Scott Cawthon

I am a professional Great Highland Bagpiper of nearly 60 years. My four brothers and I attended various Scottish Performing Arts schools during the summer months over the years. Some of these also had instructions for Highland dance and drumming. We received instruction from Pipe Major John MacKenzie, Seamus McNeil, John MacFadyn, and Capt. John MacLellan.


I have completed two music projects “Pipin’ Hot” and “Leaping Ghillies. I made the original “Piping Hot” in 1981 and remastered it and swapped out some tunes in 1990. The purpose of this effort was to demonstrate the Great Highland Bagpipe in different genres. I also added effects to draw the listener into the mood of the tune.

I finished “Leaping Ghillies” in late 2013. This is Highland music for Highland dancers. This project was to break down the Highland dances to their different components. So, for example, you will find the quick time for the Sword Dance by itself at different tempos with a 4-beat count in. This allows the dancer to focus on the quick time and quickly access the music because it is on its own track. The tempos differ by four beats a minute, or one less hop every 15 seconds allowing a dancer to incrementally work down to the slower tempos as their strength increases.

“The instrument makes the sound, the musician makes the music”

– Scott Cawthon