Burt was Skip's suggestion for a replacement for him when departing on "Ceili leave" in November '98. Who knew we would get so many miles and so many smiles out of the wonderful Burt Mitchell!!

Burt did a two-and-a-half year stint with the group, and once Skip returned was still available to reappear. It’s so grand that he has become the “Heavy-Lifter” in whistle-&-pipe world again for these last many years. And as we always proudly tell our audiences, Burt is the instructor of bagpiping at the Virginia Military Institute.

Burt has a wonderful sturdy stage presence and a lightning-fast piping style that wins fans everywhere he goes. Notable about Burt is the fact that his pipe-instruction CDs are in use in Scotland, a place you wouldn't think would appeal to a "Yank" for help in that arena! Burt is truly one-of-a-kind, and we're thrilled he's The Man in the Ceili whistles & pipes chair. His playing is featured on the "Erasers on Pencils" CD, on "Pencil in Your Hand" from “Change in Your Pocket,” and he did all the whistles & pipes on our last three discs, “I Made Lemonade,” “Manuka Honey” and "Hymns & Hers." God bless ya, Burt Mitchell!