Unusual bagpipe occasions.

[Arlen]

Some of these are wonderful stories! Nice to see them being used so widely!

[BoldHighlander]

Oh, my pipe instructor is the piper at the Annual March 6th Dawn Ceremony at the Alamo. John McGregor, a defender at the Alamo, was supposedly a piper and played during the 13-day siege. I have also portrayed John McGregor at the General Sam Houston Folk Festival each April.

Bill Jones at the Alamo

Me sans Kilt at Gen'l Sam's Fest, but that's the Rob Roy tartan in my waistcoat. I've since changed hats.

Very cool
I've heard the stories of MacGregor & Crockett (on the fiddle) playing duets.
My cousin, Robert B. Moore (New Orleans Greys), died as a defender of the Alamo. It's been a dream of mine to attend the ceremony & represent his name.

[Amoskeag]

I piped at my nephew's eagle court of honor.
Bob

[PiobBear]

Trade Shows; one for a Scottish manufacturer, another for a roll-out of a new line of golf apparel.

Greek Independence Day; I used to pipe every year for the Greek Independence Day parade in Tarpon Springs. OPA!

Alcoholics Anonymous; they have a huge regional camp-out near here every year, and hire me to pipe through their camp at 0600 on Sunday morning to roust everyone out of their tents. Some appreciate it more than others.

I've done many gigs where the guest of honor had requested a piper at their funeral, and the family decided to hire me to pipe for them now, while they're still here to appreciate it.

I piped for a very large public Samhain ritual for a Wiccan coven once, and have piped numerous Wiccan handfastings, including one with two lesbian brides, both in traditional white wedding gowns. Pagans are always a fun bunch to pipe for.

I've piped for the local homebrewers guild's annual visit to the Renaissance Fair. Another very entertaining bunch to pipe for.

Once the local NPR station was doing a Neil Young special of some sort, and wanted me to pipe a bunch of Neil Young tunes. As much as I appreciate Neil Young and CSN&Y, I respectfully declined.

I've piped lots of formal dinners, receptions, reunions, graduations, anniversaries, birthdays, pub crawls, sporting and charity events, and of course you can't possibly be properly married or buried without a piper.

[PiobBear]

My favorite "outside of the box" weddings were one where the bride had a 13-year-old daughter who was the ring bearer. As a surprise, during the exchange of rings, the groom knelt beside her, pledged marriage vows to her as her father and his daughter, and placed a gold necklace with a heart around her neck. The little girl started bawling, then Mom, then every single woman in the wedding party.

Another was a US Marine wedding; bride, groom, and the entire wedding party were Marines. Both the bride and groom's fathers were deceased veterans. At the beginning of the service, the organ fell silent, and in complete silence two Marines slow marched the fathers folded colors up the aisle, right-and-left faced in perfect Arlington style, placed the colors on columns on either side of the altar, slowly saluted, and slowly marched back to center aisle and back up. It was one of the most moving memorials I've ever witnessed, without a single word said or note played.

[BoldHighlander]

Just recalled another
when I use to be active in ACW (Ame. Civil War) reenacting back in the 90's, sometimes the 79th would bring their pipes into battle. At night (& in the early morning) we'd hear their piper play over in the Union encampment.

Of course this holds true for other living history events (18th century) featuring my comrades in the 84th RoF RHE's.

[davedove]

Very cool
I've heard the stories of MacGregor & Crockett (on the fiddle) playing duets.

That reminds me of something I saw at the Native American Museum in Washington. One of the Canadian tribes (I forget which one) adapted the fiddle to replicate some of the sounds of bagpipes. I heard recordings of the music, and it really did sound like the pipes.

[highlander_Daz]

the most moving "gig" I ever did was for a gentleman in in his 90s who had died, he was a war hero and had glided into Arnhem, I was flanked by Veterans from the parachute regiment and the Black Watch and had to play for his funeral, the place was packed and the atmosphere was electric, if I live to be 120 I will never forget that day.

[Jock Scot]

the most moving "gig" I ever did was for a gentleman in in his 90s who had died, he was a war hero and had glided into Arnhem, I was flanked by Veterans from the parachute regiment and the Black Watch and had to play for his funeral, the place was packed and the atmosphere was electric, if I live to be 120 I will never forget that day.

Good for you,laddie.

[Arlen]

the most moving "gig" I ever did was for a gentleman in in his 90s who had died, he was a war hero and had glided into Arnhem, I was flanked by Veterans from the parachute regiment and the Black Watch and had to play for his funeral, the place was packed and the atmosphere was electric, if I live to be 120 I will never forget that day.

The men of Arnhem are hardly ever mentioned but they were brave, brave men.

What a wonderful story.