I've always liked the bagpipes since seeing movies with them, and then when I was in the Army we had a piper from Canada who I liked listening to. So I bought my first pipe band record right after I got out in 1975. After I married Jill in 1976 I kept telling her that "one of these days I'm going to learn how to play the bagpipes." I guess she got tired of listening to me make a claim and not act on it so she gave me a practice chanter and lessons for Christmas 1982. In January 1983 I began training with the Tunes of Glory Pipes and Drums in Aurora, IL, where we were living at the time. I was finally able to buy my pipes that November and in May 1984 I was piping in my first parade. I played with Tunes of Glory for parades, concerts and competitions over the next 11 years until my family moved to Iowa in December 1995. By that time the band had moved to Warrenville, IL, where I believe they still operate out of the City Hall.
Jill had begun Highland Dancing in 1983 and two years later when our daughter Emily was seven she began dancing also. We then began doing performances as a family group in addition to the band activities. In 1993 when our son was eleven he took up the snare drum and we now performed under the title "A Wee Bit O' Scotland," a title under which I still play today.
Over the years I lost my dancers - Jill to leg injuries and Emily to losing interest - but David and I still did parades and festivals until 2001 when he married and moved away, leaving me back to being a solo performer.
My wife and I knew two of Maolisa's dancers when we met Kaleena and her troupe at the 2004 HAGGIS All Things Scottish Celtic Fest at Usher's Ferry in Cedar Rapids. My wife offered my services to Kaleena and I began playing with Maolisa in March the following year. Originally I just played short intermissions while the dancers changed shoes or took a breather, but then I recognized one of their tunes was one I played so I offered to play for the dance, which was the Easy Jig. Since that time I've learned some more dances to play for them, and have been greatly honored and blessed to be able to be a part of their team.
In October 2009 I joined Turlach Ur, a pipe band which meets in Grinnell. As a member of that band I have participated in concerts and highland games. I perform yearly at the HAGGIS Celtic Fest, and also play yearly for the Iowa Firefighters Memorial Service in Coralville. Finally, I try to keep active in local parades and have played for dozens of weddings, funerals and other events.