The Story of "Bagpiper Bill" and his Bagpipes

Halò (Hello), 

As a wee lad, I started playing bagpipes at 7 years old.  I received my advanced piping instruction from the "Great Ones!"- Donald Shaw Ramsey & John D. Burgess/Willie Ross - Revolutionary bagpipe musicians who brought "Rock & Roll" music into piping in the early and mid-20th Century. 

I was born into a Scottish Family of musicians. My piping career accelerated at 13 in San Francisco, California, under the Prince Charles Pipe Band's piping instructor -  J. William (Bill) Merriman. 

In America, I was fortunate and honored to be taught by a World Champion Bagpiper - Ian Whitelaw - a pure traditionalist and a lover of wolves and kindred spirits.  He regularly emphasized the necessity to continually hone one's technical skills to evoke the true elegance of the highland instrument. Piping, accordingly, is an extension and the beautiful expression of one's self.

During my college years, I competed professionally in what is now called - "Open;" and in 1983, I performed for the Queen of England at a State visit in Seattle, Washington, at the Westin Hotel. Over the next several years, I piped for a candidate running for President of the United States, let alone many other domestic and foreign dignitaries and celebrities. 

Over the years, I've been honored to perform and compete as a "corp piper" with several premier Grade-1 Pipe Bands at the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow, Scotland.  I've won many international solo piping competitions and was a member of pipe bands that won several major pipe band competitions. But what I truly love is winning the hearts of my audiences.

I am currently a member of the LA Scots Pipe Band and travel each year to Scotland to compete in the World Pipe Band Championships in August. 

I perform with genuine Silver and Ivory "Henderson Bagpipes" made in 1913. 

 
With over 50 years of bagpiping experience, I guarantee a beautiful-sounding instrument and the best musicianship on the planet. 

Sláinte (Cheers), 

"BagPiper Bill"

Máel Coluim IX MacMhurchaidh (Bill MacMurchy)