Born and raised in Drumheller, Marge Olbrich may seem like an ordinary woman, who loves spending time with her grandchildren and going for coffee with old friends.
However, behind that friendly smile lies a love of music that has been her passion for over 60 years.
She began playing the fiddle when she was just 13 years old.
“I practiced every minute of everyday, even if I only had five minutes, I’d play,” said Olbrich.
Coming from a large family, Olbrich said everyone played some sort of musical instrument, with her parents encouragement.
“My dad played a fiddle. I’ve never heard anyone play a fiddle like that old man could. Holy man was he good at it,” said Olbrich.
After her older brothers left the family home, Olbrich said it was really then her dad taught her to play.
“I told him, if you get me a guitar I’ll play with you. He did, the guitar was the first thing I learned to play,” said Olbrich.
After she learned to play the guitar, her dad bought her a 3/4 sized violin for her to begin on.
Olbrich said he taught her to play the C scale on it, and left her to figure out the rest.
“I fooled around on that until I was big enough to move to a full-sized violin,” said Olbrich.
She said she had only been playing her fiddle for six months before she played her first dance in East Coulee.
“I could never remember if I liked playing for the dance or going to the dance,” said Olbrich, laughing a little at the memory.
In the late ‘60s, Olbrich entered “The Old Time Fiddling Contest,” in Saskatchewan. She won first on the line for five years in a row.
“There were three categories. The chautese, the waltz, and a reel. In each category I took first for five years and I had a ball doing it” said Olbrich.
These days, Olbrich still plays a little but focuses more on encouraging her grandchildren to play. Along with her husband, she drives one of their grandsons to and from piano lessons, and one of their granddaughters regularly borrows grandma’s guitar to practice on.
“Music has always been a big part of my life and will continue to be,” said Olbrich.
