On Thursday, November 29, 2001 at 6:55:16 PM UTC, Jeff Dyer wrote:
This past Tuesday Pipe Major Tommy Shearer (The Wee Man), suffered a stroke and
passed away this moring.
For those of you who did not know Tommy a little background. Tommy was form Clydebank in Scotland and came from a piping family. George his father was a Piper inThe Argyll And Sutherland Highlanders in WWI. He was also Greg Sharps
first Pipe teacher. Tommy became an open grade piper as a teenager. Because he wasa boilermaker in the ship yards of Clydebank he was not allowed into the
army. However after the war he did join as his father before in the The Argyll
And Sutherland Highlanders.
Tommy attended the Pipe Majors School at he Castle under Pipe Major Wille Ross
and erned his Certificate. After leaving the Army Tommy took over of as Pipe Major of the Grade 1 Renfrew Pipes and Drums. Taking them to the European Chapmpionships as Champions in 1956, and taking 2nd twice in the Worlds. In the 1960's tommy moved the family to the states and settled in CT.
In CT Tommy Piped and taught. I can not think of a Band in CT that was not infulenced by Tommy and his Teaching. A large hole is now in the heart of Ct Piping. Tommy loved to teach and loved to teach children "they have such wonderful wee nimlbe hands" he would say. Tommy was my teacher and friend my heart and thoughts go out to Jeannie and his Children and Grandchildren
Jeff Dyer
Sad to hear of Tommy's passing. I had the privilege of playing with Renfrew P B just before he left for America. I remember well when we took 2nd at Belfast in 1956. Ian Maclellan (Later P/M Strathclyde police) was one of the pipers in fact we had an
excellent pipe core. Tommy had an ear for tuning second to none. A great Pipe Major.
--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)