BIOGRAPHY

Marshall Trimble has been called the “Will Rogers of Arizona.” He can deliver anything from a serious history lecture to a stage concert of cowboy folk music and stories with his guitar. Trimble appears frequently on radio and television as a goodwill ambassador for the state.
“Trimble’s Tales” are on radio stations around the state. He answers questions about the Old West from readers all over the world in True West Magazine’s popular column, “Ask the Marshall.”
He is considered the “dean of Arizona historians.” He taught Arizona history at Scottsdale Community College for 40 years before retiring in 2014.
Recently he’s appeared on national television documentaries on the Old West including Fox News TV’s 2015 “Legends and Lies”; Lion TV Blood Feuds: The Pleasant Valley War and the Smithsonian Channel’s “Mummies Alive: The Gunfighter.”


His first book was published in 1977 by Doubleday & Company, New York. Since then he’s written more than twenty books on Arizona and the West. Trimble is one of the state's most popular speakers and performers. He’s also an educator, lecturer, folk singer and stage performer. 
Trimble has received many honors both as a historian, writer and performer. In 1997, the governor of Arizona appointed him Official State Historian. In 2000, he was selected as one of Arizona’s representatives in the Library of Congress’ “Local Legacies.” 


In 2003 he was named a Charter Member of the Arizona Culturekeepers.
In 2004, the Daughters of the American Revolution awarded him their “Medal of Honor” for leadership and patriotism. He was also inducted into the Scottsdale Hall of Fame. 


A former U.S. Marine, in 2004 he was inducted into the Arizona Veteran’s Hall of Fame. That same year he received the “Semper Fi” Award from the U.S. Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation.
In 2006, he received a regional Emmy for hosting the television show, “Arizona Backroads.” 
In 2007, the Arizona Office of Tourism honored him with a “Lifetime Achievement Award” for his many years of service to his native state. In 2008 he was the recipient of the first “Spirit of the West” award.
He is a charter board member of the National Wild West History Association.
In 2010 he received the Wild West History Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award. 
He was inducted into the Arizona Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame in February 2011. That same year the Arizona Historical Society presented him their distinguished Al Merito Award in recognition of his lifetime service in promoting Arizona history. 
The Arizona Centennial Commission honored him in December 2011 as "One of Arizona's Most Inspiring Leaders." 


Trimble served on the Arizona Centennial Commission. He was also a member of the Governor’s Commission in 1987 celebrating the state’s 75th Anniversary. 
In 2012 he was presented the "President's Silver Star Award" from the Wild West History Association for his "Distinguished and unselfish service on behalf of the advancement of WWHA and the documentation of western history."


In 2012 he was selected for the U.S. State Department’s “Cowboy Hall of Fame Tour”, a “Warrior Tours” goodwill tour with three World Champion rodeo cowboys and two rodeo queens to the nation of Kyrgyzstan to share American cowboy culture with the people of that country. 
He was inducted as a 2014 “Historymaker” for the Historical League of the Arizona Historical Society. 
That same year he received the “Semper Fi” Award from the U.S. Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation.
True West Magazine honored him as their Westerner of the Year for 2015. 


In 2015 Maricopa County Colleges Annual Heroes of Education honored him as one of Ten College Heroes, one from each of the ten community colleges representing individuals, organizations, or companies who have distinguished themselves by providing exceptional support and/or service to one of the college.


In 2016 he was appointed by Governor Doug Ducey to the Board of Directors for the Arizona Historical Society. He served one term as president 2015-2016.
Trimble has served more than 25 years as a founding member of the Arizona Peace Officer Memorial Board honoring officers who died in the line of duty.

 
He is a special deputy with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office with the rank of captain. He is also an honorary deputy sheriff in Cochise County. and he is an honorary major in the Arizona National Guard.
Marshall was born in Mesa, Arizona and grew up in Ash Fork, a small railroad town along old Route 66. He makes his home in Scottsdale with his wife Vanessa.