A warm welcome to
Pipe Major John McLellan DCM's
Tribute Website
A warm welcome to
Fàilte gu làrach-lìn ùmhlachd
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Known to pipers as John McLellan, Dunoon. John, or Jock as he was known to 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 the town's best known composer of pipe music and songs, and is perhaps best remembered for writing the music to the very popular songs 'The Road To The Isles', 'Lochanside', & 'Freedom Come All Ye' aka 'The Bloody Fields Of Flanders'. Pipe Major John McLellan DCM of Dunoon wrote more than 160 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 Argour, The Holy Loch, My Home Town, Mary Darroch, Bonnie Dunoon, The Paps of Jura, The Cowal Gathering, Dream Valley of Glendaruel, Glen Caladh Castle, The Taking of Beaumont Hamel, The Holy Loch, The Shores of Argyll, Men of Argyll and South Hall to name a few. 
John McLellan DCM's story is really quite fascinating because surprisingly, no one is very sure who taught him to play the bagpipes, read music or write lyrics! 
Jock grew up in Dunoon & he also spent some time on the Isle of Jura. You can find out more about the Man & his life, inside the 'About Jock' page in this website. Do check it out! Here now is a great wee YouTube video featuring one of Jock's talented relatives playing 3 of his tunes,
it's Dunoon's multi-award winning piper & pipe teacher Alasdair Henderson. Get more information about Alasdair here:
Home | Alasdair Henderson Piping | Bagpipe Lessons | Edinburgh For more great VIDEO'S go to Jock's Music Legacy Page |
News Stories related to Piping & Jock!
P/M Stuart Liddell composes a special music tribute
for The Queen's Platinum Jubilee
A year ago, At the start of the countdown for the Queen’s platinum jubilee,
it was announced in the Bagpipe.news website that pipers around the British Commonwealth
were being invited to help celebrate this unique event by playing a tune composed for the occasion
by the award winning piper Stuart Liddell of Inveraray, Scotland.
Stuart has since composed the tune called Diu Regnare, and if you'd like to hear it,
it can be found inside his official website at:
www.stuartliddell.com
The composition is actually a 6/8 march and Diu Regnare is actually Latin for ‘Long to reign’
and is part of the piping element of a larger and wider tribute.
This includes members of the Walking with the Wounded charity who will be lighting gas-fuelled beacons
on top of the four highest peaks in the United Kingdom
– Ben Nevis (Scotland), Scafell Pike (England), Mount Snowdon (Wales) and Slieve Donard (Northern Ireland).
The pipers are expected to play 'Diu Regnare' as the sun sets on June 2, 2022.
Mark that date & time in your diary so that you can enjoy this special moment with everyone!
By the way, The Queen ascended to the throne on June 2, 1953.
Source: Pipers are asked to play Stuart Liddell's new tune for the Queen as part of Platinum Jubilee - Bagpipe News
If you happened to read the introduction to Jock's story in this homepage,
you will already know that P/M John McLellan DCM
is perhaps best remembered for composing the music to the very popular songs:
'The Road To The Isles', 'Lochanside', & 'Freedom Come All Ye' aka 'The Bloody Fields Of Flanders'.
Music samples of many of Jock's tunes can now be found inside the popular Pipe Tunes website!
Recently, I decided to link each song title directly to it's corresponding page on that website.
Should you now click on the songs which are underlined,
it will reveal a Pipe Tunes page which gives you a little bit more background information
about each tune and a wee music sample too!
There are in fact more than 120 music samples of Jock's music on Pipe Tunes! Enjoy!
you will already know that P/M John McLellan DCM
is perhaps best remembered for composing the music to the very popular songs:
'The Road To The Isles', 'Lochanside', & 'Freedom Come All Ye' aka 'The Bloody Fields Of Flanders'.
Music samples of many of Jock's tunes can now be found inside the popular Pipe Tunes website!
Recently, I decided to link each song title directly to it's corresponding page on that website.
Should you now click on the songs which are underlined,
it will reveal a Pipe Tunes page which gives you a little bit more background information
about each tune and a wee music sample too!
There are in fact more than 120 music samples of Jock's music on Pipe Tunes! Enjoy!
