Palm Springs Air Museum Pipes & Drum Band

It is with great pride that along with Rod Cribbes, Robert co-founded the Palm Springs Pipe band in 2007, along with our first member Jim Mcphail.

Born in Vancouver, Canada, the son of a proud Scot from Falkirk, Robert Heggie was taught by Malcolm Nicholson, Pipe Major Vancouver Police Pipe Band, who was awarded the Order of Canada in recognition of decades of teaching bagpipes and his profound impact to thousands. Robert also wishes to teach and pass on to others the joy of Scottish music and culture, along with the discipline and pride associated with achievement.

Beginning at age 6, Robert became a champion in Western Canada by 10, competed at 12 in 1962 in the world’s in Scotland, placing in the top 3 in pipe band competitions there, was invited to play with the original SFU Pipe Band and received a scholarship for such. Robert was also accredited by the Queens Piper, Captain John A. MacLellan, MBE, Director British Army School of Piping, (whom, by amalgamation created the Institute of Piping) and awarded Robert a coveted Best in Class award.

Shaun began piping under the tutelage of Robert Gilchrist, Pipe Sergeant to R.G. Hardie, when he was 11 years old. He competed from age 11 through 18 at highland games throughout the Northeast and Canada, culminating in winning the grade 3 north American championship in 1973 at Maxville, Canada as part of the Olgivey Highlanders Band. Later that same year the band went on to compete at the world championships in Stirling, Scotland. From 1978 until 2017, Shaun’s pipes remained packed away as his careers in the marine corps and sheriff's departments kept him busy. A chance meeting with Trevor Uprichard, a fellow bandsman, resulted in Shaun picking up the pipes again after 40 years and joining the band. At the recent Ventura Highland Games, held in October of 2018, Shaun competed in the grade 4 march solo competition, placing 5th out of 42 competitors. Showing all of us that he’s still got it. Shaun has a great love of small pipes as well and plays both the Twist Trap Small Pipes, Walsh Small Pipes, and the Fagerstrom Electronic Pipes. Additionally, he has a keen interest in the restoring of old pipes and the collecting of old piobaireachd manuscripts and notations which he uses when playing piobaireachd.

Mike began piping in 1992. After attending his first highland games, he was discussing the event with his family and was overheard by a local piper. That led him to join the Tunes of Glory band from Warrenville, IL who started his piping education. Over the next 20 years, he competed with 5 different bands in the Midwest, but always stayed a member of Tunes as well. During that time, he attended the Milwaukee School of Piping annually for well over 10 years, studying under and befriending many members of the 78th Frasers. This encouraged him to become a student of Jake Watson and start traveling from Chicago to Tiverton, ON to attend practices and competitions with his band, Penetangore, including win at the Glengarry Highland Games in Maxville, ON in Grade 4. In 2015 he got married and moved from Chicago, so ended up taking a break from bagpiping until 2019 when he joined Palm Springs Air Museum Pipes and Drums. He now calls both Palm Springs, CA and Des Moines, IA home.

Malcolm Willis is the son of PM Kathleen Nicholson Graham and grandson of PM Malcolm Nicholson, CM. He started his drumming journey at age 7 in Vancouver, B.C. under the initial tutelage of Drum Major Bob Graham and Keith Manifold, DS, Kiwanis Boys Pipe Band (KBPB). In 1966 he relocated with his mother to Santa Monica, California, USA. He continued with his Pipe Band drumming during each summer with the KBPB. In 1967 the KBPB took 1st place at the North American Championships in Maxville, Ont. and the Canadian Dominion Championships in Halifax, Nova Scotia. On an individual note, Malcolm entered the Canadian Dominion Championships, open individual drumming 21 and under competition and placed 2nd.
In 1970 the KBPB flew to Scotland to compete in the juvenile Pipe Band contests. The band's crowning success was winning the European Championships and taking the Glasgow Shield trophy that had not left Scotland in its 64-year history, they also took 1st place at the Cowal Gathering Championships in Dunoon, Scotland.
Returning to SoCal after the passing of his father, Malcolm's next supported his mother’s newly formed “Nicholson Pipes and Drums” in 1981. The band started as a noncompetitive band but transitioned to a Grade 4 and competed at the 2006 World Pipe Band Championships in grade 4. Subsequently transitioning to a competitive Grade 3 Band. Currently, Malcolm still manages an alumni faction of the Nicholson Pipes and Drums performing at community events and is the Drum Sergeant for the PSAMPB.

