Songbird Wings Way to Shows : Anne Murray has had 11 gold and several platinum records since ‘Snowbird.’ She will perform in Thousand Oaks.

In recent years, country music fans in the United States have welcomed female Canadian country crooners k. d. lang and Michelle Wright, among others. But nearly 25 years ago, it was Anne Murray, a former physical education teacher from Nova Scotia, who blazed a path across the border and hit Top 10 on the country and pop charts with her 1970 single “Snowbird.” Murray scored another success in 1973 with “Danny’s Song.” And since then, her name has barely left the pop and country charts with hits including “Shadows in the Moonlight,” “Could I Have This Dance” and “You Needed Me.”

The Canadian songbird has sold more than 26 million albums, won four Grammys and 28 Juno Awards--the Canadian equivalent of the Grammy--and brought home 11 gold and several platinum records.

Moreover, Murray’s instantly recognizable caramel-alto voice earned her a place in Nashville’s Walkway of Stars and countless Country Music Assn. and Academy of Country Music awards. Her “A Little Good News” was named both Single and Album of the Year by the Country Music Assn. in 1984.

You don’t have to like hard-core country music to enjoy Murray’s style. Her appeal crosses over many musical lines--country, folk, pop and ‘50s standards, like those on her 29th Capitol album, “Croonin’.”

So round up grandma, Uncle Bert and the kids for a concert with multi-generational appeal tonight and Friday at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza.

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Looks like this “Women of Country” theme thing is spreading. The Country Lovers Western Dance Club recently elected its first female president, Laura Dunn. And Heather Escobar will ride shotgun as vice president.

In another first, the American Federation of Musicians Local 581 (Musicians’ Union of Ventura County) has elected country singer Leti Morgan as its vice president. You can catch Morgan performing with her brother, Pino Sanchez, as the country duo Sibling Rivalry.

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Joe Hunsinger has passed the presidential reins of the Oak View-based District 8 chapter of the California State Old-Time Fiddlers Assn. to Don Whaley. But that won’t the keep two-steppin’ Hunsinger and his perpetual bride, Luana, off the dance floor at the club’s semimonthly meetings.

Hunsinger reported that during a recent business trip to Asia, the couple--who are the 1992 state waltz contest winners--were taken to a country-Western club in Singapore where they encountered duded-up musicians--and even a fiddle player--who phonetically sang hits by Merle Haggard and George Strait without an understanding of English. “They learn the songs from the records,” he explained. “A few people got up and tried a rough version of the two-step. But the idea of having a dance instructor hasn’t reached the clubs yet--they’re more into the music. So Luana and I got up and put on a waltz demo for the locals.”

Details

* WHO: Anne Murray.

* WHERE: Civic Arts Plaza Auditorium, 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks.

* WHEN: 7:30 p.m. today and 8 p.m. Friday.

* HOW MUCH: $57, $47, $37.

* FYI: Civic Arts Plaza box office, 449-2787, or TicketMaster, 583-8700.