IF Robert Burns were alive today, singer Emily Smith is pretty sure he would be in the thick of the independence debate.

She’s also sure he would be in favour of the Songs for Scotland 2 project, which is not only aimed at keeping the arts at the centre of the campaign but is also raising money for a scholarship for young musicians named after Scots polymath Alasdair Gray.

It’s appropriate that Smith’s contribution to the new Songs for Scotland album is a Burns song, as the singer grew up just 10 miles from his home at Ellisland Farm.

Silver Tassie is about a solider boarding a ship from the port of Leith as he heads off to war. He is lamenting leaving his sweetheart, Mary, and calls for a pint of wine to toast her farewell.

“I’ve known of the song for many years and had the melody at the back of my head for a while but didn’t come to learning it properly until myself and Jamie McClennan made a duo album of Burns material in 2009 to celebrate the 250th anniversary of his birth,” said Smith.

“I hail from Dumfriesshire so I’m honoured to contribute something by Burns, and also Scots language, to Songs For Scotland 2.”

Smith was asked to sing Silver Tassie at the Songs For Scotland event in Oran Mor before the 2014 referendum.

“I was delighted to be part of that night - the atmosphere in Scotland around that time was electric. I enjoyed how engaged people were with talking about politics daily. I know it wasn’t all upbeat but it was great to see people fired up about what would and could happen post referendum.

“Sadly, the vote didn’t go the way I hoped but I think a lot of people, including myself, felt more informed and decisive about what we want from, and for our country. I believe that independence is yet to come.”

Smith said it was unusual to be included on an album that has such a mix of musicians from across genres, and she fully supports the idea behind Songs for Scotland 2.

“These projects are a great way to feel part of the creative community. We all have the common thread in our support of the project,” she said.

“The scholarship for young musicians is a fantastic idea – what an opportunity for the lucky recipient. It’s hard getting a career off the ground and sustaining it too, so I wish them all the best with that. I’m excited to see how it develops.”

She added: “For such a small country we have a vast and varied cultural heritage in Scotland. In my own work with traditional song I not only enjoy singing the songs for simple enjoyment but I also feel we have a lot to learn from all that has come before us. So much social history is documented in folk song and of course we have the legacy of the likes of writers like Burns. I often wonder what he would make of Scotland now – I’m fairly sure he’d be in the thick of political goings-on.”

The producer of Songs for Scotland, Kevin Brown, said he had chosen Silver Tassie for the album as it was “a classic anti-war song”.

“Emily Smith has always been a favourite of mine simply for the beauty of her voice and the Silver Tassie is Burns at his best. What a combination!” he said.

At the moment Smith is coming to the end of maternity leave and putting the finishing touches to her Christmas tour, during which she will be launching her new album Songs For Christmas, out on December 2 on White Fall Records. Tour dates are here: www.emilysmith.org/tour.html

The National is project sponsor for Songs For Scotland 2. Every Monday, we publish a piece about one of the artists involved