Mason Galemore
Contributing Writer
mgalemore@murraystate.edu

Students at Murray State come from all over the world, and many of them have  certain talents that define who they are and where they come from. 

For freshman occupational safety and health major Ryan Potts, that talent is playing the bagpipes.

Potts is originally from Glasgow, Kentucky, and has played the instrument since he was a freshman in high school. 

“Our high school mascot was the Scotties and the band had a tradition of wearing kilts and playing the pipes,” Potts said. 

Potts thought he would enjoy playing the bagpipes, so he joined his highschool’s bagpipes program. However, as he started to practice the instrument, he discovered it was difficult to play. 

“The process was a difficult one in my experience, as the bagpipes are so ancient and vastly different from other musical instruments,” Potts said. “The hardest part was being able to get the breathing pattern down on the pipes, since I had to fill the bag up with air and also squeeze the bag to have the constant flow of air going through the instrument.”

As Potts continued to practice, he learned more tunes and was able to find enjoyment while playing the bagpipes. Potts has also learned a lot about patience and perseverance.

“There were many times that I wanted to quit when I first started playing,” Potts said. “But, I stuck with it and now it’s one of my favorite things to do.”

According to Potts, the bagpipes taught him to be himself and to not care about what others thought of him. He said he had to embrace the instrument even with its odd appearance and loud volume.

 Potts started playing at home football games at his high school. Since then, he has continued to play for several occasions such as church programs, his own high school graduation and funerals.

“Many people have told me that my performances felt really emotional to them and reminded them of a specific person, place or time in their lives,” Potts said. 

Potts said a lot of people don’t get to hear bagpipes on a regular basis, and many people have praised him for his talent.

“Many people go out of their way to come up to me after I have played and tell me how interesting or cool they think it is to see someone playing such a unique instrument,” Potts said.

According to Potts, his home town of Glasgow, Kentucky, has a large Scottish heritage community, and many people who live there practice many Scottish traditions, including playing the bagpipes. 

Despite being away from home, Potts still practices regularly. After high school, he received his own bagpipes from his parents as a graduation gift. Potts said he only practices outside rather than in his dorm room so he doesn’t disturb his hallmates.

“I started playing in the quad because I really like the area over there,” Potts said. “It’s a place where I feel like I’m not being too loud and not disturbing anyone.”

Potts wants to join a bagpipes band in his near future. He said he just needs to move somewhere that has one.

“Hopefully I can continue to play the bagpipes throughout the rest of my life,” Potts said. “I really enjoy playing for events and just playing the instrument in general.”