Piping legend Jimmy Mcintosh, 95

Broughty Ferry-born Jimmy Mcintosh, who was regarded as one of the most influential pipers of the 20th Century, has died at his home in South Carolina, USA, aged 95 after being cared for in his final days by his wife Joyce and son Cameron.

Named after his grandfather who was a whaler from Broughty Ferry, Mr Mcintosh, a former president of the Eastern United States Pipe Band Association, was born and brought up in Broughty Ferry before joining the Army aged just 14.

Prior to this, his strict father had organised piping lessons for him and these were to pay off during his time with the Cameron Highlanders when he received further lessons from Pipe Major Donald Macleod at Fort George and from Pipe Major Willie Ross at Edinburgh Castle.

Too young for active service during the Second World War, Mr Mcintosh was eventually posted to the Far East where he came into contact with Lt Col David Murray who became a lifelong friend.

Becoming disillusioned with the Army after the war, Mr Mcintosh bought himself out and secured a job at the NCR factory in Dundee – becoming a pipe major and going on to world success in Grade 2.

When talking to a Dundee friend, Peter Forbes, Mr Mcintosh was persuaded to have another go at solo competing, something he had not done since his Army days.

From 1965 he had lessons from RU Brown, Balmoral.

It was not long before Mr Mcintosh started having real piobaireachd success and he took the gold medal at Inverness in 1971 (Tulloch Ard) and Oban in 1978 (The Big Spree).

He went on to win many more titles and has the distinction of being the first winner of what was then the Grant’s Championship at Blair Castle.

With growing numbers of competitors at the major contests, Mr Mcintosh recognised the need for a body to represent solo pipers, and in 1976 founded the Competing Pipers’ Association.

His friendship with Lt Col Murray bore fruit when the latter, now Northern Meeting piping convener, agreed to hold the first CPA Silver Medal competition at Inverness in 1977.

His reed-making business was thriving and in 1977 he had been invited to help develop the new Naill chanter.

It became the choice of the leading players at that time.

Mr Mcintosh always loved travelling and was in constant teaching demand all over the world but particularly in North America.

He was spending so much time there that he eventually decided, in 1982, to emigrate to the US.

He had a huge and immediate impact on piping there, rising to the office of President of the Eastern United States Pipe Band Association and instituting a whole raft of judging and competing criteria in the process.

He was honoured with an MBE in 1994, and in 2002 was awarded the Balvenie Medal. Both were for services to piping.

Mr Mcintosh is survived by his wife, Joyce, children Roddy, Moira, Margaret and Cameron, brother Alex and sister Anne and several grandchildren.

Jimmy Mcintosh.