Tony Parise attended Henry M. Gunn Sr. High School where he received 2 varsity letters in football as an offensive lineman and 3 in wrestling. Upon graduating high school, Tony enlisted in the US Army as an MP and on deactivation he played football at Foothill Jr College where he received the Offensive Lineman of the year award his Sophomore year. Tony was an assistant coach at Palm Desert High School for six years working with the offensive and defensive linemen. Currently he is the Offensive Line coach at COD. His goal is to develop players academically and athletically for the next level or to prepare them to enter the working world. Tony is PSAMPB Bass Drummer at times, Drum Major at others and indispensable as the Band’s XO.

A native of Kingston, Ontario Bill has had a life-long involvement with music. During university days he was a member of the internationally renowned Fort Henry Guard where he retired as Drum Major. Bill has played with the St. Andrew Caledonian Pipers and is currently a member of the Calgary and District Pipes &Drums.

A member of the Mission Pipe Band for many years as a Bass Drummer he finally saw the light and became a Piper. He was Pipe Sgt with the Mission Pipe Band until he moved to Vancouver Island on retiring from the RCMP some many moons ago. He joined the Mount Arrowsmith Pipe Band and again attained the position of Pipe Sgt. Currently when Jim Snowbirds in the Coachella Valley we have the good fortune of having him join us to play.

Canadian snowbird November to April in La Quinta, and Kelowna British Columbia resident May to November. Member of the Kelowna Pipe band society since 1992, and Palm Springs Pipe band member since 2017. My travels with piping have been to Scotland, England , America and Mexico, next year France and Holland are lined up.

Joel has been playing with the Palm Springs Pipe Band since 2012 and currently resides in 29 Palms, CA.
He is by Military Occupational Specialty, a tuba instrumentalist but early in his career, he was introduced to the bagpipes at the Pleasanton, Highland Games while performing as a Marine Bandsman which motivated him to learn the pipes. For almost two decades, he has performed on pipes in various venues from traditional to fronting a rock band and most recently he auditioned for America’s Got Talent season 7.

Ken started learning the pipes at the age of 12 with the Boys Brigade in Glasgow. A period of hiatus followed as he toiled day and night studying for an engineering degree in Edinburgh. As a surprise birthday gift in 1974 his wife gave him a practice chanter, and this provided the impetus to take up the pipes again. On emigrating to Canada, he joined the North Bay Pipe Band in 1975 and played with them until moving to the west coast in 1981. A work colleague introduced him to the Delta Police Band in 1983 and he is now one of their longest serving members. He is honoured to play with the Palm Springs Air Museum Pipe Band when the opportunity arises. Highlights of his piping career include playing at the Edinburgh International Tattoo with his relatives in the audience and playing with Paul McCartney in front of 55,000 McCartney fans.

Mel started piping in 1966 with the Cadet’s of the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders (QOCH) of Canada, under the watchful eye of Don Morrison, PM of the Winnipeg City Police PB. Later he played with the QOCHPB under PM Bob Fraser for almost a decade. Winnipeg highlights include being part of a Massed Band of 100 pipers that played in Pasadena’s Rose Bowl parade in 1973, 1974 & 1976 (the first time Robert Heggie and I played together).
After moving to Edmonton in 1980, and a short sabbatical, he began playing with the Big Rock PB, now known as the Edmonton & District PB. The highlight was playing in the Grade 3 World Championships in 2000 with PM Dave Trew. The band finished 1st in Edinburgh, 1st in Perth and 6th in Glasgow.
An avid golfer, he takes his golf clubs to every pipe band competition, so additional highlights of the competitive circuit, are that he also played an amazing round of golf at St. Andrews with Jeff Allen in 2000. After waiting ten hours to tee off, they started golfing in the rain, but luckily it cleared up after 3-4 holes. He “deuced the turn” at the Old Course, scoring “two” on both the Par four 9th and 10th holes to go four under par on those two holes. He has now played Muirfield, Turnburry and Prestwick; all British Open Championship courses. Next up Royal Troon, Carnoustie and Musselburgh. Of course, before all of that he’ll be tuning up with the PSAMPB in the near future.

