Hailing from the Fort Worth suburb of Bur
leson, Texas, Sherry McKenzie is a seasoned veteran of fiddle contests and is a multiple state, regional and national fiddle champion. Originally from Idaho Falls, Idaho, Sherry experienced fiddle music for the first time at age 11. “I saw a fiddle player on TV and thought it looked really fun. My parents bought me an instrument and I just fell in love with the music!” Later that year while attending the National Old-Time Fiddlers Contest in Weiser, Idaho, Sherry met Texas fiddle greats Benny Thomasson, Dick Barrett and Herman Johnson.
These three fiddlers would deeply influence her playing over the next few years. “I remember sitting in the gym at Weiser watching the open division and hearing those fiddlers for the very first time – it really made a big impression on me and jump started my love of Texas style fiddle music.”
Since meeting at the National Old-Time Fiddlers Contest in Weiser, Idaho as young teenagers, Sherry and her husband Joey’s influence on the fiddle world is very evident. As teachers, many of their students have gone on to win fiddle championships of their own, advanced into successful music careers, or became life-long fiddlers and jammers who play just for the fun of it!
Sherry and Joey live part of the year in McMinnville, Oregon and she enjoys producing, promoting and teaching at fiddle flavored events throughout the country.