Silver Thistle Pipes and Drums was established in 1977 and is based in Austin, Texas. The band promotes Highland piping and Scottish-style drumming across Central Texas through performance, education and competition. It is a non-profit cultural and educational organisation, offering instruction to developing pipers and drummers as well as maintaining an active public performance schedule.

The band competes under the Southwest branch of the Eastern United States Pipe Band Association, travelling to regional, national and international contests. One of its major milestones came at the 2008 World Pipe Band Championships, where it placed 9th in Grade 3B and 7th in the preliminary round.

Silver Thistle has also represented Austin internationally, including plans to compete at the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow in 2015. Today, the band remains a long-running part of the Central Texas Scottish music scene: teaching, competing, performing, and giving Austin a proper skirl without needing a cowboy hat on the drones.