A Brief History...

Johnstone Pipe Band was established in 1943 by James Mackay, a former Provost of Johnstone Burgh. In honour of its founder, the band proudly wears the Blue Mackay tartan. Like many pipe bands formed during the Second World War, its original role was to support the local Home Guard by providing music for parades and community events throughout the town.

The band quickly became involved in the competitive pipe band scene, with its earliest recorded participation at the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow in 1948. Over the years, they steadily progressed through the grades, achieving notable success. In 1980, the band earned the title of Grade 4 Champion of Champions, marking a significant milestone in its competitive history.

In 1994, the band underwent a regrading, and Keith A. Bowes was appointed Pipe Major. This marked the beginning of a particularly successful era. In 1998, the band enjoyed one of its most triumphant seasons, securing approximately 30 trophies across both local and major competitions, which led to promotion from Grade 4A to Grade 3B. In July 1999, the band released a CD recording which featured eleven tracks and proved successful with many sales at home and abroad.

The upward trajectory continued in 2000 with a victory at the Cowal Championships, resulting in a further promotion to Grade 3A after just two seasons. Around this time, the band also recognised the need to invest in youth development and launched a dedicated youth programme to address recruitment and retention challenges. As part of this strategic shift, the band requested to be regraded to Grade 4A in 2004 to provide a more nurturing environment for its young players. This investment in youth culminated in the formation of a Novice Juvenile band in 2006. The adult band, meanwhile, returned to form rapidly, earning a promotion from Grade 4A to Grade 3A in 2007, and that same year, won the Scottish Championships while placing strongly in the remaining major competitions. These accomplishments led to the band's elevation to Grade 2 later in 2007. The band also took part in a concert with ScottishPower Pipe Band at the local Johnstone Town Hall in March 2009.

In 2012, Leslie Galbraith was appointed Leading Drummer. A few years later, in 2015, long-serving Pipe Major Keith A. Bowes stepped down and was succeeded by his son, Keith J. Bowes. Under his leadership, the band experienced another wave of competitive success, winning the European and World Championships in 2015 and reclaiming the World title again in 2016. These achievements culminated in the band’s promotion to Grade 1—the highest level of pipe band competition.

Leadership transitions in late 2022 marked the beginning of a new chapter. Keith J. Bowes stepped down as Pipe Major and was succeeded by Donald Mackay, former Grade 1 championship winning Pipe Major of the prestigious Strathclyde Police Pipe Band. Keith J. Bowes remains an integral part of the band in his role as Pipe Sergeant. That same year, Leading Drummer Leslie Galbraith stepped down and was succeeded by Gavin Orr, a World Solo Drumming finalist and previous Grade 1 World Pipe Band Champion with Inveraray and District.

In the winter of 2024, the band re-established its feeder Grade 3A band under the leadership of Pipe Major Keith A. Bowes and Leading Drummer Jennifer McVey. This is the band’s first time back in the competition circuit since winning the 2022 Grade 3A World Pipe Band Championships.

The re-establishment of the Grade 3A band not only marked a return to competition but also reflected the organisation’s broader commitment to inclusion and progress within the pipe band community. The appointment of Jennifer McVey as the first female Leading Drummer in the band's history represents a significant step forward in promoting gender equality in a traditionally male-dominated sphere.

Johnstone Pipe Band promotes diversity and inclusion, creating a supportive environment where talent and leadership are valued equally, setting a strong example for the wider pipe band community.