News
May 31, 2009

Updated: Kilpatrick, Shotts part ways with Premier Music International

After more than 45 years of playing Premier-branded instruments, the House of Edgar-Shotts & Dykehead Pipe Band and Leading-Drummer Jim Kilpatrick have severed ties with the drum maker, moving to a relationship with Pearl Percussion effective immediately.
The 16-time World Solo Drumming Champion Kilpatrick, who has been an employee of and spokesperson for Premier for more than 35 years has terminated all of his endorsements and consultancy contract with the Birmingham, Engand-based company.
He has reportedly signed a contract with Pearl on various capacities, including product consultant, worldwide sales and marketing rep and clinician, as well as endorsing and performing with the drums both as a soloist and with the Shotts drum section.
Reasons for Kilpatrick’s resignation from the Premier were not made immediately clear, but it is believed that the move stems from a disagreement over contractual interpretations.
Jim Kilpatrick has worked with Premier in various capacities, including sales representative, design consultant and a manager of marketing. In 2004 he left full-time employment with the company to be a design consultant, and was instrumental in the production of the company’s most recent pipe band snare drum, the HTS800, launched in 2008.
Since entering the pipe band market with a snare drum in 1999, Pearl has secured several endorsements with Grade 1 bands, including 2008 World Pipe Band Drumming Champions and World Champions Simon Fraser University, Strathclyde Police, the Scottish Lion-78th Fraser Highlanders and ScottishPower.
In 2007 Field Marshal Montgomery moved away from Pearl to sign an endorsement deal with Premier, which the band currently plays.
It is not known if Kilpatrick will continue to be a dealer of Premier instruments.
Stay tuned to pipes|drums as more information on this story becomes available.

12 COMMENTS

  1. It will be fun to watch how much support Jim actually get’s from Pearl….from what I hear, their pipeband dedication is pretty limited. It’ll will be a good thing if he can help bring it closer to the front lines and get them to really” support the drumming community in the pipe band world…..ALL the best to Jim and wish him a long and fruitful relationship with Pearl

  2. It will be fun to watch how much support Jim actually get’s from Pearl….from what I hear, their pipeband dedication is pretty limited. It’ll will be a good thing if he can help bring it closer to the front lines and get them to really” support the drumming community in the pipe band world…..ALL the best to Jim and wish him a long and fruitful relationship with Pearl

  3. The only thing that surprises me is how Jim managed to stay with that company as long as he did. Some well designed products over the years, but quality was often sacrificed for the bottom line. Delivery time was abysmal. This is a true coup d’état for Pearl.

  4. With Jim taking the helm of Pearl – Where does that leave the other two major lead drummers who have been high promoters of the Pearl product?

  5. The only thing that surprises me is how Jim managed to stay with that company as long as he did. Some well designed products over the years, but quality was often sacrificed for the bottom line. Delivery time was abysmal. This is a true coup d’état for Pearl.

  6. With Jim taking the helm of Pearl – Where does that leave the other two major lead drummers who have been high promoters of the Pearl product?

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