Born and raised in Regina, Saskatchewan, Chris started learning the pipes in 1979 following a family trip to Scotland that included taking in the Braemar Gathering. The Ontario Massed Legion Pipes and Drums were playing that day and as Chris sat in the stands, vibrating, he told his parents he simply HAD to play the pipes. That fall he started lessons with the Fraser Pipe Band in Regina.
In the Fraser Pipe Band, the first instructors Chris had were Rick Helm and Barry Robinson, as well as taking private lessons from Tim Coffey who had just aged out of the band. They all played for the Victoria Park Pipe Band which was in Grade 2 and was the top band in the province in those days.
Thank you to Graeme Ogilvie for writing this story!