Fisher leaves 78th Frasers after one season

After only one season as leading-drummer of the 78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band, John Fisher has stepped down. Drew Duthart is the new leader of the band’s drum section.

A resident of Vancouver, British Columbia, Fisher commuted to the band’s practices in the Toronto area – a trip of more than 3,000 miles. He played a total of two competitions with the band, the North American and World pipe band championships.

John Fisher’s final performance with the band was at a concert in Edmonton, Alberta, in early April.

Drew Duthart takes over and becomes the band’s fourth leading drummer in the last 10 years. Duthart, the son of legendary drummer Alex Duthart, played with several bands before joining the 78th Frasers, including the Peel Regional Police, the Metro Toronto Police, and Shotts & Dykehead. He was leading-drummer of the Metro Toronto Police when the band won the North American Pipe Band Championship twice in the 1990s.

Until he joined the 78th Fraser Highlanders, John Fisher had not played with a pipe band for some 20 years. He had been leading drummer of the now-defunct City of Victoria Pipe Band with Pipe-Major James Troy.

Several Vancouver-area side-drummers had joined the 78th Frasers along with Fisher, and their status with the band is not yet known.

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