Ally the Piper
Ally the Piper | |
|---|---|
Crowley-Duncan in 2024 | |
| Born | Ally Crowley-Duncan 1995 (age 30–31) Latham, New York |
| Education | Edinboro University, BA |
| Occupations | Musician, bagpiper, social media influencer |
| Website | piperally |
Ally Crowley-Duncan, known as Ally the Piper, is an American musician, bagpiper, and social media personality.[1] She is known for playing songs from rock, pop, and metal music on the bagpipes.[2] Her videos gained attention on social media, attracting millions of followers on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook.[3][4][5] She is touted as being "The World's Most Famous Bagpiper" due to her large online reach, and impacts in her field.
Biography
Early life and education
Crowley-Duncan was born in 1995 in Latham, New York.[6][1] She graduated with a bachelor of arts in music from Edinboro University in 2017.[2]
She developed an early interest in music, learning to play piano, flute, saxophone, and clarinet. Her stepfather's Scottish heritage played a significant role in shaping her musical interests, leading her to develop a fascination with the bagpipes at age 12.[3][2][7][8]
That same year, Crowley-Duncan saw a bagpipe band perform at a parade in New York, which further solidified her passion for the instrument. She began taking bagpipe lessons at 14 and later competed several times in the World Pipe Band Championships in Scotland, where her band took first place in the grade Novice-Juvenile.[3][6][9]
She previously played with the Stuart Highlanders pipe band.[10]
Music career
Crowley-Duncan music career grew during the COVID-19 pandemic when she started posting videos of her bagpipe covers on social media, including TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.[3][5][1][8]
In 2023, she reached 1 million followers on TikTok, gaining attention for her covers of rock and pop songs such as Metallica's Enter Sandman and Avicii's Wake Me Up.[4][2][6][9]
She blends traditional bagpipe music with modern styles, which helped her gain followers from various music communities, including rock fans. Bands like Metallica and Iron Maiden have praised her work.[3][6][7][1]
Crowley-Duncan has collaborated with other musicians and entities, such as performing a halftime show for The Indianapolis Colts Football Team, releasing music with Dr. Peacock, and Miracle of Sound.[2] She has also worked with USA Kilts.[4]
She has been recognized for bringing bagpipes into mainstream music. Her online covers have received praise from fans and bands, and Scottish communities have supported her efforts to represent the instrument.[4]
Discography
| Title | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|
| The Session | Album | 2025 |
| Trip to Scotland | Single | 2024 |
| Magdalena | Single | 2023 |
| The Viral Hits | Album | 2023 |
| The Crazy Train[11] | Single | 2023 |
| The Pipes are Calling | Album | 2022 |
| Billow and Breeze | Extended play | 2021 |
References
- ^ a b c d Krolikowski, Anthony (2023-06-23). "Local musician defended and praised online by Metallica". News 10. Retrieved 2025-07-30.
- ^ a b c d e "A conversation with Ally the Piper, the world's most famous piping performer - Part 1". pipes|drums. 2023-03-27. Retrieved 2025-07-30.
- ^ a b c d e "Metallica-backed piper Ally on finally bringing show to Scotland". The Sunday Post. 2024-08-06. Retrieved 2025-07-30.
- ^ a b c d Gazette, More from the Daily (2022-08-01). "Schenectady's 'Ally the Piper' hits 1 million followers on TikTok (8/2022)". The Daily Gazette Family of Newspapers. Retrieved 2025-07-30.
- ^ a b "A conversation with Ally the Piper, the world's most famous piping performer - Part 2". pipes|drums. Retrieved 2025-07-30.
- ^ a b c d Schneider, H. Rose (2023-09-25). "Schenectady-based Ally the Piper, known for bagpipe covers on TikTok, launches tour in Albany". Times Union. Retrieved 2025-07-30.
- ^ a b DaPolito, Laura (2023-10-24). "Piping Hot: Local TikTok sensation Ally the Piper plays The Egg's Hart Theater Wednesday night". The Daily Gazette Family of Newspapers. Retrieved 2025-07-30.
- ^ a b Hernandez, Sunny (2023-10-20). "Ally the Piper, TikTok bagpiper and Upstate NY native, heads out on tour". newyorkupstate. Retrieved 2025-07-30.
- ^ a b "'Piper Ally': Local bagpipe musician puts twist on the traditional". NEWS10 ABC. 2021-03-18. Archived from the original on 2023-05-25. Retrieved 2025-07-30.
- ^ Giardina, Elena (2024-01-04). "On electric violin and bagpipes, Mia x Ally make out-of-the-ordinary music". The Boston Globe. pp. B6. Retrieved 2025-09-03 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Fisher, Dylanna (2025-06-04). "Ally The Piper – Making Bagpipes Rock One Song At A Time". Switching Styles. Retrieved 2025-07-30.