Livingstone toasted after 25 years

A quarter of a century with one band is remarkable enough, but 25 years as pipe-major of a contending Grade 1 band is reason enough to have a very fine drink.

Bill Livingstone, pipe-major of the Scottish Lion-78th Fraser Highlanders, was fêted at the University of Strathclyde Todd Bar Piping Challenge on August 9 in Glasgow, with Glenfiddich representative, Liz Maxwell, presenting him with a bottle of malt whisky “put to cask” in 1982, the year the 78th Frasers were officially formed.

2007 also marks the twentieth anniversary of Livingstone’s band winning the World Pipe Band Championship, becoming the first non-Scottish band to capture the title. As a member of the 78th Frasers in 1987, Bruce Gandy, now Pipe-Sergeant of the Grade 1 78th Highlanders (Halifax Citadel) Pipe Band, was on hand to share in the congratulations. Livingstone is the only member of the 1987 band who has played with the 78th Fraser Highlanders continuously. The band sprung from the membership of the General Motors Pipe Band.

The Scottish Lion-78th Fraser Highlanders, along with 21 other Grade 1 bands, hope to win the 2007 World Pipe Band Championship on Saturday, August 11, at Glasgow Green.

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