World renowned mid section performer and teacher Tyler Fry has joined the Grade 2 Australian Champions Hawthorn Pipe Band as their new bass drummer.
“It’s an absolute thrill and honour to join Hawthorn Pipe Band as bass drummer for the Victorian Pipe Band Championships and the World Pipe Band Championships in August.
I go back a long time with Kyle Warren, Steven Shedden and Brenton Earl, and I’m looking forward to performing with them and the other band members this season.
Bass drumming isn’t something that people instantly connect with me, but I actually played bass drum competitively with my hometown pipe band before I joined the 78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band as a tenor drummer. I performed the bass drum on several tracks of the 78th Fraser Highlanders ‘Flame of Wrath’ album, and in a three-bass drum spot in a previous Shotts & Dykehead pre-Worlds concert.
I’ve always contemplated the challenge of playing the bass drum again in competition, and this was too good of an opportunity to pass up.”
Hawthorn Lead Drummer Steven Shedden says of Fry; “Tyler Fry is arguably the most innovative mid section player that pipe bands have ever seen, and I’m really excited to have him play bass with the band. It’s a great honour to welcome Tyler into the corps as the band builds towards the Worlds.”
Fry makes his competitive debut with Hawthorn at the Victorian State Championships on March 17th, the last local contest the band has before they head to Scotland in August to compete at the World Championships for the first time in their 105 year history.
Stay tuned for more updates on Hawthorn’s journey to the Worlds.
Hawthorn Pipe Band 