Anne Murray Album: “Together/Keeping in Touch”

These are two of Anne Murray's best albums, with divine ballads, hearty rockers, country rambles and some real grit. Brother Bruce joins her on "Player in the Band" and "Dancin' All Night Long" is one of the truly memorable Murray ventures. These are albums which stand the tests both of time and listening again and again. They're fresh and sassy--don't miss 'em.

These two albums, produced by Tom Catalano in 1975 and 1976, are among the least well known of Anne's vast number of albums. Tom came in after Anne and her previous producer Brian Ahern decided to go their separate ways. Brian achieved immediate fame as producer for Emmylou Harris. Anne faded, temporarily, into obscurity, before changing producers again and hitting the big time with You needed me. Yet, the two albums which make up this twofer should not be overlooked.

The first album, Together, includes many original songs, including two by Gene MacLellan who wrote many songs for Anne, including Snowbird. Here he contributes If it's all right with you and The call, although Anne had previously recorded The call for her Honey wheat and laughter album of a few years earlier. There are also covers of Sunday sunrise (a song I first heard on one of Brenda Lee's country albums of the seventies, though I'm not sure who recorded the song first), Everything old is new again (Peter Allen) and Part time love (Bread).

Both these albums, while generally mellow, show that Anne can pick up the tempo when required. The music is of a consistently high quality. While none of Anne's famous songs are here, her fans will enjoy this.

I've been searching for over 15 years for Anne Murray's rendition of "Everything Old Is New Again" and I finally have a copy of it. Any fan knows that she never sang any song other than very well, but her's is the only version of this song that excels.

I was thrilled to find Anne Murray's Together CD on Amazon. It has some of Anne's earlier recordings and since I couldn't find this CD for years, I had given up hope that I would ever hear the music that got me through so many beautiful as well as really rough periods in the eighties. Anne's music, especially this CD, is as timely and appropriate today as it was when it was first recorded. It is a real treasure.