Bill is our great Dance Piper and lends his years of expertise to playing for our Dance Corps.
Bill has been in the band since the 1970's and we are excited to welcome him to his new role as Pipe Major
Photo courtesy of Jacquelynn Holly Photography
Band Manager Ron Lopez
My first memory of hearing bagpipes was in a movie called Paratrooper (I have this movie!) in 1954, starring Alan Ladd as a Canadian fighting with the British in WW II.
In High School Marvin McGowan, a friend of mine, invited me to a practice. I met the Pipe Major Ray Briggs. He gave me a practice chanter and the Logan's tutor, opened it up to Barren Rocks of Aden and told me if I could play that by next week I would probably be a piper. He left the next week and Marvin tutored me for a while. This was in 1960. The Band was the Piping and Dancing Society. Robert McRill joined the band as the new Pipe Major but left a year or so later.
The Band evaporated. Marvin went to the University of Idaho, one went to MIT another piper went to Boise College and I went to the College of Idaho. I graduated in 1963 and in 1964 McRill's wife Kathy, whom I had known from the first band asked me to join the Treasure Valley Royal Highlanders. I went to the practice where I met a 16-year-old Joyce Bottoms. She had been playing for a couple of years and was given the job of catching me up on their tunes. Fourteen years later Joyce and I were married. We had our son Ryan and later our daughter Sara. They became very productive members of the Boise Highlanders.
Bob McRill left the band in 1972. He and Kathy had divorced. She was a much better piper than I was and we tossed the "who wants to be P/M" hot potato back and forth. Neither one of us wanted it. Kathy got remarried and left.
In 1973 Joyce and I attended the Coeur 'd Alene piping school. We met a great young piper Rene' Cusson who was our instructor and the first "real" Bagpiper instructor we ever had.
The turning point for me was when Gunnery Sgt. George Earley joined the band in 1969. McRill had invited him to be our Drum Major. George had gone to Vietnam for his second tour. When he returned he worked with me with leadership. Up to that point, I always marched on the Pipe Sgt. side because I did not feel comfortable marching on the Pipe Major's side. George would have none of that and I became the Pipe Major. We changed the name to the Boise Highlanders. George convinced me to start our piping school. I told him I couldn't teach. He said, "Sure you can, I will help." We started with the Community Education in 1974.
I was the Pipe Major for 40 years. No one should be the Pipe Major of a band for that long. There were others who could have done just a good a job but none who had the vision I had for the band.
Grant Harbison, who was 17 and one of the piping school students came back and joined our band. I knew he would be the one who had a vision and could take the band further than I ever could. He has done a great job. I am the Band Manager and run the piping school along with some very dedicated Boise Highlanders as instructors. I feel I am piping better now than I ever have thanks to Grant and several others.
Now my grandsons, Davin and Meric, are in the band and becoming good pipers. Any success I had as a Pipe Major comes from the influence of George Earley and the strong support of Joyce and my Family.
Pipe Sergeant Jordan Pierce
Jordan Pierce started taking lessons from the band's school in 2007 and became an outfitted Boise Highlander in 2008. In 2012, the newly elected Pipe Major selected Jordan as one of his Pipe Sergeants.
Jordan enjoys playing a large variety of tunes, but prefers jigs and hornpipes as genres.
He credits much of his early progress to Pipe Major Emeritus Ronald Lopez and Brian Reese, and credits Pipe Major Grant Harbison for his further refinement.
Jordan loves how pipers come from different backgrounds. The one thing that brings them all together is the feeling they get when they hear the pipes. Due to his light skin tone and reddish hair many people ask Jordan if he's Irish or Scottish; his reply is "My family's all from Kentucky."
Photo courtesy of Jacquelynn Holly Photography
Pipe Sergeant Brian Reese
Brian began piping at the age of 9. His first lessons were from Ryan Lopez, the son of Ron Lopez.
He joined the Boise Highlanders a year later. He began taking a variety of courses, and competing heavily in 2004.
Ultimately he attended Lyon college briefly in 2008, on a scholarship through bagpiping.
He continued his education in music at Boise State University, and on his own.
Today Brian is a composer, and active teacher in bagpiping. He loves sharing his knowledge and experience with others.
Brian's work was recently published in the Winnipeg Collection.
Photo courtesy of Jacquelynn Holly Photography
Davin Aycock
Perhaps one of our most recently outfitted pipers, Davin and his brother Meric officially joined the band in the summer of 2017.
Davin is the son of tenor drummer Sarah Aycock, and grandson of the former Pipe Major Ron Lopez.
His current focus has been on the clean development of embellishments and steady tone.
Great to have you playing with us!
Photo courtesy of Jacquelynn Holly Photography
Meric Aycock
Perhaps one of our most recently outfitted pipers, Meric and his brother Davin officially joined the band in the summer of 2017.
Meric is also the son of tenor drummer Sarah Aycock, and grandson of the former Pipe Major Ron Lopez.
His current focus has been on controlling tempos, and expressing the dreaded "long notes" of his tunes.
Great to have you playing with us!
Photo courtesy of Jacquelynn Holly Photography
Piper Lloyd Blackstone
Lloyd is an active member of the Boise Highlanders, as well as a member of the City of Boise Police Pipes and Drums.
