Known to pipers as John McLellan, Dunoon,
John, or Jock as he was called by his family & friends was a very talented musician,
music composer & poet who was born in Dunoon, Argyll, Scotland on the 8th of August 1875.
He was also a distinguished army veteran, an award-winning piper & Dunoon's best-known composer
of pipe music and songs. Jock is best remembered for composing many great melodies
including the very popular songs:
'The Road to the Isles', 'Lochanside' and 'The Bloody Fields of Flanders'
which is also known as 'Freedom, Come all Ye'.
In the piping world, many of Jock's tunes have become standards, and they continue to be performed
regularly by pipers and pipe bands at various events including Highland Gatherings in Scotland and abroad too!
His melodies and songs are also very popular online at YouTube & Spotify,
and are often performed on the Scottish folk music scene.
Pipe Major John McLellan DCM of Dunoon wrote more than 165 songs & tunes all together,
It's been said that he would often write down the lyrics before composing the tune.
Other memorable tunes written by Jock includes:
The Highland Brigade at Magersfontein, Colonel McLean of Ardgour, The Holy Loch,
My Home Town, Mary Darroch, Bonnie Dunoon, The Paps of Jura,
Cowal Gathering, Dream Valley of Glendaruel, Glen Caladh Castle,
The Taking of Beaumont Hamel, The Holy Loch, The Shores of Argyll,
The Sheiling, Men of Argyll and South Hall to name a few.
You can find out more about the Man,
his music & his life, inside the 'About Jock' page in this website.
his music & his life, inside the 'About Jock' page in this website.
Here now is a great video originally recorded for the Cowal Virtual Highland Gathering in 2020
as a special tribute to Pipe Major John McLellan DCM.
It features Jock's great grand nephew,
The Highland Society of London Gold Medal
winning piper
Alasdair Henderson
performing a medley of Jocks tunes,
My Home Town, The Cowal Society and
The Bishops Seat.
You can get more information about Alasdair here:
Home | Alasdair Henderson Piping | Bagpipe Lessons | Edinburgh
Watch more great videos featuring famous pipers
and other musicians performing P/M John McLellan DCM's
tunes, inside Jock's Music Legacy Page in this website!
Interesting Info related to Jock & Pipe Music too!
The Cowal Highland Gathering celebrates a big anniversary in 2024
In recent weeks, Pipe Major John McLellan DCMs Tribute website, Pinterest Pages and also Tik Tok UK Pages have been visited by a great many people wishing to know more about this very popular Scottish pipe music composer.
In fact, over the festive season Jocks Tik Tok short videos were seen by almost 30,000 viewers. Thankyou to everyone who checked us out online. Our most recent news article appeared in Bagpipe.news this week, and it also highlights John McLellan DCM happenings plus his big 150th Anniversary which happens next year.
Thanks to JS at Bagpipe.news
In fact, over the festive season Jocks Tik Tok short videos were seen by almost 30,000 viewers. Thankyou to everyone who checked us out online. Our most recent news article appeared in Bagpipe.news this week, and it also highlights John McLellan DCM happenings plus his big 150th Anniversary which happens next year.
Thanks to JS at Bagpipe.news
Recently, a wee story appeared in the PipesDrums online magazine about Pipe Major John McLellan DCMs 150th anniversary in 2025.
If you like to read this interesting article here is the link.. www.pipesdrums.com
Many thanks to Andrew for including a story about Jock in PipesDrums.
If you like to read this interesting article here is the link.. www.pipesdrums.com
Many thanks to Andrew for including a story about Jock in PipesDrums.
The Bagpipe Music of John McLellan
tunebook is still available for sale online.
tunebook is still available for sale online.
Photo Credits:
Many of P/M John McLellan DCM's photos which appear in this website,
on Spotify and Tik Tok were sourced online,
and also at the following fine websites:
Bagpipe.news, Pipesdrums.com, The Anglo Boer War website,
Pipingpress.com, Pipetunes.ca
and The Cowal Highland Gathering website.
Photos of the Isles of Islay & Jura which appear in this website were taken by D*Mac,
& also Ron at Island-Light.Photography
Video Credits
My thanks to YouTube,Tik Tok and Spotify
Many thanks also to P/M Stuart Liddell MBE
of Inveraray,
Piper Alasdair Henderson of Dunoon,
and Piper Daniel McDermott from Rothesay,
also
The Cowal Highland Gathering for allowing to
use the great 'Lads of Argyll' YouTube videos
from Jock's Virtual Gathering Tribute 2020.
My sincere thanks to the aforementioned
websites.
Q
My thanks to YouTube,Tik Tok and Spotify
Many thanks also to P/M Stuart Liddell MBE
of Inveraray,
Piper Alasdair Henderson of Dunoon,
and Piper Daniel McDermott from Rothesay,
also
The Cowal Highland Gathering for allowing to
use the great 'Lads of Argyll' YouTube videos
from Jock's Virtual Gathering Tribute 2020.
My sincere thanks to the aforementioned
websites.
Q