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REAL DEVOTION
Lisa Jones (pictured) seems to be pretty fond of the Rogues. Yes, that is a real tattoo. Photo courtesy of Linda Thomas.
THE ROGUES AWAKENED MY GRANDDAUGHTER
Hi there! I wanted to drop you guys a line and thank you again for allowing my granddaughter to play on your drum at Scarby. You all have been such a great influence on her. Just so you know... when Sakeeta and I first got custody of her, she was full blown autistic. The first words anyone ever heard her say was a few years ago... when you were over on the other stage... we were walking past just as you started playing. Normally, loud noises made her ball up and go into an autistic fit. That day, Allison stopped and stared at the bag-pipes that were playing. Sakeeta and I just knew we were in for another hour of her in melt-down. Instead... Allison stared at the bag-pipes, pointed (another first) and said, "What's that?" She never went back into the world of silence and screaming after that day! Your music brought her out of a darkness that nothing else had reached. Thank you all. And thank you again for allowing her to feel so special and so loved on the one day she got to come hear you play again this year.
Blessings. Safe journeys on the road.
Mary
THE ROGUES SAVED MY GRANDFATHER'S FUNERAL
My grandfather, who lived in New Mexico, had been sick since 96 with various ailments. This past December he contracted pneumonia and was in the hospital for a week or so when my family decided it was time to let him go.
Because I live in Maryland, I was unable to be with the family. I did hop a plane the next day, and the funeral was scheduled for a few days after that. My mother insisted that her father be buried without embalming. This left us on a tight schedule for the arrangements.
Since my grandfather served in WWII, my uncle tried to get some soldiers to the funeral for the flag and a piper for Amazing Grace. He thought on Friday everything was taken care of, but come Monday, we found out that there wasn't enough time to get the soldiers and in rural New Mexico no one even knew what a piper was. I had no idea this had happened until I heard someone yelling "How are we going to get someone to play bagpipes for Daddy now?" I ran and grabbed my trusty iPod, plugged it in, and spun up The Rogues' Amazing Grace. Astonished looks crossed the room as no one had any idea where the pipes were coming from. I told them I'd overheard the problem, and I had them covered. And so The Rogue's played Amazing Grace through my uncle's truck radio for my grandfather's funeral.
I would have preferred you all in person, but with the short notice I don't think that would've happened. I do make an effort to see you all every year at the Crownsville Faire in Maryland and have for as many years as I can recall. The Rogues always play in our cars on the way to every faire we visit and every morning on the way to school my 3 year old daughter and 2 year old son ask for the pipes (and my daughter knows if it isn't the Rogues).
Thank you all very much for you music and for saving my grandfather's funeral.
Erin Kendall
FAMILY FUN
I just wanted to drop a note to you guys to let you know how you made the faire just so much fun last year. (The MD Renaissance festival) Our two year old son is the light of our lives. But with both our hectic work schedules and grueling home obligations we don't get to go out very much, especially as a family. We made the decision last year to buy faire ever passes hoping that our two year old would be entertained enough to take him along but to be honest I was very wary and thought he might make it with us one maybe two weekends. On the first day we were walking through Tiltyard pass and our son was completely freaked out by the elephants. I thought that this experience was over till all of a sudden, out of no where, he took off toward the fortune stage. Out of the hundreds of thousands of things going on his attention was grabbed by the beautiful sound of your bag pipes and drums. He was immediately hooked. I even made him a kilt because he wanted to look like you guys. He just loved dancing and running and even SITTING STILL and watching. Needless to say that out of the 19 days of the fare my boyfriend and I came to 15 of them and our son came to 12. We would walk through the front gate and he would immediately run to the Fortune stage and wait patiently until you guys played. You made our summer so enjoyable and brought our family so much closer.
We are so excited to see you guys again this year. David will be there with his drum and kilt ready to play along.
Thank you for the memories and the ones that have yet to be made.
Stephanie
MUSICAL INSPIRATION DOWN UNDER
G'day.
My name is Ian and I live in Tasmania, Australia. I have found you guys to be very inspirational; so much so that I have now started my own band.
Ian
JUSTIFIABLE ACTION
I'm in the process of moving from Chicago to Beverly WV -- every 6 weeks back and forth on a 10.5 hour drive. Its been going on for almost 2 years and it's real old now. You have to be careful listening to pipe music. I got pulled over going 74 in a 55 listening to the ROGUES. The officer asked all the usual questions including why were you speeding. I responded I was listening to pipe music and didn't realize I was going too fast. I turned up the volume so he could hear. He liked what he heard and said he had never heard that one before and that he understood. He plays pipe in Ohio and let me go with a warning.
Have a great day
Karl
GUTEN TAG!
We just really like this email...
Randy,
a big thanks from Koblenz/Germany to you guys in Texas.
First I thought I would never get an answer from a big band like you but it's good to see, that you stayed cool an normal. We are all musicians and that's the love we play for-the main thing.
again thank you and I hope I'll be able to send you a video by you tube in november/december 2011.
best regards to you and your band
Alexi
PM 56th District Pipe Band Koblenz/Germany
BONJOUR!
...and this one...
Hello, awesome group, maybe one day il will have the pleasure to see you in France!!
(sorry for my english).
здравствуйте!
Best greetings to Nelson, Randy, Lyric, Doug, Corey, Tyson, Mike, Jimmy and Ewan! Will You be kind enough to make a precious gift of two sets of Your hand-written signatures ( one set for ALEXANDER and one set for my brother VLADIMIR )? We shall be glad to receive Your original ( not printed ) autographs sometime. Thank You very much in advance ! We shall feel highly honoured. We wish You all the good lucks and all the best always and everywhere ! Let the successes and the joy of life accompany You in all Your deeds !
Sincerely,
ALEXANDER and VLADIMIR STOLYAROV,
BERDYANSK, UKRAINE.
