October 4, 2025: The Freebird Effect

There’s always a way.

The challenge: as a bagpipe player, how do you compete against guitar solos and drum drops?

The solution? “Free Bird.”

Ally Crowley-Duncan is the world’s most famous bagpiper, and her covers of the 1973 Lynyrd Skynyrd anthem have racked up over 100 million views.

As she builds her audience online, her festival calendar stays booked as one of the top-billed acts.

Bagpipes didn’t suddenly become cool. Ally just figured out how to make them impossible to ignore.

When you walk into a crowded room, you have two choices. Whisper and hope someone notices, or find your own “Free Bird.”

Take what makes you different and crank up the volume. Own it. The world doesn’t reward subtle.

When life gives you bagpipes, play rock.