Library Bagpipes

On Wednesday, November 16 at noon, the Pell City Public Library is pleased to welcome Great Highland Bagpiper, Jim MacRae as featured performer for its Wild and Wonderful Wednesday series. As the current featured piper at the Ross Bridge Resort and Spa in Hoover, Alabama, Jim brings over 50 years of playing experience at a variety of events, including solo competition at the Grand 1 level, and with various pipe bands in Western Pennsylvania, Chicago, Northwest Indiana, and Alabama.

Born in Grove City, Pennsylvania in 1944, Jim is the grandson of the late bagpiper/fiddler Sloan Murdock MacRae of New Cumnock, Ayrshire, Scotland, who immigrated to America in 1910, and settled in Western Pennsylvania where he was employed as a coal miner. MacRae has fond memories of his grandfather’s fiddle music, but admits that he wasn’t much interested in piping as a child, though his grandfather encouraged him in that direction. He is the proud owner of his grandfather’s pipes, however, an 1890 vintage set made by Torquil MacLeod. After graduation from Grove City High School in 1961, MacRae attended the Carnegie Institute of Technology in 1961. It was in 1961 that he began his study of the pipes with teacher Lew Davidson. From 1962-1965 he studied both band and solo music with Harold Reed, Pipe Master of the Grove City Highland Band, who had been taught by MacRae’s grandfather. Hearing stories about his grandfather and Mr. Reed’s learning experience with him was an added bonus of this experience. Jim continued his studies with Gordon Speirs of Milwaukee who he credits with teaching him Piobaireachd, the classical music of the Highland bagpipe—as well as developing in him a greater proficiency in band and solo piping. Jim also worked with Jim Imlach of Chicago, and attended various workshops and summer schools such as the Ohio School of Scottish Arts and the North American Academy of Piping. He played with the Carnegie Tech Pipe Band in 1962, his first band, marching in parades, playing his grandfather’s pipes. He also played with the Grove City Highland Band, the Stock Yard Kilty Band of Chicago, the Westchester Highlanders in Chesterton, Indiana, and eventually formed his own band, the Gary Kilty Band of Gary, Indiana, serving as Pipe Major from 1967 through 1973. This group participated in the Grade 4 Contest of the Scottish World Festival in 1972. In 1973, Jim co-founded with Terry McHugh the Invermich Gaelic Society/University of Chicago Pipe Band, and remained with the band until 2000, serving most of those years as Pipe Sergeant. When he accepted a job in Birmingham, he played briefly with the Atlanta Pipe Band, and then with the Birmingham Society of Piping, which later became known as the Alabama Pipes and Drums. He has served as a (Grade 1) Pipe Major for this band, led by him, and Drum Sergeant Scott Bable.

MacRae has had numerous performance opportunities, including a concert in Chelyabinsk, Russia (while working as a Metallurgical Engineering Consultant at Mechel Steel there), at various music festivals, private and public events and competitions, and with the Alabama Symphony, playing “The Orkney Wedding at Sunrise.” His performance at the Pell City Public Library on Wednesday, November 16th will include a variety of beloved Scottish selections and other piping favorites! This is an event that you will not want to miss. It is free and open to the public, and light refreshments will be served afterwards.