Madison Pipes & Drums was founded in 1997 as a registered student organisation at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, originally under the name The Badger Pipes and Drums. It was started by three pipers, Ewan MacPherson, Bill McInnes and Richard Worthington, who had previously been involved with a local group called the Highland Bagpipe Association. The first official performance was at the Mazomanie Wild West Days parade in September 1997.

The band gradually expanded beyond the university, adding more pipers, drummers, uniforms and repertoire while playing local parades and community events. It later developed into Madison Pipes & Drums, a non-profit organisation promoting Celtic music and heritage through performance, education and competition.

Today, Madison Pipes & Drums performs across Wisconsin, appears at local parades and Highland games, and competes in the Midwest pipe band scene. A proper grassroots outfit: three pipers, one drummer, matching neckties, and suddenly Madison had itself a skirl factory.