Julie Fowlis sings songs with a Gaelic point of view

by Euan Kerr, Minnesota Public Radio

St. Paul, Minn. — Julie Fowlis sings in a language which even in her native Scotland only about 60,000 people understand, yet she's a national star.

She sings in her native tongue Scots Gaelic (pronounced GAH-lick) which like it's close cousin Irish Gaelic (pronounced GAY-lick) has a centuries old musical tradition.

Fowlis will sing from her new album "Cuilidh" (pronounced COOL-ee) at the Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis on Sunday.

She told Minnesota Public Radio's Euan Kerr she didn't set out to be a Gaelic singer, but growing up on a remote island off the West Coast of Scotland, it was just one of the things you did.

Broadcast Dates

• All Things Considered, 04/24/2009, 6:20 p.m.