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Folk singer/songwriter Kate Rusby has lived in Barnsley, South
Yorkshire, since birth, and grew up in a musical family. Her parents
had a ceilidh dance band and introduced her to British folk at
an early age. Along with her sister Emma, Rusby joined the band,
singing backup and playing the fiddle. By the time she was 12,
Rusby also sang lead and played guitar.
At 15, she debuted at the Holmfirth Festival, and was introduced
to another young folk singer, Kathryn Roberts; after playing together
live for a while, the duo recorded Kate Rusby & Kathryn Roberts
, which won Folk Roots' 1995 Album of the Year award. Rusby
also collaborates with the female folk ensemble the Poozies, appearing
on their 1997 album Come Raise Your Head and 1998's Infinite
Blue. On her own, Kate Rusby has released 1998's Hourglass
, and 1999 saw the US release of Kate Rusby & Kathryn Roberts
as well as the solo Sleepless.
--Heather Phares, All Music Guide.
Kate Rusby was nominated for a Mercury Music prize late last year, and was named "Folk
Artist of the Year" by BBC Two earlier this year. Her latest album, Sleepless, was also named
BBC's "Folk Album of the Year."
Kate Rusby runs her own record label, Pure Records. Her website for that is here. It's also her homepage and has lots of neat stuff including a much better bio, here.