Mòran taing
Thank You very Much
Military Tattoo
The Cawthon bagpipers are the only bagpipers in Michigan that have been asked to participate in the:
- Edinburgh Tattoo(Scotland)
- Virginia International Tattoo(USA)
- Estes Park International Tattoo(USA)
Tattoo bagpipers are selected proficiency pipers from Scotland, Australia, Canada and US.
Virginia International Tattoo – video 1
2 minute mark – white beard
Middle screen
Virginia International Tattoo – video 2
5 minute mark – marching out.
1st row, 3rd piper white beard.
Musical Pedigree
- Grade 1 Status: This is the highest level of competitive piping, indicating mastery of the most complex “MSR” (March, Strathspey, and Reel) sets and piobaireachd (the classical music of the pipes).
- Mentorship: Having been mentored by the legendary MacLellan family (associated with the Ford Motor Company Pipe Band), Tyge carries forward a specific lineage of Michigan piping history.
Professional Portfolio & Events
- Highland-piping.com: His primary professional hub for professional Scottish Highland Bagpipers, instruction and event booking.
- Piping Tattoos: Tyge is known for performing in Tattoos—large-scale military and musical displays. These events require the precision and stamina of a top-tier piper to coordinate with brass bands, dancers, and military units.
- Traditional Ceremonies: He is a specialist in the “Kirking o’ the Tartan,” a ceremony that celebrates Scottish heritage and family lineages (clans) within a spiritual or community setting.
Beginning Years
The Five Pipers (brothers – Marty, Scott, Tyge, Clifford, Dean) and One Highland Dancer (sister – Laura) were introduced to the world of highland piping and dancing by Scottish immigrants and family friends Donald and Jock MacLellan.
They all began taking bagpiping or dancing lessons from several local instructors at the ripe old age of 8 and attended numerous Scottish performing arts schools where they had received personal tutoring from Scotland’s leading pipers of the Army School of Bagpipe Music and Highland Drumming. Capt. John A. MacLellan MBE, PM John MacKenzie, Ian, John MacFadyen, Seamus MacNeil and Archie Cairns. The brothers also had the honor of meeting Alex Duthart and JL MacKenzie at these events.
Competition Years
Preforming at the Highland Competitions where some of the most memorable achievements. The brothers placed 1st in many of the USA and Canada competitions. The first and second oldest brothers (Marty and Scott) took 1st and 3rd place respectively in the North American solo bagpipe competition held at Maxville Canada.
That is a monumental achievement in the piping world. The Glengarry Highland Games in Maxville, Ontario, is home to the North American Pipe Band Championships and some of the most prestigious solo competitions on the continent.
For two brothers to place 1st and 3rd in a solo category at Maxville is an incredibly rare feat that solidifies the Cawthon name in the history of North American piping.
The Significance of Maxville:
The solo competitions at Maxville draw hundreds of the finest pipers from across Canada, the U.S., and sometimes Scotland.
Maxville is often referred to as the “World Championships of North America.”
The Judges:
Winning there means being evaluated by the world-class adjudicators who look for flawless technical execution, instrument tone, and “musical expression.”
The Legacy:
A 1st-place finish at Maxville is often a career-defining moment for a piper, signaling that they are among the absolute elite in the Western Hemisphere.
Recording Years
The brothers have composed music, recorded music (Caber-Records), made songs available on iTunes (Search for Cawthon)
In 1979, Scott Cawthon captured his high-level piping talent on record, providing a permanent high-fidelity archive of the family’s world-class skill.
While commercial CDs (Compact Discs) weren’t publicly released until 1982, Scott Cawthon 1979 studio sessions—originally recorded on master tapes or released as vinyl/cassette—were part of the era when high-quality analog recordings were beginning to be preserved for the digital age.
The “Pipin’ Hot” Legacy
1979 Recordings:
In 1979, Scott Cawthon captured his high-level piping talent on record, providing a permanent high-fidelity archive of the family’s world-class skill.
Pipin’ Hot:
Scott Cawthon is widely recognized for his work on recordings like Pipin’ Hot, which showcased the speed, precision, and tone that won him 3rd place at Maxville just a decade earlier.
Andy Williams World Tour
iThe brothers had the honor of performing Amazing Grace with singer Andy Williams and instrumentalist Quincy Jones on their world tour.
That is an extraordinary piece of musical history. Performing “Amazing Grace” with Andy Williams and Quincy Jones on a world tour places the Cawthon brothers in a stratosphere that very few bagpipers—regardless of their competitive grade—ever reach.
This collaboration represents a rare “crossover” moment where the traditional Scottish Highland pipe was integrated into mainstream global pop and orchestral music at the highest possible level.
The Magnitude of the Collaboration
Andy Williams:
Known for his smooth vocals and massive global reach, Williams’ Christmas specials and world tours were legendary. “Amazing Grace” performed with a full pipe accompaniment is one of the most emotionally resonant arrangements in music, and having the Cawthon brothers provide that sound would have been a highlight of the show.
The Global Stage: A world tour with these icons meant the Cawthons were taking Michigan-bred piping to the most prestigious venues across the globe, likely performing for millions of people over the course of the tour.
Quincy Jones:
As one of the most influential figures in music history, Jones is known for his meticulous arrangements and for working only with the absolute best instrumentalists in the world. For him to select the Cawthon brothers for a tour indicates that their technical precision and “soul” on the pipes met his world-class standards.
Helping Our Veterans
iA significant part of Tyge’s and his brothers work involves performing for veterans. This often includes:
- Using the powerful, resonant sound of the Great Highland Bagpipe to honor the service and sacrifice of military members.
- Providing the “Lament” at military honors and funerals.
- Performing at commemorative events for VFW and American Legion posts across USA and Canada
Royal Canadian Legion:
Tyge Cawthon currently is The Royal Canadian Legion Commander for Post 92 and the Sgt. at Arms for the International RCL Eastern Zone, USA.
Events:
- Michigan Great Lakes National Cemetery for unclaimed Veterans.
- Michigan Riverview Memorial Serivce
- Canada Remembrance Day
- Many more…..
Tunes Listing
We do take request and will try to accommodate requests. However, the bagpipe scale is restricted to 9 notes with no flats or sharps.
The list below is a very SMALL simple of tunes. We have approximately 200+ tunes in our repertoire.
Bagpipe tunes are very short, therefore, when we play at events, we play many marches, strathspey, reels, jigs, hornpipes.
We mix up the tunes to keep the guest entertained.
Wedding Suggestions:
- Highland Wedding
- Marie’s Wedding
- Laura’s Wedding
- Skye Boat Song
- Northern Lights of Old Aberdeen
- Ode to Joy
- Men O Harlech
- Always be an England
- Scotland the Brave
- Auld Lang Syne
- Flowers of Scotland
- We Ya Come Back Again
- Highland Laddie
- Many more tunes are available.
Memorial Suggestions:
- The River is Wide
- Abide with me
- Going Home
- Skye Boat Song
- My Home
- Minstrel Boy
- Battle ‘Over
- Mist Cover Mountain
- Scotland the Brave
- Auld Lang Syne
- Scottish Solder
- Hector the Hero
- My Home
- Flowers of the Forest
- Many more tunes are available.