Hello from the Pacific Northwest

**gun eagal** · 2nd August 20, 11:04 AM

Thanks for letting me join the forums. This looks like a great place to share and learn, so after years of lurking I finally signed up.
To introduce myself, I live on the island where I grew up in the Puget Sound. I started learning the pipes at age 11, being taught first by a student of Bruce Gandy's father in Victoria, BC. My piping took giant leaps forward when I was fortunate enough to get instruction from Captain John MacLellan in the summers, and later, Andrew Wright. Barry Shears and Ailean Domhnallach are biggest influences at this time. I played in the Seattle Boys Pipe Band and then the Seattle Pipe Band, and eventually was the founding PM of the Elliott Bay Pipe Band. But pipe bands burn me out. I don't like playing the same tunes over and over again, mainly, and my work evolved to make it impossible to attend any band practice regularly. I've been interested in the history of piping in North America in general and in the PNW specifically. I self published a small book of history and tunes called THE NORTHWEST COLLECTION in 2012 (now OP). My good friend Barry Shears inspired this project, even though it pales in comparison with his extraordinary work on piping traditions in Cape Breton. I studied Scottish Literature briefly at the University of Edinburgh, later visited Scotland for piping tuition. I attended the first Ceolas in South Uist in 1996.
In terms of ancestors, I have found only a couple of Scottish ones: Scott and Hutchin. My Irish ancestors from Belfast and Clare dominate the rest of my DNA, even though my surname is Norman in origin and is most common in Cornwall and Devonshire in the UK. Growing up within a few hours drive of Vancouver, B.C., I had been to Canada a dozen times before I travelled further east than Idaho when I went to Scotland in 1979.

**Father Bill** · 2nd August 20, 11:43 AM

Welcome to the "Great Rabble"!

**MichiganKyle** · 2nd August 20, 12:49 PM

Welcome from Michigan! Sounds like you've got quite an interesting history.

**Kiltedjohn** · 3rd August 20, 09:28 AM

Welcome from a Scotsman now living in the English midlands.

**Macman** · 4th August 20, 03:49 PM

Welcome to XMTS from across the Juan de Fuca Straight! I have an unforgettable memory of Pipe Major Gandy (Bruce's dad) piping us awake in Nanaimo barracks wearing only his skivvies!

**Tomak** · 5th August 20, 06:50 AM

Hello and welcome from Southern California.

**gun eagal** · 5th August 20, 09:36 AM

Originally Posted by Macman

Welcome to XMTS from across the Juan de Fuca Straight! I have an unforgettable memory of Pipe Major Gandy (Bruce's dad) piping us awake in Nanaimo barracks wearing only his skivvies!

That's a scary image.