One of Westchester's own will be leading the St. Patrick's Day Parade in New York City on Thursday morning.

Joe Brady is the lead bagpiper of the parade and has been for decades.

The Peekskill man has been playing the bagpipes his whole life.

He is a second-generation bagpiper and was taught to play by his father by the time he was 7 years old. He has led the St. Patrick's Day Parade in New York City for the last 33 years.

He was the regimental pipe major of the 1st Battalion's famed 69th Regiment, but leading the celebration of Irish heritage isn't as easy as it used to be.

"The parade itself is physically demanding, and it's just something that I realize that I can't keep on doing," he says.

The 66-year-old says his lungs are strong and his fingers are nimble, but the 2-mile march has taken its toll.

Brady is officially retiring from the parade this year, but it's not the end of his lifelong love of the bagpipes.

He says he has no plans of giving up the bagpipes and will still play at funerals and weddings.