John is a long-standing servant of the Pipe Band Association. John began his piping at the age of seven with Newmains and District Collieries Pipe Band. John led his first band in 1983 and continued in leadership roles up until 2001. Following this, he played in the grade one Vale of Atholl Pipe Band before retiring from active competition.
John taught for eighteen years at Lathallan School before retiring in 2024. John has been a member of the Association adjudication panel for over thirty years and has been a part of the Annual Summer School since the early 1990’s. John’s greatest joy comes from seeing the generations of young pipers and drummers coming through the Summer School, each of them gaining a little in their knowledge and ability through being able to take part in this unique event.
John’s latest adventure is a journey into amateur solo piping, something he never participated in during his band years, but now enjoys taking part in and “Blawing a tune with other folk.”
