Chicago Stockyard Kilty Band
Encyclopedia
The Chicago Stockyard Kilty Band is a pipe band
established in 1921 in Chicago
, Illinois
by brothers Robert and James Sim, emigrants from Aberdeen, Scotland and veterans of the World War I
. Bob Sim was of the Gordon Highlanders; Jim Sim of the Royal Engineers Pipe Band and the 51st Highland Division.
The band's original name was "The British Legion Pipe Band," and it later became "Chicago Highlanders Pipe Band
”. The name of the outfit since 1926 originates from its early sponsor Chicago Stockyard Post #333 of the American Legion
, which was organized in 1925 near the internationally famous Union Stock Yards
.
The band traditionally leads the popular South Side Irish
Parade in the Mount Greenwood and Beverly neighborhoods of Chicago
.
In addition to performing throughout the year at parades, festivals and private engagements, the band currently competes in Grade 4 as a member of the Midwest Pipe Band Association
. Each fall, the band hosts its Fall Tartan
Ball. In 2006, band members and supporters celebrated the band's 85th Anniversary. This April, the band will celebrate it's 90th anniversary on Saturday, April 9th at 115 Bourbon Street.
Pipe band
A pipe band is a musical ensemble consisting of pipers and drummers. The term used by military pipe bands, pipes and drums, is also common....
established in 1921 in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
by brothers Robert and James Sim, emigrants from Aberdeen, Scotland and veterans of the World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Bob Sim was of the Gordon Highlanders; Jim Sim of the Royal Engineers Pipe Band and the 51st Highland Division.
The band's original name was "The British Legion Pipe Band," and it later became "Chicago Highlanders Pipe Band
Chicago Highlanders Pipe Band
The Chicago Highlanders Pipe Band is a pipe band founded in 1921 in Chicago, Illinois by Robert Sim. Robert Sim later went on to be Pipe Major of the Chicago Stockyard Kilty Band....
”. The name of the outfit since 1926 originates from its early sponsor Chicago Stockyard Post #333 of the American Legion
American Legion
The American Legion is a mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces chartered by the United States Congress. It was founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress...
, which was organized in 1925 near the internationally famous Union Stock Yards
Union Stock Yards
The Union Stock Yard & Transit Co., or The Yards, was the meat packing district in Chicago for over a century starting in 1865. The district was operated by a group of railroad companies that acquired swampland, and turned it to a centralized processing area...
.
The band traditionally leads the popular South Side Irish
South Side Irish
South Side Irish is the term that refers to the large Irish-American community on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois.-South Side Irish St. Patrick's Day Parade:...
Parade in the Mount Greenwood and Beverly neighborhoods of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
.
In addition to performing throughout the year at parades, festivals and private engagements, the band currently competes in Grade 4 as a member of the Midwest Pipe Band Association
Midwest Pipe Band Association
The Midwest Pipe Band Association is an association of pipe bands in the Midwestern United States. Within its area of jurisdiction, the association includes over forty pipe bands, offers band, solo piping and drumming, and drum major competitions with sanctioned judges, and is responsible for...
. Each fall, the band hosts its Fall Tartan
Tartan
Tartan is a pattern consisting of criss-crossed horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours. Tartans originated in woven wool, but now they are made in many other materials. Tartan is particularly associated with Scotland. Scottish kilts almost always have tartan patterns...
Ball. In 2006, band members and supporters celebrated the band's 85th Anniversary. This April, the band will celebrate it's 90th anniversary on Saturday, April 9th at 115 Bourbon Street.