A music producer from Halifax, who significantly influenced Anne Murray’s decision to embark on a musical career and later produced albums for renowned artists like Johnny Cash and Emmylou Harris, is being commemorated for his contributions to the music world.
Brian Ahern, aged 81, passed away on Monday in Minnesota.
Murray recounted meeting Ahern when she auditioned for Singalong Jubilee, a CBC television program that showcased local talent in Halifax during the 1960s and 1970s. Ahern served as the musical producer for the show, though Murray was not selected during her initial audition.
“He was determined to have me on that show,” Murray shared with CBC on Wednesday. “That’s where my journey with Brian began.”
Two years later, she received another chance to audition and was successful.
Anne Murray of Springhill, N.S., is shown in a 1971 photo. (The Canadian Press)
Ahern eventually relocated to Toronto while Murray continued her career as a teacher on the East Coast. Although she felt unprepared to transition to a full-time music career, Ahern persistently encouraged her.
“He would send me letters, urging me to move to Toronto and record an album. I just couldn’t see the point,” Murray chuckled. “Eventually, I relented, left teaching, and went to Toronto to collaborate on an album.”
She described him as a reserved individual and recognized him as an exceptional musician.
“Sometimes, you had to read between the lines with him… but he was a great teacher in the studio,” Murray reflected. “We both learned from each other, but he was so astute that he grasped things quickly.”
They encountered numerous obstacles together. Upon Murray’s arrival in Toronto, she noted that Ahern had “no funds,” and she had to use her teaching earnings to retrieve his guitar before they could start recording.
Brian Ahern accepts a lifetime achievement award for producer/engineer during The Americana Music Awards in Nashville on Sept. 9, 2010. (The Associated Press)
<p"We essentially learned the ropes and matured in the music industry together," Murray stated.
Her hit song, Snowbird, from the 1969 album This Way Is My Way, was one of the 13 albums he produced for her, according to the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame.
Murray remarked that while they “went [their] separate ways, [they] both achieved greater success.”
From left: Ricky Skaggs, Emmylou Harris and Brian Ahern perform on Nov. 18, 2013, in Nashville. (Rick Diamond/Getty Images)
Ahern’s career also led him to cities like Los Angeles and Nashville, where he produced albums for artists including George Jones, Ricky Skaggs, and Rodney Crowell. He produced 11 albums for Emmylou Harris, whom he married in 1974.
The last time Murray saw Ahern was during his induction into the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame in 2006.
“Brian’s belief in my abilities helped me navigate those formative years,” Murray expressed before introducing Ahern on stage.
He received a lifetime achievement award from the Americana Music Association in 2010 and was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2019.
Following his passing, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum released a statement highlighting Ahern’s contributions, noting that his work “helped shape a fundamental form of American roots music” and “laid the groundwork for Americana music in the 1990s.”
Ahern was a ‘steward of the artistic process’
Ahern’s daughters, Shannon and Meghann Ahern, shared cherished memories of spending nights in recording studios while their father worked.
“He would take us everywhere, and he constructed a human-sized dollhouse from studio baffles (soundproofing equipment) so I could play quietly while he was busy,” Shannon Ahern recounted.
They characterized him as a “steward of the artistic process” who was dedicated to helping artists realize their creative potential.
“I recognized the musicians my dad was collaborating with as talented, and that they were creating art together,” Meghann Ahern said. “That was my understanding—that art was significant, but it also necessitated hard work, commitment, and dedication.”