Photo: Sharon Reece
And, 79 years later, at the age of 90, the piper believed to be Southland’s oldest, is still blowing strong.
Yesterday’s gig with his band Clann Nan Gael was for the residents of the Vickery Court rest-home in Invercargill.
Mr Paterson said age did not make a difference when playing the pipes, and he planned to continue for as long as possible.
"Once you learn it’s just automatic. The hardest part is practising the chanter and learning for a start ...
"I’ll just go for it until the time comes it tells me I’ve got to stop."
He said he hoped to still be playing the pipes when the Queen sent him a telegram 10 years from now.
- Sharon Reece
