40-year-old Andrew McGregor has brought his bagpipes to Santa Monica Beach every evening since California issued a stay-at-home order in mid-March, performing the familiar tune "Amazing Grace" in honor of coronavirus victims. Gloria Tso has more.
You can hear the familiar refrain of Amazing Grace every night at sunset in Santa Monica, California.
That's when Andrew McGregor brings his bagpipes to the beach wearing a kilt and a matching tartan face mask.
He plays the hymn for those who have lost their loved ones, hoping to provide a sense of normalcy and comfort in a time when everything else feels uncertain.
"For me, this is kind of a sacred ritual.
When so many people are passing, I never know if my performance will be the memorial service performance someone needed, so I try to honor the instrument, the tradition and then that moment of sunset." McGregor has Scottish ancestry on his father's side, and played with his bagpipes every day since California issued a statewide stay-at-home order in mid-March.
He says his performances particularly resonate with those who have been unable to hold funerals at this time.
And on Monday night (May 11), just as the state began easing its social distancing restrictions, a small crowd gathered to hear McGregor play.
Lisa Lipman was one of those who stopped by to listen.
"Oh, it was just heartwarming and heart-wrenching at the same time.
It was wonderful.
I mean, it was such a treat, because I listen to music when I walk, if I walk alone, but to hear live music, it's been a while."
Each night since stay-at-home orders began, a Santa Monica bagpiper has been playing "Amazing Grace" from the Palisades bluff to..