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Rona Lightfoot

b. 1936

Scottish piper and singer

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About Rona Lightfoot

Born 1936. Rona Lightfoot is a British musician.

Rona Lightfoot (; born 17 April 1936) is a Scottish bagpiper and singer.

Life Lightfoot was born on 17 April 1936 on South Uist to a family rich in pipers, and her first music lessons came from her parents, before she was taught by her uncle Angus Campbell.

Career Lightfoot had a successful career as solo piper, and credited as the first woman to win a major piping competition.

In 1972, she won third place in the jig competition at the Northern Meeting, but was not allowed to compete in the march competition due to the way she was dressed.

She became the first woman to compete in the Bratach Gorm after applying pressure to the Scottish Piping Society of London, quoting the Sex Discrimination Act.

Lightfoot is regarded as one of the best players never to have won a Gold Medal. She plays with her drones over her right shoulder, and her left hand on the bottom, the opposite arrangement to most players.

She later became the President of the Inverness Piping Society, the first (and only, to date) woman to do so. Since retiring from competitive piping, she has judged and taught, and in 2010 she won the Balvenie Medal for services to piping.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Also known as
Rhona Lightfoot

People in Rona Lightfoot's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Rona Lightfoot's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Rona Lightfoot?

Scottish piper and singer

When was Rona Lightfoot born?

Rona Lightfoot was born on 17 April 1936 in South Uist.

What is Rona Lightfoot's occupation?

Rona Lightfoot is a musician.

What nationality is Rona Lightfoot?

Rona Lightfoot is British.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Rona Lightfoot

· Wikidata: Q19665758

· DBpedia: Rona Lightfoot

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Rona Lightfoot. https://biography.guide/rona-lightfoot/

MLA: "Rona Lightfoot." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/rona-lightfoot/.

Chicago: "Rona Lightfoot." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/rona-lightfoot/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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