Pierre is a Canadian Military Officer who has retired in SoCal with his wife Pamela. Having been a Non-Commissioned Member before commissioning as an officer, he is well acquainted with proper Dress and Deportment of bandsmen. With that in mind he was approached by the Canadian Forces Base Gagetown Pipes & Drum to become their Band Officer// Drum Major. In this capacity he has participated in numerous Military Parades & Ceremonies, St Patrick’s Day Parades, Highland Games & Tattoos. The highlights for him so far were leading the Mass Bands for the St Louis Highland games in 2004 & 05. Pierre is a welcomed addition to our Band, and we look forward to a fruitful relationship with him as a Part Time Drum Major. Having recently picked up the chanter he is fervently working his way onto the pipes and into the Piper's formation.

Tom began piping in 1958, with the Canadian Scottish Regiment Cadet Pipe Band, (Victoria, BC) receiving instruction from Jock Lowe (Seaforth Highlanders). He became Pipe Major of the cadet band in 1961 before joining the Canadian Scottish Militia.Tom was bandless during his university days, and began piping again in 1968 in Kamloops, BC. He later played with the Kelowna Legion Pipe Band 1973-1993 serving as Pipe Sergeant for a number of years, and Pipe Major for two years. He currently is a member of Kalamalka Highlanders Pipe Band of Vernon BC, as well as PSAMPB. Highlights in the last 60 years include playing with Canadian Scottish Regiment Pipe Band at Seattle's World Fair 1962, and Can Scots receiving new colours, also in '62. With Kelowna Legion Pipe Band, Tom was involved with planning and execution of an 11 day trip to Kasugai,Japan in '83, and was PM for the tour. 1992 included a tour to Scotland, culminating in several competitions including participation at the World Championships in Glasgow. Tom led a group on tour to Nova Scotia in 2006 with the Kalamalka Highlanders, and was pleased to participate with Palm Spring in Cabo 2018. Tom's idea of a great day include the following: a set of bagpipes, a cold beer , and an egg salad sandwich. The cameraderie of the Pipe Band community, and the variety of Pipe Band Music have been a continued source of enjoyment.

Pamela is a native SoCal who was transplanted to Canada for a short time by her husband Pierre. As a young girl she followed in her mom’s footsteps and took up drumming. In Highschool the cool looking uniforms of the Majorettes led her astray and she fell out of drumming for a long while. After her marriage, luckily for us, she fell in with Canadian Forces Base Gagetown Pipes & Drums, NB and took up drumming all over again. She has played with the Fredericton Society of Saint Andrew Pipes & Drum Band, NB. The Black Watch Association Pipes & Drums (Eastern Chapter), NB. The John Ford Highland Pipe Band, St Louis, MO and the RCMP Pipes & Drum of the National Capital Region. She has participated in numerous military parades and ceremonies at CFB Gagetown, the Nova Scotia Tattoo 2003, the Netherlands Military Tattoo 2004 and a recording session with the RCMP Pipes & Drums, NCR in 2008. Recently returning to SoCal she joins us to help fill out our drum line.

Barry joined the Delta Police Pipe Band in 2015 as a member of the Honor Guard. Soon realized that the Bandsmen were the ones making the magic, so he began tenor drum lessons and has been a tenor drummer with the Delata Police Pipe Band ever since. Barry is a retired Vancouver Police Detective, and Law Enforcement pilot who "Snowbirds" in the Coachella Valley. He played with the PSAMPB in 2021 and was inducted as a guest member and has decided to make us a regular thing when he "Snowbirds" here. He looks forward as do we to continuing his affiliation with our wonderful group of musicians when he visits The Palm Springs area.