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Carol Fraser, born in Burnaby, British Columbia, began her drumming career at the age of 8 being taught by Scott Robertson who is well known in the pipe band and judging areas of British Columbia and Canada.
Her pipe band experience started around 1980 with the Vancouver Ladies Pipe Band, just after they won the Grade 3 World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland. The Ladies started off with a junior band and shortly after with the loss of players, the band amalgamated and formed into a Grade 2 band where Carol eventually became the lead drummer. She led the
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drum corps in their 1990 tour to Scotland to once again play in the World Pipe Band Championships. Other trips with the Vancouver Ladies included competitions throughout the West Coast of Canada; Halifax, Nova Scotia; and western United States.
In 1991, Carol joined the Grade 1 Triumph Street Pipe Band, playing with them for 3˝ years through the Western Canadian and US competition circuit.
In 1995, Carol was invited to play with the City of Wellington Pipe Band, Grade 1, in New Zealand during their competition season. This was an opportunity not to pass up so off she went ‘down under’. There she met Alistair who, at the time was playing with the New Zealand Police Pipe Band, Grade 1. Carol returned to New Zealand in 1996 where she and Alistair were married. They remained in New Zealand, both playing for the New
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Zealand Police pipe band, until returning to Canada again in 1998.
In 1999, Carol joined the Grade 2 Maple Ridge Pipe Band (now the New Westminster Police Pipe Band). With many changes to the leadership of the drum corps, Carol remained one the few constants of the drum corps and adapted to many style changes that took place. Over the years, the band attended many North American Championships in eastern Canada and the World Championships in Scotland. The band won first prize in Bridge of Allan in 2001 and in 2009 placed 7th in the worlds, the only Canadian band in their grade to be in the prize list. In 2009 Carol decided to take a break from the competition circuit.
Carol joined the RCMP “E” Division Pipe Band in 2006 and from 2011 to 2014 was the Drum Sergeant of the band.
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