Hylton started piping at the age of 8 after an unsuccessful attempt at learning the piano. He learnt in Pietermaritzburg South Africa under the guidance of Len Neasham. His first tune was Loch Rannoch and played in his first parade at the age of 11 with the Pietermaritzburg Callies and was with them from 1982 through to 1990.

 During his school years he also played for the Alexandra High Pipe Band. He then moved to Durban and joined 1 Medical Battalion under the guidance of PM Mike Patterson and stayed with them for 3 years, he says "I learnt to drink with this crowd!"

Hylton decided to move to the UK where he joined the Dartford and District Pipe Band under PM Gordon Mellay and following a 2 year sabbatical joined the ULPB now UBPB.

Having played pipes for now nearly 30 years, he still gets a kick out of it and he says, "It is always a great excuse to have beer!"