16 Facts About Gordon Duncan

Gordon Duncan was a Scottish bagpiper, low whistle player and composer.

Gordon Duncan's parents were tenant farmer and bothy ballad singer Jock Duncan and Frances Duncan.

Jock Gordon Duncan joined the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board shortly after Gordon Duncan's birth and the family moved to Thurso then to Pitlochry.

Gordon Duncan attracted attention from folk bands, touring the US and Europe with the Tannahill Weavers, Wolfstone and Ceolbeg and became associated with Dougie MacLean, playing low whistle on his albums.

Gordon Duncan began composing soon afterwards, having travelled across Europe and been exposed to other traditions, especially Breton music.

Gordon Duncan was a very influential piper who broke the boundaries of traditional piping music.

Gordon Duncan was a member of the Vale of Atholl Pipe Band and performed with the Atholl Highlanders, as well as being signed by Greentrax as a solo artist.

Gordon Duncan taught pipers Ross Ainslie and Ali Hutton, who have gone on to have musical careers with some acclaim.

Gordon Duncan's work was heard at T in the Park, Celtic Connections, Celtic Colours in Canada, the Lorient festival in Brittany, where he was the two-time winner of the MacAllan Trophy and the Fleadh Cheoil in Ireland.

Gordon Duncan worked as a refuse collector and was known to scribble compositions on cigarette packets whilst at work.

Gordon Duncan composed over one hundred tunes in his lifetime, with perhaps his most famous work, Andy Renwick's Ferret, being performed and recorded internationally.

Gordon Duncan arranged music for the Vale of Atholl and ScottishPower pipe bands.

On 14 December 2005, Gordon Duncan was found dead at his home in Perthshire following a long struggle with alcoholism.

Gordon Duncan's funeral was held at Pitlochry Church of Scotland and was attended by hundreds of pipers.

Gordon Duncan had a wife, Mary, and a son, Gordon, two sisters, and his brother, Ian Duncan, is a piper.

Gordon Duncan recorded three solo albums, and a further album was compiled after his death from previously recorded material.