Ron Graham, currently Pipe Major of Lochiel’s Quigley Highlanders, started learning the pipes in 1980 with the Glengarry School of Piping and Drumming. Dave Danskin of Maxville was his first instructor. The next year it was Roger Martin. This was the time that many teenagers from around Glengarry took up piping. And many of them are still a part of the piping and pipe band world.
In those early years, in addition to Dave Danskin and Roger Martin, P/M J.T. MacKenzie was also a strong influence. At the time, J.T. was teaching piping as a part of the music curriculum in local high schools. Students got a half-credit towards music courses each year. It’s sad that that program couldn’t continue for long after J.T.’s
retirement in 1987.
Thank you to Graeme Ogilvie and Allan Walker, for writing this article!