Bagpipes

The Great Highland Bagpipe … not for the faint of heart.

It has a piercing sound which incites joy, mourning, terror, fear, and victory.

My Bagpipe Chautauqua

This narrative will recount my experiences with piping. The events will not necessarily be in chronological order as they better lend themselves to a time tapestry.

I started this journey with the McGuire’s Irish Bagpipe Band in Pensacola. The first lesson was with Becky Baltas and then the rest of my time was with Jerry Crumly. It all started with a Dunbar practice chanter and The Sandy Jones Tutor.

From Pensacola it was off for a two-year tour in North Carolina. Having found my piping fervor growing I sought a new piping instructor and found Dr. William “Bill” Logan.

Bill demanded excellence. He wouldn’t let me get by with “good enough.”

Every other week I would drive from Jacksonville, NC to Greenville, NC for a lesson. Being a novice in the piping community I did not know of Bill’s legendary status. I only knew him to be caring, kind, and an excellent teacher.

His favorite tune for me was “The Mingulay Boat Song.” It provided me the opportunity to master transitions between top and bottom hands. That I knew the tune from my lp collections only enhanced the learning of the tune.

Bill once stated “I don’t like teaching doctors as they do not tend to stick with the pipes. It’s just a passing fad for them.” In 2016 I caught up with Bill via email and mentioned I was still at it … 18 years later. When I heard of Bill’s passing I played Mingulay Boat Song. I also set out to attend my first NAAPD in 2018. It was my way of honoring a man who loved Valle Crucis and the pipes. I fit in at NAAPD … having had Bill as a teacher for two years gave me an edge up … I had my own stories to tell.