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Join Gary as he invites you to take in more great music from Scotland, Northumbria, Ireland and Canada, and find out how you can win a brand new set of bagpipes!

Playlist

Heather MacIsaac with Kito’s Fancy, Director of Confusion and Hector’s Slippers from The Moon’s Daughter

St Lawrence O’Toole Pipe Band with The Irish Sea, the Scenic Route and Going to the Well for Water from Evolution: Live at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall

Billy Pigg with Gypsy’s Lullaby, The Hawk, Memories and Coates Hall from The Northumbrian Smallpipes (Topic)

Skye Youth Pipe Band with Prince Charles’ Welcome to Lochaber, The Sweet Maid of Glendaruel, Teribus and McKay’s Polka recorded at the Scottish Schools Pipe Band Championships 2025.

Michael Grey with Clach Mhin Mheallain, Buggerlugs, Dr Angus MacDonald’s Off to Skye, The Left-Handed Piper, The Sunday Post Highlander from Cuts From Traditional Cloth

Bruce Gandy with Bob of Fettercairn, The Islay Ball, Sound of Sleat and the Brown Haired Maid from My Father’s Son

Laoise Kelly and Tiarnan O’Duinnchinn with A Teelin Highland, Drowsie Maggie and the Ballinamore Reel from Ar Lorg na Laochra (On the Shoulders of Giants).

Peatbog Faeries with  Abhainn a’ Nathair (River of Snakes) from Dust

Links

Skye Youth Pipe Band Fundraiser - get your tickets for the MacRae pipes here

Heather MacIsaac Album Available here

Information on Open Call for Emerging Talent at Piping Live 2025 here

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Gary returns from his Atholl Highlanders tour with more great music from his collection of all things bagpipes.

Playlist

The Battlefield Band with Tending the Steer, Sandy Thompson and the Calrossie Cattle Wife from Harps, Pipes and Fiddles

The Scottish Power Pipe Band with MacLeod’s Oran Mor, Rory MacLeod, Donald Cameron’s Powder Horn and Donald, Willie and his Dog from Cathcart.

Willie McCallum with The Knightswood Ceilidh, The Cameronian Rant and Charlie’s Welcome from Hailey’s Song

Steven Bodenes and Sylvain Hamon with Daou don Dans from Daou Don Dans

Hazel Whyte with Major Manson at Clachantrushal, Susan MacLeod and Alick C MacGregor from EYP Live at Piping Live

Beinn Lee with Lexy MacAskill, The Ben Kenneth Reel, Air an Fheill a-Muigh and The Fourth Floor from Osgarra

Jori Chisholm with Angus G MacLeod from Bagpipe Revolution

RS MacDonald with Good Drying from Good Drying

Links

Info and Nomination Form for the Maket Collective

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Gary celebrates the podcast's second anniversary with plenty more great music from the world of bagpipes.

Playlist

Assynt with Assynt House from Where From Here

National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland (Development Band) with P/M Sandy Spence, Cabar Feidh, Paddy’s Leather Breeches and Butterfingers from Thunderstruck

John Mulhearn with Roon the Barras and Rip Them Up from The Pipe Factory

Oban High School Pipe Band with Donald Maclean’s Farewell to Oban, Maggie Cameron and Alec C MacGregor from World Pipe Band Championships 2016, private recording

Gordon and Shona Mooney with Jimmy Allan, Geld Him Lasses, Coffee and Tea and Skint o Siller from Reclaimed: Pipe Music and Song from the Scottish Borders

Cristina Pato and Rosa Cedron with Heicho de Dar from Soas

Dr Angus MacDonald with Dh’ith na Coin na Maragan, Reel of Tulloch, Muilleann Dubh and Cailleach Liadh Ratharsair from Maidean Dubh’ an Donais

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Gary welcomes Tim Cummings and Fin Moore to the bothy for a chat and a wee tune.

Playlist

Rura with Rise from Dusk Moon

Field Marshall Montgomery Pipe Band with Benn C Nevin, McPhedran’s Strathspey, AA Cameron, A Cup of Tea, Miss Girdle, The Swallowtailed Coat, The Cliffs of Doneen, Colum Ian, Merrily Danced the Quaker’s Wife and Queen of the Rushes from Debut.

Timothy Cummings, Pete Sutherland and Brad Colodner with The Bird’s Flight from The Bird’s Flight

The Far North Retreats Gathering feat. Mike Vass with ‘Air and Polka’ Field Recording March 2025

Tim Cummings, Fin Moore and Gary West with March of the King of Laoise (EYP Bothy Recording)

Teresa Horgan feat Seumas Begley with Eamonn an Choic from Amethyst

John Patrick with The Conundrum, Miss Tracey Lundie, Dougie Ferguson’s Reel and John Burgess’s Reel from the Piping Centre Recital Series 1997 Volume 2.

Cairdeas Summer School, Vermont 

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Gary brings you more highlights from Angus MacColl's recent recital hosted by the MacKenzie Caledonian Pipe Band, and invites you to eavesdrop on a couple of sets from the Celtic Spring Festival Tour in Austria

Playlist

Angus MacColl with the Cowal Highland Gathering, Maclean of Pennycross, 71st Highlanders, The Pap of Glencoe and The Highland Wedding from the MacKenzie Caledonian Pipe Band Recital Series 2025

Angus MacColl with Gaelic Airs from the MacKenzie Caledonian Pipe Band Recital Series 2025

Angus MacColl with Strathspeys and Reels from the MacKenzie Caledonian Pipe Band Recital Series 2025

Heart of Italy Pipe Band with Farewell to Cetine and Castle Dangerous from Heartbeat

25th Guinness Celtic Spring Tour Musicians with The King's Shilling, The Ass in the Graveyard, Scarce o Tatties, Hag at the Churn and Pressed for Time Live in Austria

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Gary reports in from his tour in Austria with some more great bagpipe music, old and new.

