Tracy Jenkins
Bagpipes - Whistle - Song - Banjo
About Tracy
Tracy Jenkins is a multi-instrumental Scottish folk musician based in Knoxville, Tennessee. He got his start on the bagpipes at McLean High School and in the Washington Scottish Pipe Band, and studied the smallpiping tradition at the Upper Potomac Pipers Weekends and the Cà irdeas Vermont Bellowspipe School, all the while becoming a regular of the D.C. area session scene. In his 20s, he was a founding member of the Seán Heely Celtic Trio and toured with that band for several years. Since moving to Tennessee in 2020, Tracy has branched out on his own, performing with various groups and honing a solo show that blends Scottish, Irish, and Appalachian traditions on bagpipes, whistles, banjo, and song. He has also become a popular smallpiping instructor and launched a Scottish music workshop in 2026.
Tracy’s playing is a mix of deep dives into the less well-known corners of Scottish, Irish, and Appalachian traditional tunes and songs, along with new tunes of his own to add to our living traditions. Folk music tells the story of our past and our present. Having sung folk songs pretty much since he learned to talk - at home and summer camp - he’s built up a broad repertoire of ballads, bawdry, and laments.
Book Tracy!
Festivals - Concerts - Weddings - Church Services
Solo | Duo | Band
Past Performances
Kennedy Center Millennium Stage
Grandfather Mountain Highland Games
Irish Fest on The Hill
Ancient Sounds Music Festival
Dogwood Arts Festival
Washington, D.C., National Cathedral
Teaching
Handing down our musical traditions is essential to keeping them alive. Tracy has taught Scottish smallpipes and Border pipes at the Upper Potomac Pipers’ Weekend, the Pipers’ Gathering, and the Spanish Peaks Piping Retreat.
Tracy is available to teach workshops on piping, whistle, song, and history.
His approach to teaching focuses on building mastery of the core melody and a toolbox for embellishment and variations to make the music your own! Whenever possible, Tracy also researches and passes along the background and history of each tune and song. After all, it’s that cultural context that makes folk music so meaningful.
The Foothills Frolic
In 2026, Tracy launched the Foothills Frolic with David Pickens. The Foothills Frolic is a weekend workshop in Knoxville, Tennessee, dedicated to sharing and growing East Tennessee’s Scottish music community through teaching and fellowship. The inaugural workshop took place on September 19, 2026, at Erin Presbyterian Church, and we look forward to future workshops!
Smoky Mountain Scottish Festival & Games
In 2026, Tracy took on the role of Entertainment Director for the Smoky Mountain Scottish Festival & Games. Being a regular performer on the festival circuit, it’s exciting to be able to craft the music program for our local highland games and to showcase traditional musicians from East Tennessee and neighboring places.
To contact Tracy about booking your band at the festival, please contact him at his festival email address.