Saskatchewan Pipers & Band Musicians

There are many Saskatchewan players who have contributed to maintaining Highland culture
in a distinctly non-Highland environment. This is not meant to be comprehensive, but we have
added people we know about. Can you supply photos or biographical information?

By the 1930s, Sutherland had accepted a position as the chief of police in Melfort, Saskatchewan.  That the Calgary Highlanders have always cultivated talent from unique sources is evidenced by the story of Alex Smart.  In his capacity as Chief of Police, Sutherland one day had to arrest a hobo - Smart - in a railyard.  Upon finding he was a piper, the hobo resided at the Chief's house instead of a jail cell.
When the Second World War started, Smart joined the Calgary Highlanders but Sutherland moved to Manitoba to serve with the Winnipeg Police.  When the Highlanders moved to Camp Shilo, in Manitoba, Smart persuaded Sutherland to come and visit, and in the end convinced Sutherland to join the band.

When the battalion left Shilo for overseas, Heather - a black Scots Terrier belonging to Sutherland - accompanied them, smuggled in the band's bass drum.  Heather didn't return from overseas - being left with a good family in the UK.  A set of Sutherland's bagpipes also did not return home; they were destroyed when a shell hit an ammunition truck in Normandy in which they were being carried.  By that time, Sutherland had been Pipe Major for two years, having taken over from Stoker in 1942.

Sutherland did very well on the courses he took while in the UK; Willie Ross, the Chief of Piping for the British Army in fact wanted Sutherland to stay in England after the war.  But Sutherland returned to the Winnipeg Police, where he was Pipe Major from 1945 to 1970.  He suffered a heart attack in 1972 and died of a stroke in 1973.

And the following letter from Neil Sutherland's nephew Ward Faulkner. We are also very grateful to Ward for the photos accompanying these articles.

My very good friend Ron MacLeod forwarded your request for information on Saskatchewan pipers and bands.  My Uncle, Pipe Major Neil Sutherland of Winnipeg, Manitoba, was a resident of Saskatchewan during the late 1920's and early 1930's.  During that time he served with the Regina City Police, the Saskatchewan Provincial Police and was also Chief of Police, Melfort, Saskatchewan.  While living in Regina, Neil was one of the persons instrumental in the formation of the Regina Boy's Kiltie Band and the Regina Piobaireachd Society.  During his time in Melfort, he was active with the Melfort Pipe Band.  Neil left Saskatchewan during WWII when he enlisted with the Calgary Highlanders and served as P/M until the end of the war.  Upon his return home, he joined the Winnipeg Police force and served as P/M  City of Winnipeg Police Pipe Band for over twenty years.

During the late 1920's and while residing in Regina, Neil was recognized as one of Canada's premier pipers having won the Beatty trophy three consecutive years at the Banff Highland Gathering.  The Gathering was sponsored by Canadian Pacific who also provided financial support for the annual participation of a leading piping competitor from Scotland. Followingwins on three consecutive years, Neil was asked to withdraw from competition and to serve with P/M Willie Fergusson, of Clan MacRae Pipe Band, as a member of the judging panel.

I am attaching a 1932 newspaper clipping describing a trip taken by ". . .the newly formed Regina Boy's Kiltie Band. . ." to North Dakota.  P/M Neil Sutherland and others are mentioned in the text.  I am also attaching a photograph of the first (Neil Sutherland, Regina), second (W. Campbell, Vancouver), and third (W. Pow, Calgary) place competitors for the Beatty Trophy - taken at the Banff Highland Gathering.  I am uncertain which year this was taken.  I also have in my possession Neil's original hand written notation (manuscript book) of pipe tunes that he used during the late 20's and early 30's with some of his original compositions - no photocopiers then!  I'm attaching a sample of this manuscript book (it's too large for my scanner) - the tune is titled Col. Alexander Fraser's Welcome to Banff by N. Sutherland, Regina.

P/M Neil Sutherland was my mentor and piping instructor for many years while I attended the University of Manitoba.  On  January 1,1972, Neil suffered a near fatal heart attack while piping during the Winnipeg St. Andrews Society New Years Day Levee.  The resulting oxygen deprivation caused neurological damage and, although he had a reasonably good recovery, he could no longer finger his beloved practise chanter.  When we sat down to continue my piobaireachd lessons during his early recovery, he lamented sadly ". . . Ward, I can't even play a burl. . ."  I told him not to worry, and " . . . just sing the tune. . ."  Sing the tunes he did, and for the next year almost every Saturday afternoon was reserved for my piobaireachd lesson - with Neil singing and me playing on the practise chanter.  He died on January 5, 1973 - almost a year to the day following his earlier heart attack.  With his passing the family gave me his old original manuscript book and his  hard-bound copy of the Piobaireachd Society books.  The inside cover of the latter is autographed by many of the leading pipers of the day, including, J. S. Ramsay, Willie Ross, John Wilson, Wm. Fergusson, R.G. Hardie, e.t. al.

