Metro Atlanta Bagpiper

Crawford Tartan

Why Choose Tom?

Three things to keep in mind me Tom if you are considering hiring me for your event:

Well that’s nice, you might say, but why should I care about that stuff? How does that impact Tom playing at my event?

First, I have been a musician for more than 40 years (I still find that hard to believe)! It is my passion, my avocation, the thing that makes me who I am and keeps me feeling young. For the record, I also play acoustic and electric guitar, bass guitar and double bass, mandolin, Irish bouzouki, and a little bit of tin whistle. I have played, but have not kept up, the banjo or the pedal steel guitar. I’ve performed with such diverse groups as Jim Howard and the Southern Swingsters; Love and Mercy Band (now the Merci Brothers); and Sheri Kling, singer-songwriter. Currently I perform with Keltic Kudzu, the Atlanta Pipe Band, the Praise Band at the Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, and of course as a solo piper. In all that, I’ve learned quite a bit about musicality, focus, and performing in public.

Second, I am immersed in Celtic and Scottish music. I continue my bagpiping studies with weekly lessons with an outstanding instructor, Winter Taylor. I attend weekly practice sessions with both the Atlanta Pipe Band and Keltic Kudzu. So I am playing before other pipers and musicians several times a week, and they can be your toughest critics when you don’t do your best! Combined with my daily practice regimen, you can rest assured that I will arrive at your event prepared and ready to go.

Let me interject here for a moment that these two points put me in the somewhat unique position among my peers. I am an avid student of the ancient art of Piobaireachd (pronounced pee-brock) the classical and original music of the bagpipes, of the dance music of the pipes – strathspeys, reels, jigs and hornpipes - not to mention the great marches. But I am equally likely to break out into Happy Birthday, Rocky Top, Do You Think I’m Sexy, or a random Elvis tune. In other words, I take the bagpipes and performance very seriously, but still remember that a fun event calls for just that — FUN!

Finally, my business has been successful for 25 years because I am detail oriented, focused on customer service and quick to adapt. I bring these traits to my performances as well. You and I will go over all the details beforehand so you will have no unpleasant surprises. I will arrive on time or early and be ready to go at the appointed time. And if (when?) things change, I’m ready and able to adapt. You have enough details to keep track of, I can make at least this small part of your event trouble-free!