A single photo snapped during a wild night out with John Lennon at a famed Hollywood hotspot transformed the public’s image of one beloved ’70s country star.
In 1973, Anne Murray‘s squeaky-clean image was reportedly working against her. Therefore, her management decided that if she was seen at some of the more legendary Hollywood hotspots, she would be perceived differently by industry insiders.
To shake things up, Murray hired Shep Gordon, who also managed rock icon Alice Cooper, to take control of her career. She explained how his management, plus one iconic photo, changed her life.
Around Thanksgiving 1973, Murray booked a gig at The Troubadour in West Hollywood. That night, Lennon, Harry Nilsson, Alice Cooper, and Mickey Dolenz, also known as The Hollywood Vampires, attended.
In an interview with U Discover Music, Murray explained, “Shep Gordon, who was managing me at the time, also managed Alice Cooper, and they were all there. And I can assure you that I was the only sober one in that picture that was taken.”
She continued, “But they were having a good time, and they came. They came to see the show. I don’t know how long they stayed or what, but I do know that we got that iconic picture done, and I’ve gotten a lot of mileage out of it.”
Murray would later meet up with Lennon again, shortly after her cover of The Beatles hit, “You Won’t See Me.” She explained, “I was at the Grammys. And he came to my dressing-room door to tell me that he thought that my cover of ‘You Won’t See Me’ was the best Beatles cover to date. And I was thrilled because I was a Beatles freak. I loved them. And when he came to my door, I was speechless.”