Born in Renfrew, Scotland, Jimmy Black was introduced to the bagpipes as a Boy Scout when he was 11 years old and went on to play with the Grade One Renfrew Pipe Band, giving him his first taste of the international scene.

After graduation from high school, Jimmy apprenticed in the Glasgow shipyards while attending the University of Glasgow to obtain his degree in marine engineering. Not long after, he joined the British Merchant Navy, serving as an engineer officer.

Jimmy’s stint with the Merchant Navy eventually brought him to Jamaica, where an unlikely encounter in a barber shop would fast-track his career into sales and marketing for the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based Koppers Corporation, a global chemical company that specializes in wood-preserving products. Jimmy would go onto spend 40+ years with the company and its successors, traveling the world and forging lifelong connections with clients and business partners. Jimmy eventually settled in Pittsburgh, PA, and became a US citizen in 1992.

Even with millions of miles under his belt, Jimmy has never forgotten the pipes and is deeply proud of his Scottish heritage. Over the years, he has formed, coached, and played with a number of pipe bands in the UK, Jamaica, Atlanta, GA, and Pittsburgh, PA. He also plays the shuttle pipes.

Jimmy’s distinctly warm and easygoing manner makes him popular among Davidson students. He will confess, however, that he is a frustrated drummer, and can be seen pounding out rhythms on tables or chairs throughout the week.

Jimmy is a founding member of Davidson Scottish Arts Academy and serves as its director of business. Additionally, he offers tutoring at our sessions.