Bradford and Corkin new leaders for Lomond & Clyde

Don Bradford and Gary Corkin, both natives of Northern Ireland, are the new pipe-major and lead-drummer, respectively, of Grade 1 Lomond & Clyde.

Bradford replaces David Wilton, who stepped down from the Glasgow-based band, citing personal reasons, while Corkin had been the lead-drummer of the Grade 1 Triumph Street of Vancouver for the last two years until the band abruptly dissolved last week due to a loss of sponsorship. Under Corkin, Triumph Street finished ninth in drumming in the MSR Grade 1 Final at the 2018 World Championships.

+ Flurry of changes for top-grade Scottish bands

+ Dowco Triumph Street “ceases competitive operations”

In addition to years of experience with several Grade 1 bands in Northern Ireland, Canada and Scotland, Bradford served as pipe-major of the Grade 1 Strathclyde Police for several years until he stepped down in 2010.

+ Bradford no longer Strathclyde Police Pipe-Major

Corkin has an equally esteemed history with top-grade bands, including a term as lead-drummer with the Grade 1 Royal Ulster Constabulary, with which he won the World Pipe Band Drumming title in 2000.

Lomond & Clyde’s previous lead-drummer, Allan Craig, will remain in the ranks.

The band also confirmed that Cameron Barnes is the new pipe-sergeant, coming from the Grade 1 Police Scotland Fife, and said that they “have brought in  strong complement of Grade 1 pipers to supplement the existing pipe corps already in place.”