I was first introduced to the bagpipes in August of 2006 when I saw the piper in the 1962 film, The Longest Day. About a week after seeing the film, I told my mother that I was interested in learning to play the bagpipes. At the time, we had no idea where we would find a piping instructor in our area but quickly found bagpiper, Jimmy Mitchell, a graduate from Saint Thomas Episcopal in Houston, living in my hometown of Forney, Texas.
I was soon taking lessons from Jimmy on a weekly basis and before long I had my own set of bagpipes. In early 2007, I began competing in solo piping contests and not long after that, I joined North Texas Caledonian Pipes & Drums out of Dallas in which I was involved with for several years. Due to a hectic school and work schedule, I decided to leave the band.
In 2010, I was asked by members of Silver Thistle Pipes & Drums of Austin, Texas to perform with them at The Worlds Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow, Scotland which would take place the following year in August. After 6 months of hard work, I accompanied them to The Worlds, and although we did not place, it was a great stepping-stone for the years to come.
In 2012, I was accepted into Lyon College, located in Batesville, Arkansas, where I majored in Music and English, minoring in Scottish Arts. During my time at Lyon, I focused on the bagpipe as my musical discipline and my skills were honed under Pipe Major Jimmy Bell. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Lyon, getting the opportunity to travel all over the United States to take part in solo and band piping contests. I competed in areas such as Florida, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Louisiana. In early 2015, I graduated from Lyon and moved back to the Dallas area.
In early 2021, I met my now wife, Lindsey. We got married in Spring 2022, moving to Allen, TX soon after.
In late 2023, I was asked to join Celtic band, The Rogues, which was founded in 1994. Being a long-time fan of the band, I was grateful for the invitation. I performed with them in the Spring 2024 Season for my first time, alongside Jimmy Mitchell, my original piping instructor, who had also been with the band for over 30 years, and remains so today.
Around this time, I also joined Westminster Pipe Band, a Grade 3 band led by Bruce Robertson, out of Oklahoma City, OK. In June 2024, the band competed in Chicago, taking 3rd place. In late 2024, I unfortunately had to leave Westminster due to a heavy schedule, but enjoyed my involvement with them.
Nowadays, I take all of the piping business that I can, focus on solo piping contests, perform with The Rogues when able, and am working on growing my woodworking business.
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