A piper dubbed ”a living legend” during his remarkable career has died at the age of 89.
Donald MacPherson was a master player, teacher and held a competitive record which is unlikely to be surpassed, despite suffering a serious arm injury in the war.
Born in Glasgow into a renowned family of pipers on September 5 1922, he was initially taught by his father, Iain, a First World War army piper, and then took instruction from Pipe Major John MacDougall Gillies, former president of the Scottish Pipers’ Association.
His formidable competitive haul included the Oban Argyllshire Gathering double of gold medal for pibroch and senior pibroch on the same day.
In 1954 he won the other highly sought-after gold medal for pibroch, which is presented at the Northern Meeting in Inverness.
He created history when he became the first piper to win the gold medal and clasp at the same event.
He was unstoppable from then, winning the clasp at Inverness for former gold medallists on nine occasions the most first places in that event accumulated by one piper.
At the Argyllshire Gathering he holds the record, 15, for most wins in the senior pibroch.
He eventually retired from competitive piping following one last success, at Oban in 1990, at the age of 68.
Mr MacPherson trained as an engineer with the West of Scotland Engineering Company in Finnieston.
He volunteered for the RAF at the outbreak of the Second World War.
He was stationed in Egypt and Italy during the conflict.
Mr MacPherson suffered a serious arm injury in a road accident in Naples shortly before being demobbed.
It left him laid up for eight months before he could return to an engineering career which took him to Wiltshire, Exmouth, Bearsden and Edinburgh.
He retired to Wales before he moved with his wife of 64 years, Gwen, to Balbeggie, near Perth. They remained there for 23 years before making a final move to Edinburgh.
Despite retiring from competitive piping, Mr MacPherson, who took a post with the College of Piping in 1971, remained a respected judge at competitions.
His playing is recorded for posterity on several albums, including a CD recorded in 2002, Donald MacPherson A Living Legend.
He was awarded the British Empire Medal for services to piping and was also piper to the Lord Provost of Glasgow.
More recently he was inducted into Scotland’s Traditional Music Hall of Fame.
Mr MacPherson is survived by Gwen, daughters Heather, Fiona and Katrina and three grandchildren.