The City of Trees Pipes and Drums (formerly known as the "Sleekit Beasties") have been performing in the Treasure Valley for over seven years.  The band is made up of nine bagpipers and six drummers.  The youngest member of the band is 16-years-old and is a student at Boise’s Capital High School.  Over the years the band has performed in numerous parades and at local events including the annual Treasure Valley Highland Games, 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games, Race to Robie Creek, Gunfighter Skies Air show, Robbie Burns Night, and St. Patrick’s Day.

John McDade (Pipe Major & co-Founder): Mr. McDade is a world traveler and recognized authority on belly dancing. Although born in Scotland, he learned his piping in Idaho, as he relates that after two years of being asked if he was a piper and replying "No!", he finally took lessons. Along with Ron "The Vicar" Elerick, McDade formed the original Sleekit Beasties band. John is considered by some an accomplished teacher and resourceful pipe major. The rest of us think he's just plain surly.

Tod McKay (piper): Tod has been playing the bagpipes for seven years.  His first instructor was Ron Lopez of the Boise Highlanders. He officially joined the band in 2005 and his first performance was at the annual Robbie Burns Night. A few highlights of Tod’s piping resume include attending the Coeur d’Alene Summer School of Piping and Drumming and workshops in Portland taught by World-Champions Alasdair Gillies and Bruce Gandy. Another highlight is performing with Angie McKay (Tod’s wife) who has been Highland Dancing since the age of 11. Angie was originally taught by Marianna McKenzie-Day, President, Portland Highland Games Association. Several of McKenzie-Day’s students have gone on to win Highland Dance World Championships in Scotland. Some of you might recognize Tod from his past occupation as a television celebrity. He owns two Emmys. Who knew?

Josh White (piper): Josh came to the Sleekit Beasties in April of 2007, and they haven’t been able to get rid of him since.  Balancing piping with being a husband, father, history teacher and high school coach, skiing in the winter and hiking in the summer has been a challenge for him, but an extremely rewarding one. It seems that most of his time the last two years has been spent doing that piping thing.  We hope his practice pays off one day.  Maybe if he would shut up and quit goofing off with Bob during practice he might learn to play a tune or two.  But he says the Beasties/City of Trees pipers and drummers are some of his best friends and he enjoys all the ribbing he gets.  He hopes one day to write a suite named McDade’s Belly Dancer, complete with notes and everything.  Maybe even harmony!  He better write something better than his last effort, a jig, The Trotternish Wind (formerly known as the Uig Pier Pub). He wants to thank the fellas at the “Pub at the Pier” in Uig, Isle of Skye and the gale-force winds on the Trotternish Peninsula  for his inspiration. Josh is married to Monica, the most patient and understanding woman in his world, putting up with his countless hours of practice chanter noise and the aroma of uisge beatha and the Thursday nights, Saturday mornings and other gigs away from home. Monica considers herself a piping widow every once in a while.  His two sons, William and Brodie, are enthusiastic about his piping and they hope one day to form the Wee White Pipe Trio. **JTW- Piobaire na Cú