CHARLESTON Pipe band

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Dave Wickwire started on the practice chanter as a young boy growing up in Connecticut because his father was in a pipe band. Unfortunately, he never transitioned to the full pipes at that time. He played the baritone horn throughout middle school.

When Dave retired from Lockheed Martin as a Manufacturing Operations executive, he remembered his interest in the pipes from his childhood and his daughter Laura asked him to learn the pipes so he could play at her wedding. Dave joined the band in 2019. Now his wife Mary works with Dave on their family schedules and commitments, so he is able to practice and participate as much as he does.” 

Dave says that “learning how to play the pipes has enriched my life in many ways: like the satisfaction of making music that I can share with family and friends. Not to mention that the learning never ends, and I can continually improve, you never get to perfect!" 

Dave likes the fact that we put smiles on so many faces at the Christmas and St. Patrick’s Day parades. The most meaningful and memorable experiences for Dave are playing for the “Wreaths Across America” and the memorial “Stair Climb” events. 

Dave’s other leisure pursuits are participating as a volunteer at Fort Sumter, brewing beer, playing golf, being a weather geek, traveling, and being a grandpa. He’s hoping that his granddaughter Olivia will be a fan of the pipes as well.