Alex Duthart

Who was Alex Duthart?

Alex Duthart was a Scottish drummer who revolutionised Scottish pipe band snare playing.

Described by Buddy Rich as "a far better drummer than me", Duthart picked up his first set of sticks at the age of eight. First taught by his father John, he cited as his influences as A.D. Hamilton, an orchestral drummer, Jimmy Catherwood, Paddy Donovan from Dublin, and Alec McCormick, a leading drummer with the Glasgow Police Pipe Band.

In 1948 Duthart entered his first solo drumming competition, earning second place. He subsequently won so many times that he retired from solo competition to give other drummers a chance. In 1953 he guided his first corps, the Dalziel Highlanders, to a World Championship drumming title. After this he spent several years as a dance-band drummer, developing a style of drumming that he brought to the Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia Pipe Band when he was invited to form a drum corps in 1957.