I am also attaching a copy of a Christmas card sent by Lt. Col. John McEwing.  The front of the card had a photograph of Neil piping, and the inside provided associated text. I have many fond memories of my times with Neil and thought some ofthis information might be of value to you.  I guess my point is that P/M Neil Sutherland of Winnipeg was also a Saskatchewan piper.

Please let me know if I may be of any assistance re your project.

Sincerely,
Ward Falkner, Ph.D.

James L. McWilliams

[Biography from Jim's web site.]

At the age of eleven I joined the St. Andrew's Society Boy's Pipe Band in Moose Jaw. Six months later I made my first public appearance -- before Princess Elizabeth. Enthusiasm and the fine instruction of Pipe Major Bob Shepherd and Jim Carnegie of Belbeck, formerly of the Edinburgh City Police, brought me three Saskatchewan Junior Piping Championships.

After High School I joined the Canadian Army as a piper destined for the Black Watch of Canada, but ended up an officer in the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps. I eventually settled on a teaching career in Calgary. There I served as Band Officer of the 19th Medium Regiment which eventually became the Clan MacBain Pipe Band with which I played several years. I spent part of a summer at the Invermark School of Piping in New York State learning the basics of piobaireachd and earning their highest certificate. In 1962 I was honoured to be chosen as Chief Instructor of the Prairie Command School of Piping and Drumming at Currie Barracks. In later years I conducted workshops and schools in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and Montana.

In 1967 I returned to my hometown of Moose Jaw where I remained for the next quarter century as a high school teacher. There I served as Band Director/Pipe Major of the White Hackle. During that time the band won the Provincial Championship over a dozen times, were International Champions, runner-up for the Eastern Canadian Championship, Third in the North American Championships (all in our only visit to Ontario), won the 1986 Expo Championship in Vancouver, and took Sixth in the European Championships. These events were in Third and Fourth Grades.

The White Hackle was well received in the U.S.A., England, Scotland, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, including invitational performances at two World's Fairs, Disney World, and a Command Performance for the Governor General of Canada. At the same time the band was earning an international reputation for showmanship and Fancy Drill, having won numerous competitions against pipe bands and huge marching bands.

I was co-founder of the Saskatchewan Summer School of the Arts and The Prairie Pipe Band Association and served in a variety of roles and executive positions from the 1960‘s to the 1990‘s. I wrote several pamphlets and articles on piping as well as being Editor of "The Bandsman", the newsletter of the Prairie Pipe Band Association. However, I am most proud of having taught piping and even bass and tenor-drumming to hundreds of youths, many of whom have gone on to do the same for the succeeding generations.

Like many pipers, I am addicted to composing, having churned out countless tunes to amuse myself. The last time I spoke with the late Donald MacLeod MBE he told me he intended to bring out a seventh book of pipe music and wanted permission to include six of my compositions. Of course, I was delighted and agreed. Unfortunately, Donald passed away months later, and his seventh book was never published. I never thought to ask him which tunes he wanted to use. Nevertheless, he did include two of my efforts in previous publications, as well as a fine 2/4 march he composed for me and a lovely slow air for my eldest son, Lachlan.

For many years I have been an adjudicator of Piping and Ensemble and even Bass-Tenor competitions in Nova Scotia, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, Montana, and Washington State.

In 1993 I left Moose Jaw to begin a new career as a retiree in Cloverdale, B.C., but have continued piping with The Delta Police Pipe Band, The White Spot Pipe Band, the Langley Legion Pipe Band, and the Vancouver Police Pipe Band. In associated music fields I am the piper for Tartan Pride Highland Dance Team, and enjoy playing a few tunes with the popular Celtic band, Blackthorn. Currently I serve on the executive of the B.C. Pipers Association.

The following is a list of the pipe bands with which I have been associated:
• The St. Andrews Society Boys' Pipe Band (Moose Jaw: piper)
• The Sprigs o' Heather Girls Pipe Band (Moose Jaw: Instructor of Piping, Tenor and Bass)
• The Pipes and Drums of The North Saskatchewan Regiment (Saskatoon: piper and drummer)
• The Pipes and Drums of The 19th Medium Regiment, RCA (Calgary: Band Officer)
• The Calgary Boy Scout Pipe Band (Band Director)
• The Innisfail Legion Pipe Band (Instructor)
• The Clan MacBain Pipe Band (Calgary: piper)
• The Calgary Scottish (piper)
• The Pipes and Drums of The Calgary Highlanders (Pipe Major -- probably the shortest term ever)
• The White Hackle (Moose Jaw: Band Director/Pipe Major)
• The Clansmen Pipe Band (South Saskatchewan: Pipe Major)
• The Pipes and Drums of The 10th Field Regiment, RCA (Regina: Band Officer)
• The Delta Police Pipe Band (Staff-Sergeant Piper)
• The White Spot Pipe Band (Band Director)
• The Langley Legion Pipe Band (piper)
• The Vancouver Police Pipe Band (piper)