The mid-to-late 1950s was a good period for the Red Hackle. The Queen acceded to the throne in 1952 and at the Braemar Gathering where the band was playing, she presented Pipe Major McLeod with the Braemar Gathering Shield in front of the 31,000 people who attended the games that year to celebrate the start of her reign. In October 1953 the first Red Hackle BBC radio broadcast took place….

This history of the band is based on a combination of historical documents, interviews, and tales told by band members and others. I make no claim for detailed accuracy; and I would welcome corrections and/or additional material. Often referred to as ‘the best band never to have won the Worlds’ the Red Hackle Pipes and Drums was in existence for around 35 years, always as a Grade 1 band. The…

The late Alex Duncan plays his uncle Gordon’s Sleeping Tune. Alex, son of Ian and Chris, died tragically young last weekend:

Emma McCallum writes: We want to introduce you to a new concept in a two piece stock and water trap/moisture control system, the Piper’s Friend™. It has been designed by George Steele, a piper who was born in South Uist and now spends most of his life in the USA. Here is what Bob Worrall says about the Piper’s Friend™: ‘I’ve been playing with the new water trap for the last week.  It…