Anne Murray came to sing for 640 supporters of Adsum House in Halifax Thursday, but the Springhill songbird has no plans to perform in public in the province in the near future.

She has been asked in previous years by the co-ordinators of the only emergency shelter of its kind in the Maritimes for homeless and transient women and their children to accept their annual Adsum House Successful Canadian Woman award.

"I haven't been available before," Murray said at a news conference in Adsum House Thursday afternoon.

"I get 30 to 50 requests for charities in a week. I pick and choose - this is a great cause, and it's also in Nova Scotia. I support it all the way."

Murray has been vacationing for several months in the province.

Former politician Sandra Jolly, chair of the Adsum Open Door Fundraising Campaign, told Murray that as a result of her appearing at last night's dinner in Pier 22, all 640 tickets were sold out well in advance.

"The campaign raises 40 percent of the $200,000 campaign," Jolly said. "It's up to 50 percent now. Because of Anne we will be able to raise over $30,000 (at the dinner). The majority of the funds go to Adsum House not to anything else."

Jolly said that in the 15 years since opening its doors for the first time in 1983, Adsum House has assisted nearly 7,000 women and children. It has no guaranteed funding for its $200,000 annual budget.

Murray is the ninth woman to receive the Successful Canadian Woman accolade.

Murray would not say anything about the songs she planned to sing at the dinner, except that it was to be an acoustic performance, with just two guitars and her voice.

As for future concerts, she hasn't looked at her concert engagement schedule for months, she said. An appearance in Las Vegas is the only engagement she recalled.

As far as Nova Scotia is concerned, she said "I'll be back eventually."