry for her country music contributions. Fans and peers criticized the Country Music Hall of Fame for not inducting her. Murray recently released a new album, 'Here You Are.' She retired from performing in 2008. On the same night Nashville celebrated a country legend, fans expressed outrage that the artist still hasn’t been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Anne Murray was celebrated for her contribution to the country music industry with a star-studded tribute at the Grand Ole Opry on October 27. It was during that tribute that the wife of a country music legend called out the Country Music Hall of Fame for not yet inducting Murray into the organization. According to the Canadian Broadcasting Company, Nancy Jones, the widow of country star and Hall of Fame inductee George Jones, spoke of Murray’s lasting impact on the genre. She shared her outrage as to why the entertainer hasn’t been inducted thus far. “They should be ashamed of themselves, not having her in there,” she said. “If it’s up to me, I will do whatever I can to get her into the Country Music Hall of Fame here in the United States.” Parade Daily🎬 SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 Also commending Murray’s contributions to the genre were k.d. lang, who said, per Richmond News, “You plowed the road before I got there. And I owe so much of my success to you.” “Anne Murray has always been somebody who’s been a tremendous mentor to me and has always been my champion,” Lang added via a video clip. “It is my absolute honor to be able to sing for Anne Murray and support someone who’s supported me.” Reba McEntire send her gratitude via a video message. She said, “Thank you so much for everything you’ve done for the women of country music.” While she is not in the Country Music Hall of Fame, Murray is, per her website, the recipient of four Grammys, 26 JUNOs (Canadian Music Awards), three American Music Awards, three Country Music Association Awards, and three Canadian Country Music Association Awards. What is Anne Murray doing now? Anne Murray released a new body of work, Here You Are, her first in almost 20 years, reported PEOPLE Magazine. She told the outlet, “It’s shocking because it just came out of left field. Just totally out of left field. 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.” Murray retired from live performing in 2008 after completing her final tour. “I think that my last album was called Duets. I thought that was my last album. This was a real surprise,” she explained. “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.” Murray continues to inspire music fans around the world, including Seth MacFarlane, who famously included the songstress in a memorable Family Guy episode during Season 11. Stewie Griffin (MacFarlane) became a huge fan of the country superstar after initially hearing the song “Snowbird” in the car with his mom, Lois (Alex Borstein).
