Bagpipe Resurgence Comes to the U.S.

EDINBURGH, Scotland, Feb. 11, 2008— -- A quarter of a million people flock to Scotland's Edinburgh Castle every summer to drink in the drone of the pipes.

"It's a different instrument, compared to anything else," said Cpl. David Dodds, a member of the British army's Royal Scots Dragoon Guards. "You know, it's really chilling, a chilling sound it produces."

"There's a certain magic that the bagpipes have," agreed Brig. Melville Jameson.

This ancient instrument, which the Scots have played for centuries, is enjoying a renaissance. The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards have just signed a $2 million recording contract, and released an album that's topped the British classical charts for six weeks.

They have served four tours in Iraq and are now on a sold out 68-date musical tour of the United States.

At the other end of the spectrum: The Red Hot Chilli Pipers. It's like stadium rock in kilts. They wear black kilts and belt out bagpipe adaptations of hits like Queen's "We Will Rock You." This summer, they'll hit the British rock festival circuit.

But fans of both the traditional and modern don't just want to listen. They want to play. At Kilberry Bagpipes, a store in Edinburgh, they can't keep up with the global demand. They're even shipping pipes to American soldiers in Iraq.

"We've had orders from some obscure village in the middle of Russia, someplace," said bagpipe maker Dave Wardell. "Why? I don't know."

Perhaps it has something to do with the success of the annual Edinburgh Military Tattoo festival which features bands, bagpipers and drummers. Now there are similar events in the U.S., Canada, Australia — even in Russia and China.

As it turns out, bagpipes aren't even Scottish — they most likely originated in the Middle East, thousands of years ago. The Roman emperor Nero played them, and the Pakistani army still plays.