Jim Kilpatrick leaves Premier

In an exclusive to Piper & Drummer Online, Jim Kilpatrick has announced that he has resigned his position with Premier Percussion in order to start Jim Kilpatrick Percussion Ltd.

Kilpatrick says the new company will offer a range of new percussion accessories for the pipe band market. He stresses that, at this point, Jim Kilpatrick Percussion will not be involved in the manufacture of drums.

Kilpatrick submitted his resignation to Premier’s management in England on January 6.

“After twenty-five years at Premier, I am leaving the company . . . regardless of the consequences,” Kilpatrick told P&D Online. “This is going to have a big impact on the drumming world.”

Kilpatrick worked with Premier for twenty-five years and was part of a management buy-out in 1984. He sold his shares in 1986. He has developed every Premier pipe band snare drum since the Royal Scot, including the HTS 200 and HTS 700 models.

Kilpatrick’s work with Premier has also included accessories, including development of the original Tendura pipe band head, Jim Kilpatrick drumsticks, and the pipe band Snare Drum Carrier, first introduced in the mid-1980s.

He was first signed by Premier to endorse their products at the age of sixteen.

“I have been an endorsee for Premier for thirty years and worked full time in sales and marketing and product development for twenty-five,” Kilpatrick continued. “It has been the most enjoyable and challenging period of my life and wish Premier every success in the future”.

Kilpatrick intimated that he is still willing to play Premier drums.

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