Mary was born in 1911 at Whitewater, Montana, to Gregory and Mary Alphonsine Briere. She first began trying to fiddle when she was very young. Family legend has it that she tried to teach herself and that, unable to reach the strings, she tied sticks to her fingers so that she could note the instrument. Her father and uncles, Alec and Sam Allery, were influences on her fiddling and taught her a great deal. Mary also listened to KOBB radio in Great Falls which broadcast fiddlers [fiddle music] in the Thirties.She learned "Foggy Valley," the tune that would later become her trademark, from the radio. Canadian Metis fiddlers, Andy Dejarlis and Ned Landry influenced Mary's fiddle style as well as did the music of the celebrated New Brunswick fiddle, Don Messer. Although Metis herself, Mary played a more Western and Canadian style.

 Mary's interest in music and performing was, for a time, one she followed seriously as she toured with Cecil Nichols' Hawaiian Show. Although thousands of miles from the bamboo isle, the band featured Mary as the 'Ukelele Queen,' who played and danced for the show.

Mary began to compete in fiddle contests in the 1950's and won numerous honors for thirty years. Among the contests she took were the Montana State Fiddlers' Contest at Polson (Women's Division, second place in 1968 and third in 1969 and 1971), the Northwest Regional Fiddle Championship in 1969 (first place, Women's Division), and first place in 1969 in the Women's Division at the National Fiddle Contest in Weiser, Idaho. With the last win came election to the Fiddlers; Hall of Fame in Weiser.

Mary would do almost anything to be able to fiddle. Once she needed to get from her home in Havre to an engagement in Boulder. She did not have a ride, so she got out on the highway and thumbed a ride with her fiddle case instead of her thumb. A passing car, driven by John Cote, aide to Senator Max Baucus, stopped and gave her a lift all the way to her destination. Mary Trotchie died November 5 1982, two weeks after playing her last performance in Great Falls at the annual Montana History Conference.

Mary's daughter, Jackie has added the following: Mother played the fiddle by ear despite being "hard of hearing". She tested with a 60% hearing loss in her forties.

Jackie also adds this info about one of the many who helped teach, inspire and encourage Mary with her fiddle playing. Alec Allery, was my mother's uncle and played the fiddle while his feet tapped out the rhythm. Try it, it is difficult. Alec also learned to play the fiddle "by ear" and he, too was hard of hearing. Mary's uncle Alec Allery is also heard on the album mentioned below.

Mary's story is from the pamphlet that accompanies the album, IF YOU CAN'T DANCE TO IT, IT'S NOT OLD-TIME FIDDLE! Traditional and Old-Time Fiddle Music from Montana. Produced by the Montana Folklore Project. For more information about this album and what the Montana Folklore Project is about, click the link above or contact: 

Jackie T. Drews montusa@bigsky.net

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