A Tale of the Howe is unusual in that it is not a band-led album, although many of the musicians have been drawn from popular Celtic, award-winning Groups such as Brolum and Back of the Moon.

A special feature of the album is five new musical themes, which have been introduced by one of Scotland’s up and coming composers, Sarah Wilson. Sarah has written each theme to complement sympathetically the narrative extracted from Lewis Grassic Gibbon’s “A Scots Quair.” The narrators are, in the main, local people from the Mearns   

All of the singers in the album have been selected carefully to suit the musical content of The Tale. For example “Atween Stanehive and Lauren’kirk is sung by Geordie Murison, a well known, tradition-bearer singer from the Mearns. Terry O’ Neill, is a beautiful female singer from Central Scotland who sings the heart rending “Ewan.” Dave Whitton, a schoolteacher from Central Scotland and a great admirer of Lewis Grassic Gibbon, sings “The Path of Man.” Hamish Napier from Back of the Moon sings “Sunset Song.”

There are many other talented performers on the album - in particular, those who have provided the almost classical performance of the 5 themes which link The Tale from song to song.

Two of the tracks have been commended before the album’s release; “Circin’s Song” has been published as a poem in its own right in Aberdeen’s popular Storm magazine. “The Path of Man” was shorlisted from over 800 songs for the Dumfries and Galloway Arts Trust 2005 Burnsong contest.

The Tales’ performers are:

Vocals:
Dave Whitton
Terry O’ Neill
Geordie Murison
Rodger Lyall
Delia O’ Hagan
Hamish Napier

Musicians:
Andy Webster - Guitar and Bouzouki        
Ali Hutton - Whistles, Pipes and Guitar
Duncan Lyall - Double Bass
Innes Watson - Fiddle
Angus Lyon - Accordion
Martin O'Neill - Bodhrán & Shakers
String Quartet - Graham McGeoch; Sarah Wilson; Ruaridh Campbell; Nicola West

Narrators:
Rodger Lyall
Dennis Collie
Brian Smith
Terry O' Neill