Boise, Not "Boyzie"

Your Humble Blogger is far from the only musical

member of his family - and certainly not the most unique. Here's a nice podcast interview

with my bagpiping cousin, Brent

   I never knew my cousin Brent had any musical aspirations, but a few years ago I arrived at his mom's home in Holden Beach, North Carolina for his wedding to find that he'd learned the bagpipes and was pretty honkin' good at them. Our adult lives had taken both of us far from our native North Carolilna - me to Georgia, he to Idaho - and I hadn't kept up with him very closely for several years. Certainly long enough for him to have taken up the pipes.

   That was my first personal exposure to the pipes, and I found it pretty stirring. Call it what you will, but the sound stuck a profound chord in me similar to what I feel when I hear a well played fiddle tune. Like my Scottish DNA was set to vibrating. 
   That weekend he was married in a full dress kilt - in the proper family tartan of course - with another piper in attendance (Brent piped his family to the site of the service, the other guy piped his bride and her family down) in what was one of the most memorable weddings I've ever witnessed.
    Then last year my Mom died, and Brent was there with the pipes for her funeral. I can assure you that Mom would have loved it. As we arrived at the cemetary the sound of the pipes stirred up some stong emotions.

    Fact is, Brent and I are related through the family of our mothers - The McLaurins. Our ancestors first immigrated to the United States in the late eighteen century and settled in the Carolina piedmont just above the fall line on a farm near Wadesboro. And there's always been a strong affinity for our shared Scottish heritage among that family.
     This past weekend (May 29, 2010) I had a chance to sit down with Brent in Holden Beach and record his thoughts on piping and wearing the kilt for a podcast. I also recorded a couple of good mp3 files. All of this can be found below.
    Thanks, Brent, for the tunes!

www.saltcreekgazette.com/Brent%20Pipes%204.mp3


www.saltcreekgazette.com/Brent%20Pipes%205.mp3

And here's the podcast!
http://saltcreekgazette.podomatic.com/player/web/2010-06-01T14_48_59-07_00