Canada 150: the 15 Greatest Canadian Pipers & Drummers (deceased)
#15: George Sherriff
Known worldwide today as the namesake of the Amateur Invitational Solo Piping Competition held annually in Hamilton, Ontario, George Sherriff’s mark was not so much for his playing and competitive achievements as for his contributions to teaching. Indeed, he would provide solid tuition from scratch and usually for free to dozens of young of beginner pipers in the Hamilton area, many of whom would go on to enjoy long careers with area bands. He immigrated to Canada in 1947 from Glasgow, where he was a product of the Boys Brigade system, going on to be a member of, among others, the Grade 1 Clan MacRae Pipe Band. In canada he was a member of the Dofasco Pipe Band, and later joined the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders of Canada under Pipe-Major John Wilson, where he was pipe-sergeant until 1967. For his singular commitment to teaching, George Sherriff features in our list of the 15 Greatest Canadian Pipers and Drummers (deceased).
Nice work! John Wilson published 3 collections of pipe music, the third being the Canadian Centenial collection…all three of which I continue to use and teach my students today…
Mike Baker
It is interesting that none of the excellent 15 selected musicians appear to be players who played predominantly for dancing. Today, we seem to be band players, solo competitors or piobaireachd pipers. Would there be any interest in a list of 150 ceilidh/dance pipers.