A PEEBLESSHIRE rector is set to release his first album next month.

In December we reported that Rev Jim Benton-Evans reached his £1,000 fundraising goal to turn his dream of producing a record into a reality.

And now the 47-year-old, who is Rector at St Peter’s Peebles & St Andrew’s Innerleithen, will launch his new CD ‘What Is It That We Are Part Of, What Is It That We Are’ in front of a packed crowd at the Traquair Arms.

He told the Peeblesshire News: “Everyone is welcome to come and hear the album being played live, as well as individual performances from several of my friends. There will also be copies of the CD available for purchase. 

“It has been an amazing journey seeing the project come to fruition and I am grateful to so many people who helped make it a reality: all those who supported the crowdfunder; the amazing talented musicians who helped with arrangement and played on some of the songs: Alister Rae, Ken Kennedy, Kathy Kennedy and of course my daughter Tabitha; my son Alex for his superb work on the artwork; Ross Arthur for his recording, production and mixing skills at the SoundCafe, Nine Mile Burn; the Vestries of St Peter’s Peebles and St Andrew’s Innerleithen, and the Bishop of Edinburgh for facilitating the sabbatical that enabled me to write the album.

“And last but by no means least my wife Claire, whose support, encouragement and tolerance has been beyond anything I could have asked for.”

The official launch will take place at the Traquair Arms Hotel in Innerleithen, on Monday, May 1 at 6pm.