Eric Willcox was born and raised in Rawlins, Wyoming, an unlikely place to learn the bagpipes. After casually expressing an interest in the bagpipes to a friend, the friend mentioned that his parents used to play the bagpipes. Following a very informal lesson by his friend’s parents, Eric was told to come back in a year (figuring he would not stay with it). To their astonishment, after nine months Eric returned requesting further instruction. He began formal lessons and in 1997, after flipping burgers at McDonalds, he bought his first set of bagpipes. Some of Eric’s favorite memories include solo-competitions in Jackson Hole and Estes Park and band competitions in Colorado, Utah, and Las Vegas. Eric plays with the Casper Pipe Band and the Lander Pipe Band. He is a Grade 3 piper in the Western United States Pipe Band Association. Catch him in green this Saint Patrick’s Day!