Lloyd is also the first, and to our knowledge only, piper to play at the summit of Mount Borah.
Photo courtesy of Jacquelynn Holly Photography
Bill Hughes
Bill is one our great holdouts in the band. He's been playing for many years, and has received instruction from a variety of professional pipers.
He's most notably one of the quickest to learn a new set, and take direction without hesitation.
Bill has recently become one of the cornerstones to the harmony pipers within the band.
Photo courtesy of Jacquelynn Holly Photography
VAN BRADLEY
Grant Harbison
Grant got his start with the Boise Highlanders at the tender age of 16.
Several years, and pipe bands, later he rejoined us in 2010 and was been Pipe Major from 2012 through January 2023.
Grant brings significant experience from years of pipe band competition to the band.
Photo courtesy of Jacquelynn Holly Photography
Zane Harbison
Zane Harbison joined the Boise Highlander’s in 2013.
His favorite performance is Robbie Burns Night, which takes place in January each year.
His favorite tunes are The Beaches of Harris, St. Ninian’s Centre Parish, and 400%.
Bud Lancaster
Ever wonder why the band often looks so sharp? Well this guy is the answer.
Bud began his piping education through the Boise Highlanders school.
Today he is an active performer with the band, and instructor through the school.
In addition to all of that, Bud is currently our Quartermaster. Needless to say the Band relies on his prowess and standards!
Scott McCain
"To the make of a piper go seven years of his own learning and seven generations before.
If it is in, it will out, as the Gaelic old word says; if not, let him take to the net or sword.
At the end of his seven years one born to it will stand at the start of knowledge, and leaning a fond ear to the drone, he may have parley with old folks of old affairs."
The Lost Pibroch, Neil Munro
Photo courtesy of Jacquelynn Holly Photography
Judy Pittman
Judy began piping at 19 studying with then PM Ron Lopez. She later went on to study in Scotland with Hugh MacCallum, getting tutoring from several top class pipers at summers schools and for the past decade studing with PM John Cairns, via Skype. Her greatest love is the classical form of piping, piobaireachd, which she continues to learn. After having spent almost her entire adult life with the Boise Highlanders she regards most of the members as dear friends and some as family.
Her favorite tunes are Jeannie Carruthers, Susan MacLeod and Mrs. MacPherson of Inveran, and her favorite piobaireachd is the Nameless tune Cherede darievea.
Photo courtesy of Jacquelynn Holly Photography
Sharon Vanderlip
Sharon joined the band in 2016 and her first performance with the band was Burns Night 2018.
Sharon fell in love with bagpipes the first time she heard them, when she was in kindergarten. For years she asked her family for a set of bagpipes. In 1966, Sharon’s grandmother bought her the Lawrie bagpipes that she plays today. She remembers her grandmother every time she picks up her pipes. Sharon played in a bagpipe band during her high school years. She is one of the instructors at the Boise Highlanders Piping School.
Sharon thanks everyone who has been an inspiration to her and who helped her on her wonderful piping journey. Special thanks go to Brian Reese, her instructor; Pipe Major Grant Harbison; Kathy Mars….and of course, to all of the Boise Highlanders!
Photo courtesy of Jacquelynn Holly Photography
Kerri Silvernell
Samuel "The Smolder" Ward
Samuel first started learning pipes at the age of 10 yrs. old from his uncle, Tim.
Samuel later began taking lessons from Ron Lopez, Brian Reese, Grant Harbison and Bob Worrall.
He joined the band at the age of 12 and loves playing with them in all the parades, highland games, dinners, etc.
Samuel has participated in a number of piping competitions and continues to enjoy practicing at home as well as with the band.
Along with a few others, he loves to play harmonies in the band medleys which contributes to a more dynamic sound.
Photo courtesy of Jacquelynn Holly Photography
Susan Westergard
Susan was first exposed to bagpipes by her Scottish-descended grandmother, who used to play her bagpipe 78 records. Then she heard them live as a teen and was immediately hooked.
Though she played clarinet in high school band and had no clue where or how to learn bagpipes, she always said if she played another instrument it would be the pipes. Then a friend gave her a practice chanter as a 29th birthday gift, so it was time to find lessons. Enter the Boise Highlanders and community education.
So even though she was an older learner, with fine tutelage from Pipe Major Emeritus, Ron Lopez, and other members, Susan joined the band a little under a year later and we haven’t kicked her out yet. Susan helped teach at the piping school for several years a while back and currently serves on the band board.
Susan’s favorite tunes tend to be 6/8 marches because they make you want to swing the kilt pleats, but a nice harmonic or soulful slow air is also a favorite. But mostly it’s the band camaraderie with love of the music that keep her coming back.
Photo courtesy of Jacquelynn Holly Photography
Bryan Whipple
Bryan started on the bagpipes at the rather late age of 45.
His parents sent home a set of Pakastani pipes they had found. The bag was rotten, and one drone did not work correctly.
He found a teacher who had been playing since he was 12.
Bryan played with the Galloway Highlanders in Ogden, UT and then joined the Boise Highlanders in 2003.
Photo courtesy of Jacquelynn Holly Photography
We have several new members whose bios are coming.....stay tuned
