Feds on the hunt for lead-drummer after Henderson departs for Shotts

The Grade 1 Police Scotland & Federation of Glasgow (formerly known as the Glasgow Police) are looking for a new lead-drummer after David Henderson agreed to take the lead-drummer role with the Grade 1 Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia.

Henderson replaces Grant Cassidy, who had held the position over the last two competition seasons. A longtime protégé of the great Shotts lead-drummer Jim Kilpatrick, Henderson brings a wealth of experience to the North Lanarkshire band.

Several Police Scotland & Federation snare drummers are reportedly joining Henderson at Shotts.

The band provided no reason for the Cassidy’s departure, and Cassidy did not say whether he plans to play with another band. He is also the Senior Drumming Tutor for the National Piping Centre’s National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland. Before Shotts, he had been lead-drummer of the Grade 2 Uddingston since 2018.

Cassidy and Henderson have been frequent prize winners and finalists in the World Solo Drumming Championships.

With Henderson, Police Scotland & Federation had good drumming results in 2024, rising to as high as third in the category at in the Friday MSR at the World Championships and as low as fourteenth in the Medley at the same event.

The band as a whole enjoyed relatively better results at the World’s, ending up eighth overall in both MSR events and creating a buzz about the creativity of their medleys.

Shotts & Dykehead saw similar results in drumming in 2024, rising as high as fifth at the British Championships and as low as eleventh in the Saturday MSR at the World’s. The band’s piping marks were better overall, highlighted by gaining two firsts in piping at the European Championships. The band overall was in the prize list at all five major championships, including a third at the British.