Ukraine Crisis Appeal | British Red Cross
Please click on the banner above to get info about the appeal!
Recently, two exciting things have happened regarding' The Cowal Highland Gathering' in Dunoon, Scotland!
Number 1, The Cowal Gathering will once again be staged at Dunoon's Stadium at the end of August, this year!
The exact dates are from Thursday, August 25th to Saturday, August 27th, 2022!!!
Number 2, The Cowal Gathering has a brand new website
which features a bright and inviting layout, with all the accurate information you need
about this very popular event!
Including things like an Event Guide! What's On! Ticketing! And lots more!
Here is the address of the great new website : https://cowalgathering.com
Jock's popular Book of Tunes is once again available online!
P/M John McLellan DCM composed quite a few tunes during his lifetime, but for some reason he didn't compile
or publish his very own collection of tunes which was the norm with many of his contemporaries at that time.
Perhaps he didn't think he needed to do that because he had contributed many of his compositions
to the premiere edition of the 'The Cowal Collection of Modern Highland Bagpipe Music' in 1905/06
or publish his very own collection of tunes which was the norm with many of his contemporaries at that time.
Perhaps he didn't think he needed to do that because he had contributed many of his compositions
to the premiere edition of the 'The Cowal Collection of Modern Highland Bagpipe Music' in 1905/06
In 2006, a collection of Jock's tunes appeared in a new tune book compiled by Pipe Major Bruce Campbell,
titled 'The Collected Works of Pipe Major John McLellan of Dunoon',
and not long after it was published, an official collection endorsed by Jock's family
was published too!
it was titled 'The Bagpipe Music of John McLellan 1875 -1949.
Compiled by the famed American author Dale Brown this collection featured 150 compositions
by P/M John McLellan of Dunoon. Many of the tunes were already known but there were also a few gems
that had not been published before!
Recently, I noticed that this popular tune book is once again available online,
so if you'd like to checkout the track list for yourself, visit this website: hendersongroupltd.com
titled 'The Collected Works of Pipe Major John McLellan of Dunoon',
and not long after it was published, an official collection endorsed by Jock's family
was published too!
it was titled 'The Bagpipe Music of John McLellan 1875 -1949.
Compiled by the famed American author Dale Brown this collection featured 150 compositions
by P/M John McLellan of Dunoon. Many of the tunes were already known but there were also a few gems
that had not been published before!
Recently, I noticed that this popular tune book is once again available online,
so if you'd like to checkout the track list for yourself, visit this website: hendersongroupltd.com
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Jocks's 3 great Spotify Playlists
Spotify has lots of great music by P/M JOHN MCLELLAN DCM,
including these 3 recently updated Playlists which are titled: P/M John McLellan DCM's Top Tunes on Spotify,
Pipe Major John McLellan DCM of Dunoon's 2021 Tribute
and John McLellan DCM's Road to the Isles Collection.
Do check them out and leave us a LIKE! CHEERS!
including these 3 recently updated Playlists which are titled: P/M John McLellan DCM's Top Tunes on Spotify,
Pipe Major John McLellan DCM of Dunoon's 2021 Tribute
and John McLellan DCM's Road to the Isles Collection.
Do check them out and leave us a LIKE! CHEERS!
Tapadh leibh airson tadhal! Thankyou for visiting!
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Photo Credits:
A number of P/M John McLellan DCM's photos which appear in this website
and on the Spotify Playlists were found 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.
My sincere thanks to all these websites for allowing me to use the photographs.
Video Credits
Many thanks to P/M Stuart Liddell of Inveraray,
piper Alasdair Henderson of Dunoon, and piper Daniel McDermott from Rothesay,
also The Cowal Highland Gathering for allowing me to feature the great 'Lads of Argyll' YouTube videos
from Jock's Virtual Gathering Tribute 2020.
Many thanks to P/M Stuart Liddell of Inveraray,
piper Alasdair Henderson of Dunoon, and piper Daniel McDermott from Rothesay,
also The Cowal Highland Gathering for allowing me to feature the great 'Lads of Argyll' YouTube videos
from Jock's Virtual Gathering Tribute 2020.
