Gracie Dee

[Robertjack]

Gracie Dee (stage name) was born in Canora, Saskatchewan, to Mr & Mrs Walter Marchinko. There is no reference to her early life except that she built her career on a warm, expressive voice, a vivacious stage presence, and a tireless dedication to her craft. She emerged in the mid-1960s, performing alongside her husband, Saskatchewan-born fiddler and bandleader Mike Harris. The pair were active both in Canada and the United States, working in live performance, studio recording, and television.

Gracie with Mike Harris formed The Charm-Ettes, a group that recorded the 1966 LP Fiddle Favourites for Rev Records. The album was all instrumental, built around Harris’s lively fiddle playing and the group’s tight ensemble arrangements. By the late ’60s, the couple had relocated for a time to the United States, working the circuit in Nashville and beyond. RPM reported on her early Nashville appearances and described her as one of Canada’s most promising country acts abroad. Harris established Blaze Records in Nashville, while Gracie gained further exposure through guest appearances, live shows, and ongoing U.S. recording work.