TORONTO, October 11, 2016 – The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (CSHF) is pleased to announce the induction of the 1971 hit song Sing High, Sing Low, written by Brent Titcomb and popularized by Anne Murray. To celebrate the song’s induction, Canadian singer-songwriter, Levi Randall who goes by the stage name VACAY, performs his own unique rendition of Sing High, Sing Low as part of the Hall of Fame and CBC/Radio-Canada’s Covered Classics series; his performance can be viewed Here.
“What a pleasure to be chosen to reinterpret this timeless tune,” says VACAY. “The Covered Classics series provides Canadians an opportunity to pay homage to some of the greatest songwriters this country has produced, and insures their work is celebrated and archived for generations to come.”
“I am honoured and humbled by the induction of Sing High, Sing Low into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame,” says Brent Titcomb. “As a songwriter, you write a tune and release it into the world – it’s been thrilling to see where this song has travelled over the decades.”
Following her worldwide smash hit with Gene MacLellan’s Snowbird, Anne Murray needed a follow-up single to carry the momentum. Capitol Records responded with Sing High, Sing Low, a cheerful country-pop song, written by Vancouverite and former 3’s A Crowd band member, Brent Titcomb.
The optimistic Sing High, Sing Low reflects the composer’s folk-music roots and the mindset of the early 1970s’ social movement. The lyrics espouse harmony, telling us that we may be different, but can find much in common (“We can sing high/We can sing low/It’s all the same, you know”), while the melody employs the device of word-painting to match the lyrics.
A cut from the album “Anne Murray: Straight, Clean and Simple,” Sing High was arranged and produced by Juno-winner Brian Ahern, with a string arrangement by Rick Wilkins. Capitol released the 45-rpm disc with MacLellan’s Days of the Looking Glass on the B side. On the UK version, the B side was Shirley Eikhardt’s It Takes Time.
Sing High was a double No. 1 hit in Canada. The single entered RPM’s Adult Contemporary chart on November 14, 1970 at No. 16, hitting No. 1 by December 26. Sing High simultaneously climbed steadily up the RPM Top 100 Singles chart, topping out at No. 4 on February 20, 1971 behind Gordon Lightfoot’s If You Could Read My Mind and the country classic Rose Garden. The following week, Sing High became RPM’s Country No. 1 record, highlighting its successful Canadian run of over two months.
Subsequent albums featuring the upbeat song include Titcomb’s 1977 “May All Beings Be Happy,” with country-tinged delivery, pared-down guitar accompaniment and a gospel chorus; followed by his “Healing of Her Heart” (1993). It also appears on Murray’s “The Best of Anne Murray,” “There’s a Hippo in My Tub,” and “The Ultimate Collection.” The song has also been published in sheet music and in an Anne Murray songbook. The song was once performed by Murray on the popular Johnny Cash TV show.
Folk-singer and songwriter Brent Titcomb (born 1940 in Vancouver, B.C.) was a member of the 1960s’ folk group Three’s a Crowd. A guitarist and percussionist, he was in Anne Murray’s touring band for many years. He also found success as an actor. His songs have been recorded by country star Glen Campbell and others.
A collaboration between the CSHF and CBC/Radio-Canada, Covered Classics invites Canada’s finest musical talent to perform their version of a classic song to celebrate its induction into the Hall of Fame.
To view 2015 and 2016 Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame song inductions and the Covered Classics performances, click here.
About the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame
The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (www.uatcshf.ca) honours and celebrates Canadian songwriters and those who have dedicated their lives to the legacy of music, and works to educate the public about these achievements. National and non-profit, the Hall of Fame is guided by its own board of directors who comprise both Anglophone and Francophone music creators and publishers, as well as representation from the record industry. In December 2011, SOCAN (the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada) acquired the Hall of Fame. The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame’s mandate aligns with SOCAN’s objectives as a songwriter and publisher membership-based organization.
About CBCMusic.ca
CBCMusic.ca (www.cbcmusic.ca) is Canada’s free digital music service connecting Canadians with the very best in Canadian and international music, concerts and features. Simple and easy to navigate, CBCMusic.ca gives music fans access to 50 Web radio stations, 12 distinct genre-based music communities, CBC Radio 2 and CBC Radio 3, plus content from the most knowledgeable music personalities and programmers from across the country, hundreds of concerts, playlists and more.
About ICIMusique.ca
ICIMusique.ca (www.icimusique.ca) is Radio-Canada’s online music platform. It allows Canadians to stream live radio, and listen to over 150 channels of web radio, albums streaming, special features and music news.
Media contact, to arrange an interview: Christine Liber, Liberty Ink Communications (for CSHF) Christine@LibertyInk.ca, 416-651-4722 x 1
