Jon K. Shell Bagpiper from Elizabethton, TN

"Best on the field today" "Best sounding bagpipe by far" "God-like sounding bagpipe" Top judges of bagpipes have said these things, time and time again. Whether it's the late world class teacher and piper Ed Neigh, world class piper and judge, Colin MacLellan, or Sandy Jones: all agree that Jon's bagpipe itself is world class. Jon Shell has piped recently for celebrities such as Peyton Manning, Dan Marino, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, and previously for Rod Stewart, Mrs. Bing Crosby, Kathy Lee Gifford, Bob Hope, Michael Jordan, Pat Boone, Jose Ferrar, Elizabeth Taylor and Senator John Warner among countless others. Princeton University, PGA American Legends Golf, The Biltmore House, Pinehurst, Spoleto and the Bing Crosby Golf Tournament are among the places and events that he has performed in addition to two World's Fairs in Knoxville, TN and New Orleans, LA. Jon has appeared on most legacy media; on the Turner South Network on Liars and Legends, Portrait of America and other programs. Jon has appeared in countless publications including the Wall Street Journal, who named him a "virtuoso grade 1 piper"; Mississippi Magazine, Newsweek, Time, US News World Report, USA Today and others. Jon moved, at age 12, to the Washington, DC area in order to take private lessons with Pipe Major Sandy Jones. Jon also attended summer school for lessons with John MacFayden and others at the North American Academy of Piping. Other teachers Jon was influenced/taught by are Ed Neigh, Duncan MacFayden, Hamilton Workman, Captain John A. MacLellan, Ed Krintz and Roddy MacDonald. Jon won a full scholarship to Belhaven University for his piping. Jon was the grade 1 Piobaireachd (classical music) winner at Grandfather Mountain for 5 years running and was runner up Champion in the EUSPBA in grade 1 for several years. Jon was the Pipe Sergeant of the Grandfather Mountain Highlanders, who won the 2011 Champion of Champions Grade 4 Pipe Band in the EUSPBA. He was also the Pipe Sergeant of the band when they won Champion of Champions in Grade 2 in 1986. Jon was the Pipe Sergeant of the GMH on several runs to Maxville, Ontario in both grade 2 and 3, where band won 2nd to St. Thomas, among other prizes. Jon has competed extensively in the Eastern US and has been in the prize list for solos at Maxville, Ontario in grade 1. Jon is the former Eastern United States Champion in grade 2. Jon also helped lead the Grandfather band to compete in the World Pipe Band Championships, where the band won their qualifier in 2010. While the band didn't win the final, the band went on to place among the top 11 in the World in gr 4A. Jon also won the Over 50 Championship for the Southeastern Branch of the Eastern United States Pipe Band Association. Jon was asked to play with the St. Andrews University Pipe Band as a guest piper for 2 years and has received several requests to play with other bands over the years. Jon teaches the current virtual online Eastern US champion in grade 4 (now grade 3 champion also) He has previously taught piping at the North American Academy of Piping in Valle Crucis, North Carolina with his former teacher Sandy Jones. Jon was the first student teacher at the school in 1980. Jon spent a career as a public school teacher and now works in property and casualty risk management. He and his wife Carol live in East Tennessee. Jon is easily one of the most experienced pipers on the bash. Piping for high-end secure events that require discretion are Jon's specialty.