A native of Eastern North Carolina, Flora MacDonald Gammon was reared in a family still very close to its roots: the strong Highland Scots heritage of her mother’s family in the eastern Carolinas, and the equally strong Scots-Irish line of her father’s family in the mountains of Virginia and Tennessee. Flora moved to Western North Carolina in 1970, after receiving her BSN from East Carolina University.

Since her teens, Flora has been involved in performing at the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games, where she is now Director of Music. She has devoted many years to promoting the traditions of Scotland and the Scots through concert performances at festivals and games, lectures, Elderhostel classes, and residencies in schools. Currently Flora is on the South Carolina Arts-In-Education roster.

Flora’s specialty is interpreting Scottish history for Americans. She has a unique way of using the folk music of Scotland to make that history come alive. Flora’s main instrument is her voice. She sings unaccompanied in the traditional Scots style, but sometimes uses the mountain dulcimer for accompaniment. Flora is a past recipient of a North Carolina Arts Council Emerging Artist Grant, and has been a Touring Artist in that state.

In March, 2006, Flora will be presented the Flora Macdonald Award by the St. Andrews Presbyterian College Scottish Heritage Center. She has been elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, is an Honorary Member of Celtic Women International, and is a Kentucky Colonel. Flora was one of several people instrumental in relocating the Scottish Tartans Museum to Franklin, NC. She serves on the Board of Directors of Folkmoot USA, North Carolina’s Official International Festival.

PIPAPELLI blends emotions and influences from the blues, new and old celtic,good old rock and roll and even a dash of Don Knotts! With a great variety of instruments including Electric guitar, Native American flutes, bodhrans, heavy bottom bass, Keyboards, congas, slide guitar, organ, mandolin, and the Great Highland Bagpipes. Not yer grandpas' pipes...RJ's pipes are run thru a wah peddle, creating the original "Western Carolina Wah-Pyps".

Based on Blues, Rooted in Rock, Pipapelli has performed at The Sycamore Shoals Celtic Festival, The Mills Center, Humane Society Fundraisers, Bike Week, Daytona Beach,FL, The Bradfordville Blues Club in Tallahassee, FL, The Shamrock Shindig fundraiser for the Foothills Highland Games in Tryon, NC, The Maple Leaf Festival in Whittier, NC, The Tir-Na-Nog Pub in Ormond Beach, Florida, Waynesville, North Carolina's Street Parties, The Sapphire Room in Sapphire Valley, NC, opened for Comedian Jerry Farber of Atlanta, GA, and many other festivals.