Tim French

CHARLESTON Pipe band

Tim French is one of our dual musicians (he plays pipes and snare). His musical journey has been long, varied, and even storied. Since Tim played a lot of sports as a young man, his parents said he needed to play an instrument to be more well-rounded. At the same time, their local paper had an article about Donald Lindsay, former Pipe SGT of the USAF Pipe Band. As a rising Junior in High School Tim started learning to play the bagpipes from Donald in the summer of 1976 in his hometown of Pittsfield, Massachusetts. The very next year Tim and his piping cohorts competed for the first time as the Berkshire Highlanders Pipe Band in Toronto. When Tim entered The Citadel in 1978, he continued piping instruction under the tutelage of Sandy Jones. He continued to study with Sandy after graduation when he joined the Navy and returned to Charleston for sea and shore duty. During his first Commanding Officer tour (in NC), he took weekly piping lessons from 2001-2003 from Bill Logan, a former member of the USAF Pipe Band. Tim joined The Charleston Police Pipes and Drums in 2005 playing in the Grade II band. He started learning the snare drums in 2006 from John Guerry, Citadel Grad and then- Senior Drum Sergeant of the Charleston Police Pipe Band.

Playing the pipes has been a big part of Tim’s whole life. He has done a lot of marching and still considers parades, like the Charleston St. Patrick’s and Christmas parades to be his favorite gigs. He also enjoys playing in competitions and describes these experiences as fun. He even competed in the solo piping competitions at Cowal and at Oban Games when he was stationed with the US Navy in Scotland. Tim has had more experiences living in Scotland than perhaps anyone in the band having been stationed in Dunoon from August 1989 - December 1991 (up the hill from where the Cowal Games are held).

The spouses of band members are very supportive of their pipers and drummers and none more so than Tim's college sweetheart and wife of many years, Leslie. Tim and Leslie passed on Tim’s parents’ advice about the necessity of playing a musical instrument to leading a well-rounded life. Their oldest son Patrick is a Charleston Police Officer, Citadel Grad, and former piper in The Citadel Pipe Band. Sandy Jones was Patrick’s Godfather and Sandy even named the jig “Patrick’s Romp” after Patrick. Second son, Jonathan, is a Foreign Service Officer for the US State Department, Citadel Grad, former piper in The Citadel Pipe Band, and former piper/tenor drummer/bass drummer in the Charleston Police Pipes and Drums. Their youngest son James is an engineer for the US Navy, Citadel Grad, former snare drummer/Drum Major with The Citadel Pipe Band, and former snare drummer in the Charleston Police Pipes and Drums. When Tim isn’t practicing and performing, he can be found walking, lifting weights, reading, cooking, and spending time with family and friends.

Below Photo: A photo of Tim French playing the pipes in Rock Hill, SC for the Yellow Ribbon Ceremony during the Iranian Hostage Crisis in 1979 when he was a cadet at The Citadel.