Bagpiper in Walnut Creek, CA Area

[PleatedOne]

Hello All,
I hope that this isn't a no no for this site. My Uncle just passed away and his funeral is this Monday, April28 in Walnut Creek, CA. My cousins are trying to locate a bagpiper for the service. Any suggestions or reccommendations?
Thank you,
Bob

[sailortats]

You might try Sean Cummings in South Lake Tahoe Ca. tahoebagpiper.com

[OC Richard]

You should have no problems because there's a very large number of excellent pipers in the Bay Area including East Bay.

Most of these play in one or other of the area's top Pipe Bands.

So, you have The Irish Pipers Band of San Francisco. The Pipe Major, an excellent player and very nice guy, is Micheal LeBoeuf (in SF). Google him, he knows lots of great players scattered all over the Bay Area.

Here's the 'book a piper' page from their site

http://www.ipbsf.org/schedule.html#booking

The most famous, and best, band in the Bay Area is Prince Charles. Their Pipe Major in Ken Sutherland, you can Google him as well. He'll know who all the best pipers in your area are.

Here's the contact page for Prince Charles Pipe Band, for people seeking pipers

http://www.pcpb.org/contact

[PleatedOne]

My thanks to California Highlander, Sailortats and OC Richard for their kind replies. My family and I are very appreciative.

[Tartan Tess]

So sorry for your loss. I hope the piper will be very special to the funeral.

[PleatedOne]

So sorry for your loss. I hope the piper will be very special to the funeral.

Tartan Tess,
How kind of you. Thank you so very much.
Bob

[azwildcat96]

You may also check with a local firehouse to see if they can put you in touch with their pipe band (if they have one), or a solo piper in the department. Just a thought.

[OC Richard]

You may also check with a local firehouse

It's interesting how my perspective has changed on that sort of recommendation. There was a time when I took such a suggestion as bizarre; after all, one doesn't call the Musician's Union when their house is on fire! As a Union musician, I thought it ridiculous to call the Fire Department when wanting a musician. (All the firefighters I knew who played the pipes, and I knew dozens of them, were terrible players, mere beginners. Indeed they did just about a good a job as doing music, as a musician would do fighting a fire. There's a reason firefighters are called "firefighters" and musicians are called "musicians".)

But! That's changed because I now find myself, a non-firefighter, and a former Union musician, playing in a Fire Department Pipe Band! Goes to show how things can turn your ideas upside down.

[azwildcat96]

It's interesting how my perspective has changed on that sort of recommendation. There was a time when I took such a suggestion as bizarre; after all, one doesn't call the Musician's Union when their house is on fire! As a Union musician, I thought it ridiculous to call the Fire Department when wanting a musician. (All the firefighters I knew who played the pipes, and I knew dozens of them, were terrible players, mere beginners. Indeed they did just about a good a job as doing music, as a musician would do fighting a fire. There's a reason firefighters are called "firefighters" and musicians are called "musicians".)

But! That's changed because I now find myself, a non-firefighter, and a former Union musician, playing in a Fire Department Pipe Band! Goes to show how things can turn your ideas upside down.

I'm not a piper, nor a firefighter. But it amazes me how many times I've been asked what firehouse I'm stationed at when I'm wearing a kilt. I usually get a puzzled look when I explain to these people that I am not a firefighter.

The reason for my suggestion is that there is a strong tie to ceremonial piping and color guards with pipers in the firefighting (and law enforcement to a slightly lesser extent) community. While not too familiar with the piping bands, It always seems like there are several firefighter pipe and drum bands at the festivals that I attend as a highland athlete. I guess I assumed that there might be some sort of network to be able to contact these pipers through a fire house.

Anyway, back on topic, PleatedOne, I hope you are able to find what you're looking for, and I'm sorry for your families' loss.

[Sean D]

Condolences on your loss Pleated , I know on one of the fire blogs I read that in the USA there is a " go squad" of pipers and drummers affiliated to either FD or law enforcement or even individual musicians and other bands who can be and are mobilised very quickly ie hours to assist with duties at FD or law enforcement funerals in the case of Line of Duty deaths . The sad thing and the thing that is shocking is that such deaths are so frequent that such a " go squad " would even be needed to play at funerals so often .