The West Side Irish American Club Pipe Band originally started out as the Irish Heritage Pipe Band in 2002, and officially joined forces with the West Side Irish American Club in 2013. Of our nine pipers, five have been with the band since its inception, and our Drum Sergeant, Mike Taylor, has been with us since the beginning as well. For those of you keeping count, that’s 11 years-worth of parades, shows, practices, dancing, laughing and camaraderie. In addition to our core group of lifers, we also have a number of young folks we’re proud to have within our ranks. James Jenkins has been with us since he was a child and now plays with the Citadel as a piper in the ranks of their fantastic pipe band. Brady Docherty recently accepted a scholarship to Edinboro College thanks to his brilliant piping, and Jack Weber and Patrick Needham continue grow and learn and will soon be off on college adventures of their own.
Our Drum Sergeant, Mike Taylor, is a double music major at the prestigious Baldwin Wallace College and consistently contributes high energy performances and instruction. Our lead tenor, Nicki Hulec, is also a tenor with the Grade 2 Great Lakes Pipe Band. Jayne Hulec has since moved on to other things, but she also represented us at the Grade 2 level. Maureen Lusnia recently celebrated her 5th St. Patrick’s Day with the group and Melanie Caywood, who started as a tenor in late 2011, is really coming in to her own as a musician.
To sum it up, we’re a diverse, fun-loving, talented group who truly enjoy getting together and making music. If you’re interested in joining in the fun, don’t hesitate to contact us!
