Today’s edition of the Sunday Mail features an article and interview with Callum Fraser, the 38 years old scottish bagpiper that made the headlines weeks ago after he revealed that he had been approached by Madonna’s management after playing at the singer’s wedding to Guy Ritchie at Skibo Castle, in 2002.

On March 12, Fraser revealed: “I just can’t believe it. Its something that is just amazing. To watch or rather to stand next to Madonna on stage at a concert infront of thousands of fans in a foreign concern is well I guess nothing will compare to that, that I have ever done.”

Now, after the footage from the L.A. rehearsal featuring Madonna side-to-side with a quite tall bagpiper appeared on television last week, Fraser got about 100 calls from people saying, ‘Are you the piper?’

But it wasn’t him.

‘Touring with Madonna would have been the chance of a lifetime. It would have put me right at the top.
‘I’ve lost a few quid, too. What can I do? I’d have done the tour in a minute.’

Please click on Full Article to read the original article from the Sunday Mail, that doesnt’ save any bad reviews from an higly disappointed Callum ‘Spud’ Fraser.

MADONNA BLOWS OUT SNUBBED PIPER SPUD

Musician sick at missing tour

Madonna has dumped the piper who played at her wedding from her world tour. The US superstar has replaced Callum ‘Spud’ Fraser from Aviemore with no warning after he was lined up to appear on stage with her.

Yesterday, he claimed he’ll lose a fortune after being dropped from her spectacular Reinvention gigs.

He told me: ‘I’m very p****d off.

‘Touring with Madonna would have been the chance of a lifetime. It would have put me right at the top.

‘I’ve lost a few quid, too. What can I do? I’d have done the tour in a minute.’

Spud, 38, was approached by Madonna’s staff after he played at the singer’s wedding to Guy Ritchie at Skibo Castle, near Dornoch, in 2002.

He said: ‘I received an email from a lady in Madonna’s organisation in Los Angeles called Caresse Henry. I checked out the name and discovered it was the singer’s manager. I replied immediately and said I’d love to do the dates 32 in America and 15 in Europe.

‘They said they’d be in touch. But that’s the last I heard about it. When footage appeared on television last week I got about 100 calls from people saying, ‘Are you the piper?’ But it’s not me.’

Spud played Madonna’s first big hit, Like A Virgin, at the wedding. He said: ‘She recognised it immediately and smiled. Later, Madonna mentioned it in a book. I can only assume she remembered me and tracked me down.’

The TV footage of tour rehearsals in Los Angeles featured a piper who appeared to be miming.

He wore an ill-fitting kilt and danced a clumsy version of the Highland fling. Spud hit out: ‘Madonna’s people told me she’d been happy when I played Like A Virgin. I also played outside Skibo Castle when her guests were arriving. I’m very disappointed.’

Madonna, 45, has been rehearsing flat out in the LA Forum arena for the tour, which starts tomorrow in Los Angeles.

It is estimated that Madonna will perform to a total of 750,000 fans during the tour.

A section of the spectacular 90-minute concert has a strong Scottish flavour, with the singer and her dancers all wearing tartan kilts.

The piper in the rehearsal footage is said to be Edinburgh lawyer Lorne Cousin, an award-winning piper from Campbeltown, Argyll.

But Robbie Wallace, 52, principal of The College of Piping in Glasgow, 52, said: ‘Lorne is one of Scotland’s top young players and I would bet my house that it’s not him in this footage.

‘It isn’t possible to play the bagpipes while jumping around a stage. This guy is gallivanting around like a peat bog fairy.

‘It is just a piece of pop nonsense but his kilt is an affront to Highland dress”

Source: Billy Sloan, Sunday Mail