Playlist

Gary West with The Fourth Floor (private recording)

Will MacMorran with Scott MacMorran’s, Trip to Nanjiang and Holston Ridge from Smallpipes Big Tunes

Angus MacColl with Billy Connolly’s and the Hard Drive from MacKenzie Caledonian Pipe Band Recital (private recording)

Sgoil Bhágh a’ Chaisteal with Scottish Schools Pipe Band Championships Freestyle Entry

Angus MacColl with Glengarry’s Lament from MacKenzie Caledonian Pipe Band Recital (private recording)

Donald Lindsay with The Grinder, Hardiman the Fiddler and Blythsome Bridal from Two Boats Under the Moon (pre-release track)

Wind and Wire with Cornwall my Home (Youtube release)

Links

Sgoil Bhágh a’ Chaisteal Video version 

Will McMorran on Bandcamp

Will McMorran Website

Donald WG Lindsay

Donald Lindsay Two Boats Under the Moon Crowdfunder

Wind and Wire 'Cornwall my Home' Music Video

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Gary visits the National Piping Centre to catch up with Director of Piping, Finlay MacDonald. And of course there's plenty of music along the way.

Playlist

Brighde Chaimbeul with Doronoch Links, Catriona Bheag’s and Bonnie Bonnie is the Lass from The Piper and the Maker 2: Celebrating C

Finlay MacDonald and Chris Stout with Border Crossing from The Cauld Wind

National Youth Pipe Band with 400% from Thunderstruck: Live from the Perth Concert Hall

Masters of Scottish Arts Folk Group with Elliot Fin MacDonald from Westering Home

Pipe Major Angus MacDonald with Wiseman’s Exercise, The Fiddler’s Joy, The Smith’s a Gallant Fireman, The Laird of Drumblair, The Brolum and Kalabakan from The World’s Greatest Pipers Volume 1.

Breabach with Lochanside from Fàs

Links

National Piping Centre

Brighde Chaimbeul Tour Dates

Breabach Tour Dates 

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With the recent publication of his new book, Brave New Music, Gary explores the life and music of the piper, classical violinist, composer and DJ, the late Martyn Bennett, and also pays tribute to the late Bill Livingstone who sadly passed away this week.

Playlist

78th Fraser Highlanders with Competition Medley, World Pipe Band Championships 1987

Martyn Bennett with Swallowtale, from Martyn Bennett

Martyn Bennett with Mary Kelly's, Glesga Tabla and Belle's Fancy from the Grand Concert of Scottish Piping

City of Edinburgh Music School with MacKay's Memoirs

Kathryn Tickell with Our Kate and The Welcome Home from The Best of Kathryn Tickell

Links

Buy your signed copy of Brave New Music: the Martyn Bennett Story here

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More great music and chat from the world of bagpipes, as Gary pays another visit to the bagpipe factory of RG Hardie, and explores a lovely piece of brand new music composed to celebrate the recent launch of the latest addition to the Calmac fleet, MV Glen Sannox.

 Playlist

Ann Gray with Dirty Little Harry, The Memphis Rendezvous, The Wise Maid and A Cup of Tea from Tales of Magpies and Ravens

Iain Speirs with The Royal Scottish Pipers’ Society and The Edinburgh City Police Pipe Band from Music from the Spirit of Scotland

Spirit of Scotland Pipe Band with 2008 World Pipe Band Championship Medley Set from Music from the Spirit of Scotland 

Angus MacColl with Sine Bhan, 3 x Trad Reels, Liberton Pipe Band from Lord Todd Challenge, 2007

Connor Sinclair with Major Manson at Clachantrushal, Susan MacLeod and Broadford Bay from Glenfiddich Championship 2019 

Tim Cummings, Pete Sutherland and Brad Colodner with Donny’s in the Shop and Katy Bess of Tennessee from the Birds’ Flight

Eriska and the Isle of Arran Music School with MV Glen Sannox.

Links

To Win a Deluxe RG Hardie Pipe Case Click and Enter Here

Isle of Arran Music School feat. Eriska with MV Glen Sannox Video

Cairdeas Winter Gathering 

please note - Tim Cumming is not teaching this time - it's Michael Roddy - my mistake!

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Gary brings you the second instalment of his chat with Duncan Nicholson, touching on his time as pipe major of the Strathclyde Police and exploring some other musical projects he's been involved with over the years.

Playlist

Strathclyde Police Pipe Band with Dolina MacKay, the Goatherd and the Shepherd, The Gathering, Ho Ro 's Hug Oro Eile, Rodney Hull QC, Tulloch Gorm, The Lads of Mull, Ridhle Mo Nighean Donn from World Pipe Band Championships 2011.

Greater Glasgow Police Pipe Band feat. Rachel Walker with The World War 1 Set from Ceolry

Duncan Nicholson with the Mermaid's Song (private recording)

Duncan Nicholson and Mick MacNeil with Belfast Cascade (private recording)

Duncan Nicholson with Chief Superintendent W S Carle (private recording)

Duncan Nicholson with Kenneth MacKenzie (private recording)

Duncan Nicholson with Pitlochry High School Centenary (private recording)

Link

Video of Belfast Cascade 

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