Pipers’ Persuasion visited Blackburn in West Lothian, where we were cordially welcomed by Gavin Stoddart MBE BEM, erstwhile Major in the British Army. Gavin’s warm conversational style took us through his glittering piping career both in solos and in the difficult direction of piping in the army from Scots Guards, Royal Highland Fusiliers and the Army School of Bagpipe Music and Highland Drumming. This is a very interesting step into the pool of command of army piping.