Influences

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PIPING INFLUENCES

Beginning in November, 1962 at age six, I took instruction from Walter S. Rose in Detroit. Mr. Rose, George Duncan, and John Wilson in Toronto raised the standards of piping in North America to the same level as those in Scotland. Walter Rose also created the St. Andrews Pipe Band of Detroit, which rose through the ranks to Grade 1 with an almost entirely under-21 roster.

In 1966, Walter Rose passed away, and I became the first pupil of a new instructor-Lars Sloan. During his tutelage, I began competing, and rose to Grade 1 by 1973. Starting in 1969, Pipe Major John Goodenow instructed me on a weekly basis. And, I attended piping school taught by John MacFadyen from 1968 through 1973.

The piping school was attended by many of Ontario and Michigan's best pipers and future world champions during the time I was there. The Americans included Lars Sloan, John Goodenow, Dave Martin, and many others who I don't mean to forget. The Canadian roster included: Jim McGillivray, Ed and Geoff Neigh, Bill Livingstone, Syd Girling, Frank Edgley.

I continued to play with St. Andrew's until about 1978, when getting married and then raising a family left little time for piping.

In about 1996, I began to update my pipes, my repertoire and my uniform and I slowly returned to regular piping. By 1999, I was playing regular engagements all over Michigan, and I have continued to do so. During this time I re-established some of the connections I had made years previously, including Jim McGillivray, Dave Martin, Bruce Burt, the Neigh brothers and others. I have also resumed competing in all solo events, and periodically take instruction at The National Piping Centre in Glasgow, Scotland.