The Royal Scots Dragoons Guards album, Spirit of the Glen was the first album recorded in an active war zone (Basra, Iraq) and you can hear that fact on the Flowers of the Forest track. One of my favorite albums and you can feel the emotions of those Cavalrymen in the music. Drum and Bugle has it's place in parade but bagpipes have stood the test of time in battlefields and civilian life. As an avid piper in Tampa Bay, I've played hundreds of events and I have seen a wide range of emotions and talked with those who have served with Scottish battalions with pipe bands, and heard them in wartime. Known many veterans and even an SAS officer who served in WWII and they all agree those pipers are crazy. I think we all have to be to some level as common side effects of the instrument is hearing loss, upper repertory illness (clean your bags guys), and a steady case of empty wallet syndrome.

​      Bagpipes are not for everyone, and I always say you either love'em or hate'em. Next time you hear the mournful bellows of the highland bagpipes and a piper in traditional garb, don't pretend to pop the bag or mess with the drones or the kilt, instead give the piper a smile or a head nod and maybe drop a few dollars his or her way. It's a costly instrument to maintain and don't forget the saying, "time to pay the piper!"

​      As much as you might not enjoy it, it could be making someone else's day. Also, as St. Patrick's Day comes, you can only play so many Irish tunes on Scottish pipes. And no, we cannot play ​Free Bird.

Probably Scotland's most famous poet, over 200 years later Robert Burns is beloved the world over. Though, during his life he was not as loved continually as he was thought to be a crown sympathizer at times. January 25th the world over, people hold dinners to celebrate his birth and read a few of his poems but being that are written in Scots it isn't so easy.

​One of the few times a year, bagpipers are guaranteed a job if they desire and the only gig all year I believe we are truly respected and welcomed by the harshest of music critics. I always enjoy piping in the haggis to A Man's A Man For A That ​and piping other loved tunes. Did you know that there is another day everyone recites a poem of his? It's New Years Day when people sing Auld Lang Syne​.

​The past couple years I have piped a private event in St. Petersburg, Florida and have enjoyed it as the hosts invite those without much knowledge of Rabbie, Scotland, bagpipes or haggis (which a lack of haggis knowledge is a good thing). Scotland's Favorite Son was an advocate of his history and preserving a small piece of it within his works. As in his poem, Scots Wae Hae:

Scots, wha hae wi' Wallace bled,
Scots, wham Bruce has aften led;
Welcome to your gory bed,
         Or to victory!

Now's the day, and now's the hour;
See the front o' battle lour;
See approach proud Edward's power--
         Chains and slavery!

​Those are just two stanzas and you can see the rest online but you get a quick sense of what he is speaking of, especially if you've seen Braveheart (though a very historically inaccurate movie). Or here in Address to a Haggis:

Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face,
Great chieftain o the puddin'-race!
Aboon them a' ye tak your place,
Painch, tripe, or thairm:
Weel are ye worthy o' a grace
As lang's my arm.
The groaning trencher there ye fill,
Your hurdies like a distant hill,
Your pin wad help to mend a mill
In time o need,
While thro your pores the dews distil
Like amber bead.
His knife see rustic Labour dight,
An cut you up wi ready slight,
Trenching your gushing entrails bright,
Like onie ditch;
And then, O what a glorious sight,
Warm-reekin, rich!

      November 11th, 2018 on the 11th hour (signed at 0600) marks 100 years of the signing of the Armistice of Compiegne. This ended the Great War and there is a tune every bagpiper who has been playing for more than 5 years knows that commemorates this. As a bagpiper in Dunedin, a city with a rich bagpipe history, I enjoy learning about the tunes we play. Some are traditional folk songs, some happened one drunken night, and far too many commemorate the end of a war, battle, or the loss of a warrior.
      When the Battle's O'er is such a tune and the College of Piping trying to get pipers from all over the world to pipe this tune at the same time. I will be playing the City of Doral's Veteran's Day Parade in South Florida that day. I will play that tune several times that day and not out of repetition or tradition, but respect. We have warriors still in battle this very day all over the world. I am always honored to play for them and especially to pipe their branches march for them. 
​      In Tama Bay we have no shortage of military pride! With an Air Force Base, Coast Guard Airstation, Coast Guard Base, and many Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotillas. At MacDill AFB, you can find every branch and so we are blessed to have such a protection in our area. Always, take the time to thank a veteran, active duty personnel, police officer, firefighter, EMT, and all first responders as they selfishly sacrifice years of their life to protect ours.
​      Any bagpipers who haven't yet signed up, do so! Post photos, video clips, and encourage your city to do something to celebrate if they don't. Next year will be an even of importance to get the kids out and learn some of our history! I've been fortunate to know and speak to some WWI veterans and take time and instead of Googling accounts for school papers, go to the local VFW and hear it directly. 

​Bagpipers sign up here:  100 Years of Remembrance

I know I don't blog much but a trend as been rising and I thought I would clarify how I come up with my cost for my specialized service.

I figured a general breakdown might help some:
​   -I pay about a 30% tax as a small business owner (no I don't do under the table, just too honest for that lie)
​   -1 chanter reed is $16-$20 and I have to have backups (with as much as I play I burn 1-2 a month)
​   -A set of drone reeeds are about $100
​   -My uniform is about $800 without the jacket or bagpipes
​   -General maintence every month
​   -website, cell phone, insurance, membership fees for booking sites

​Let's not forget the hours of practice weekly and travel time. In a nut shell that is why I start at $160 for my services within a couplr miles from me and I know not everyone can afford it and I work with poeple best I can. Also a reason why I don't charge for fallen soldiers or first responders who gave their life in the line of duty, as the last thing that family needs to deal with is paying the piper. ​I don't mean to sound rude or anything just I wanted to explain the cost. It's not as simple as just 1 tune when it take 20 minutes to get dressed, 30 minutes to drive there, tune, wait, tune again, and play 45 minutes after I've arrived and then reverse. 

So when it comes time to pay the piper I hope you understand why I charge what I do and that you'll see the value in my performance! I never take any event lightly and always do the best I can if it's a $200 gig or $2,000 gig, every time regardless of the situation, tempurature or issues that arise.

​I look forward to serving you soon and Merry Chirstmas and Happy Hogmanay!