Alex Duthart
| Alex Duthart | |
|---|---|
| Born |
October 7, 1925 Cambusnethan |
| Died | November 27, 1986 (aged 61) New York City |
| Occupation(s) | Blacksmith |
| Instruments | Snare Drum, Drum Kit |
Alex Duthart (October 7, 1925 – November 27, 1986) was a Scottish drummer who revolutionised pipe band snare drum playing.
Duthart was born on 7 October 1925 in Cambusnethan, near Wishaw in North Lanarkshire. His father was John Duthart was an Ulsterman who worked as a blacksmith, and had played both the bass and snare drums for the 8th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders during the First World War.
For most of his life Duthart lived in Newmains, near where he was born, and worked as a blacksmith in the steel works at Motherwell.
With his wife Cathie he had three sons and one daughter. Two of his children are drummers; Drew Duthart is the leading drummer of the 78th Fraser Highlanders Pipe Band and John Duthart is a kit drummer.
Duthart was awarded the title of Drum Major by the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association for being the principal drumming instructor in the association.
After being taught by his father from a young age, Alex joined the Craigneuk Parish Church Juvenile pipe band at the age of 12, and then the Home Guard Pipe Band (later known as the Dalzell Highland Pipe Band) in 1942. His elder brother John also played the pipes in the Home Guard band.
Alex became leading drummer of the Dalzell Highland Pipe Band in 1949, and led the Dalzell band to first place for drumming at the World Pipe Band Championships in 1953. Later that year he left Dalzell to focus on playing the drum kit for local big bands.
In 1957, John K. McAllister, pipe major of Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia Pipe Band, approached Duthart to request assistance with the formation of a drum corps, with the World Championships twelve weeks away. Duthart managed to create a drum corps that won the drumming title at the Worlds that year, and Shotts also won the overall title, as it did in 1958, 1959 and 1960.
...
Wikipedia