Cape Breton's Magazine

after that. I was lost. So, I settled down, the last couple of years, I settled down pretty good. People started to come. Broke up the time for me. I feel--nothing worries me today. Supposing I would die tomorrow, what's the difference? I had the fun of life, anyway. I had a taste of life, anyway. Everything man could have done, I think I done. I don't think there's anything on this--from the lumber woods to a hardrock mine--I done every goddamn thing. But it didn't hurt me. I'm still living. I still like to enjoy a little of it. I thought one time I might get married, but then...! (Laughter.) I had a call from Seumas Moore yesterday. (We know him as Harnish Moore, the Scottish piper and bagpipe maker.) He calls me up from the Old Country about once a week to see how am I getting along. He wants me to go over there in May. If I'm living at all, I've got to get over there. Me and my daughter--we were over before. "Yeah," I said, "I'll go, supposing I have to crawl. I'll be over." He's waiting for that day to come now, to get over there with him. He's a pipe-maker; he makes the pipes, you know. I told him to make me a set--little ones. So, since I got them, I took sick, and I never put a tune on them. But probably I'll get better after a while. If not, I'll give them to one of my nieces there. I must have two thousand dollars' worth of pipes here. I love the music. I love playing. I tried VOLUME ONE BOOKSTORE Bag No. 200 Port Hawkesbury Centre Port Hawkesbury, N. S. BOE 2V0 Phone (902) 625-1514 Wilson Timmons • Res.: 345-2387 the fiddle when I was a young fellow...and I couldn't do nothing with the fiddle.... (You say they come to you from Scotland and all over to visit you?) Yeah. Yeah. Seumas Moore, best piper over there. And I had Morrison from over there (Fred Morri? son) --he got two gold medals at piping. And we were on a big show down in St. Ann's there about a month and a half ago. (Alex is referring to the "Dance to the Piper" night held at the Gaelic College, part of the Celtic Colours festival.) Well, Lord, honest to God, boy--what a gang! You never heard the like. There was about twenty pipers all together. And stepdancers. Whale of a time. I was just there looking at the thing. Had me there as a--it was a gift to me, like, you know. It was a hell of a good time. They had 240 tickets and they sold out in no time. (I heard that you played that night. Is that true?) I just played chanter. I couldn't blow the pipes. So we turned the chanter. My nephew, Johnny MacLean--he turned the chanter in the pipes for me. And I got up on the stage--everybody in the place roared! They saw me playing the pipes, or playing the chanter, you know. I play a differ? ent style. I play the old-style music. And that came from Scot? land 300 years ago, over here. That's the style I've got. They're crazy about it. From Scotland, they all come over, see what the hell is going on, see what kind of a piper I am. B & R HERITAGE' ENTERPRISES presenting Cape Breton's Gaelic Tradition including Or Cheap (Breaiuinn Cape (Breton's Qaelic Qold on CD and Cassette also Gaelic Teaching Tapes & Programs BRIAN & ROSEMARY MCCORMACK P.O. Box 3, lona, Nova Scotia BOA ILO PHONE/FAX 902 725 2013 Canada's #1 Eating Place! Smitty's Family Restaurant Port Hastings Over 140 outlets across Canada to serve you Breakfast All Day • In-House Specials At the Rotary in Port Hastings I) OPEN YEAR ROUND • 625-3346 OPERATED BY: CAIVIERON MUSIC SALES ' fALL MUSIC SUPPUES :'J0HN DONALD CAMERON 'MANAGER 307 GRANVILLE ST. PORT HAWKESBURY, N.S. BOE 2V0 VIDEOS: One Warm Line • Legacy of Stan Rogers (five performances of his best l

Cape Breton's Magazine