- April 24, 2024
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A Seabreeze grad played bagpipes at Disney World for 25 years.
Gladys Holton, of Ormond Beach, never minded the bagpipe music that her son, Jamie, played around the house while growing up.
“I was a mother of five,” she said. “I never minded happy noise. It was unhappy noise that bothered me.”
Jamie liked to walk as he played the bagpipes, and not all of the neighbors shared his mother’s enthusiasm. One neighbor offered him a quarter if he would walk on a different street, because the high notes made his dogs howl.
Other neighbors liked the music, even traveling to Orlando in later years to hear him play at Disney World after he became a professional musician.
His mother was one of his first fans, and she’s happy he’s playing at the Performing Arts Center in Ormond Beach at 7 p.m. on Feb. 14.
“I’m just thrilled,” she said. “I’ve wanted this to happen for a long time. I hope we’ll have a good response.”
Jamie Holton said he has loved the bagpipes since he first heard them.
“I love what they represent,” he said. “I enjoy carrying on music that has such a rich history.”
Born and raised in Ormond, Holton played bagpipes at Church Street Station while attending Seabreeze High School.
After graduating in 1988, he started a 25-year career at Disney World. While there, he formed the band Off Kilter, and they were the house Celtic band at Epcot Center for 17 years.
He is bringing Off Kilter to the Performing Arts Center, where they will play everything from traditional Celtic to country and western and hard rock.
“We try to run the gamut as best we can,” he said. He said the bagpipes can be a lead instrument, even playing guitar riffs.
Now living in Orlando, Holton is looking forward to returning to Ormond Beach with his band, which includes guitar, drums, fiddle and base.
“My Mom still lives there and this homecoming is a thrill for me,” he said.
In addition to concerts, the band plays at Celtic festivals and highland games throughout the U.S.
Gladys Holton said her son first heard bagpipes played live when his dad, who died two years ago, took him to hear one at Bellair Plaza when he was 12 years old. Jamie was so taken, that his parents arranged to have teachers for him.
Their Scottish heritage was an important part of family life, and Holton was able to take lessons in Scotland when they traveled there. (His mother’s maiden name is Burns.)
Holton said his career at Disney was wonderful.
“It’s a great company and it allowed me to travel to Tokyo Disneyland, Hawaii, Japan, Hong Kong,” he said. He has also performed in Europe.
While at Disney, the Orlando Fire Department asked him to help them form a pipes and drum corps. When he met the firefighters, he admired their sense of service and felt a lot of commonality with them.
“I wanted to be part of that,” he said.
So he went to firefighter school and now has been at the Orlando Fire Department for four years. He said it has helped fulfil his lifelong wish to serve in the military, like his dad, who was a marine.
Holton said he still has to figure out what he wants to do when he grows up. He’s been a musician and a firefighter.
“Someday I’m going to have to get serious,” he said. “I’ve definitely been blessed with having neat jobs.”
If you go
Reserved tickets for the Off Kilter show are $30 and $25 and are available online at ormondbeach.org or at the Performing Arts Center Box Office, 399 N. U.S.1. The Box Office is open Tuesday through Friday from noon until 5 p.m., and two hours prior to the show. To order by phone, call 676-3375.
