Minto Country Music Wall of Fame

Malcolm “Mac” Brogan was born at Chipman NB and grew up in that lumbering town on the banks of Grand Lake. He started playing for dances at the age of twelve as a guitar picker and switched to fiddle at sixteen to become the leader of the Casa Loma Dance Band. He was soon playing on CFNB’s Capital Co-op Jamboree over radio as well.

Mac’s father Hiram was his first fiddle instructor but Mac made no secret of the fact that he loved and practiced Don Messer’s style.

Over his playing years, Mac won over fifty trophies as well as many cash prizes and gifts. The trophies are from nearly every fiddle contest this province had to offer during his 40 some years of playing. The trophies include five wins at the Provincials in St. Antoine, NB. He was the winner of the Don Messer Trophy for the years 1986 and 1989. This was awarded every year to the resident maritime Fiddler with the most points in every category. The high point of his competing was winning the Maritime Open at Dartmouth in 1986.

Mac has appeared on Chipman and Minto TV for Christmas telethons, firemen fundraisers, cancer research, minor hockey and other benefits. Mac has also been a guest on ATV’s “Up Home Tonight”.

Mac cut an album in 1984 of 14 favorite tunes entitled “Grand Lake Fiddling”. He has composed a number of tunes as well, one of which, the Wilfred Bishop Breakdown was included on the LP. He was one of the few Maritime fiddlers asked to compete in the Grand Master Championships in Nepean, Ontario.

In 1991 Mac was inducted into the New Brunswick Country Music Hall of Fame.

Mac and his wife Gladys were married for 39 years and raised eight children together. We lost a wonderful man and a great musician upon his passing in 1991. He will be forever remembered for his talent.