Even after a stroke, 90-year-old P.E.I. man still plays his fiddle most every day

A few months ago, 90-year-old Harry Lecky thought his fiddle playing days were over. "I was scared of that," said the retired farmer from Milburn, P.E.I. 

"Since I had the bloody stroke, you forget an awful lot." 

For almost a week, Lecky couldn't speak properly. "I tried to say stuff and you wouldn't know what was coming out."

But on the very day he got out of the hospital, Lecky was back at it. "Once they brought me a fiddle, I could play it," he said.

"Even when I couldn't speak, say words clear like that, but it came back. Most of it but not everything."

'I just picked it up'

Lecky's back home again, sitting on his favourite kitchen chair, sawing away on his fiddle, but he never learned to read music.

"I just picked it up," Lecky said. "I had an uncle who was a pretty good fiddle player and some neighbours who used to play a lot, older fellas."

The lifelong bachelor has his own way of holding the fiddle. Instead of the customary under-the-chin style, Lecky holds his instrument against his chest. 

It's less tiring, said Lecky. "I got an armrest, the chair. This just came natural." It also allows him to sing and fiddle at the same time.

'I like the old-fashioned stuff'

Lecky has played at numerous benefits and concerts over the years. In fact, he still enjoys getting out once or twice a week to entertain local seniors.

"Just enjoy doing it, and hopefully you're making people happy," Lecky said. "I like the old-fashioned stuff."

But what he really looks forward to is the almost daily visits from local musicians dropping by the house to jam.  

"Quite often there's other people drop in," Lecky said.

"Especially now that it's getting summertime and they're fishing lobster and oysters."

'I come down pretty near every day'

Donnie MacDonald, a guitar player from nearby Mount Royal, P.E.I. is one of those musicians. "If I don't have something to do, I come down pretty near every day. Except Sunday."

MacDonald has known Lecky for decades, since getting a job on the Lecky farm when he was 14. 

"I worked here shovelling, forking potatoes one spring for him and I've known him ever since." 

MacDonald had to retire a few years ago after suffering from stress while working for the provincial Transportation Department.

"That's when I started to come down here playing regularly," MacDonald said. "Well, it's helped my nerves and everything. It's helped recover from that." 

'Music is the best thing in the world'

Playing with Lecky is like a natural medicine. 

"If your nerves are bad or anything, I think music is the best thing in the world for you," MacDonald said. 

And playing together is good for Lecky, too. "Helps both."

And just how long do the pair plan to keep playing tunes together? 

"As long as he's able to do it," MacDonald said.

Lecky smiled, "Might be here the rest of our lives then."

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