Jackie Fair, 1932-2008
John “Jackie” Fair, long-time bass-drummer with the Clan MacFarlane Pipe Band of St. Catharines, Ontario, died on November 12, 2008, after a protracted battle with cancer.
Fair was a founding member of Clan MacFarlane in the 1950s, after a contingent of members of the Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia Pipe Band emigrated from Scotland to Canada to play with the St. Catharine Pipe Band.
He was born in the drumming stronghold of Newmains, Scotland, and played in local Boys Brigade bands before joining Shotts as a tenor drummer.
Jackie Fair left Scotland in 1952 after Shotts won the World Pipe Band Championship. He was joined by John and Jim Kirkwood, Tom Weir, John Stevenson and Alex Sneddon. Fair was a member of Clan MacFarlane for 21 years.
Fair is survived by his wife, Helen, whom he was married to for 52 years; his sister Etta; his four children Eleanor, Jimmy, David and Steven; and nine grandchildren.
We extend our sympathies to Jackie Fair’s friends and family at this sad time. https://streamdigic.com/spotify/buy-spotify-plays/
I am saddened with the news of the passing of another Shotts drummer, Jackie Fair. My thoughts go out to his wife Helen and the family at this sad time. Jim Kilpatrick
Jackie Fair led the way through his generation of bass drummers. His work in the Clan was Road Brushing” for the evolution of bass drumming to date. RIP Jackie Craig J. Colquhoun”