Callum Watson comes from a family of pipers. He was taught the great highland bagpipe by his Father Alex at the the age of 9 years old. His two older brothers also played, his late Brother Les was Pipe Major with the Lothian and Borders Police Pipe Band and his eldest Brother Iain played in the Strathclyde Police Pipe Band.
Callum has over 40 years experience as a piper and was a founder member of the Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary Pipe Band. He was Pipe Major of the band from its inception in 1991 until his retirement from the post in 2011. During his 20 years with the band he led them from Grade 4 to Grade 2 winning many significant prizes along the way the last of which was the Grade 2 British PIpe Band Championships in 2010, that was made even more special as the championships were held in his home town of Annan in Dumfries and Galloway.
As a soloist over the years he has played in many locations at home and abroad and was honoured to play at the Houses of Parliament during the Burns Bi-Centenery celebrations in 1996 which commemorated the 200th Anniversary of the birth of Scotland’s National Bard Robert Burns. A keen Burnsian Callum is a past president of The Hole i the Wa Burns Club, Dumfries and is club piper in the Dumfries Burns Howff Club. www.burnshowffclub.org
In 2005 Callum established his own business playing at events where the great highland bagpipe lends itself to the occasion.
Listen to ‘The Sleeping Warrior’ by
pressing the play button to the right.
Mike Gill and Callum recorded this
tune a few years back and is
available to buy on CD by contacting
Mike at mfgill@hotmail.co.uk
