Kate Rusby has announced that she is to celebrate her 30 years as a professional musician in 2022 with the release of a brand new album 30 : Happy Returns (Pure Records) on May 6.
Some of you may recall, that in 2012, Kate celebrated her 20 years with “20” which saw Island Records resurrect their ‘Island Pink’ label for the release. Kate joined the likes of Nick Drake and Fairport Convention who had also graced the label. On that release, she was joined by the likes of Richard Thompson, Nic Jones, Dick Gaughan, Paul Weller, Eddie Reader, Sarah Jarosz and more.
On ’30 : Happy Returns’ she is joined by Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Richard Hawley, Darlingside, KT Tunstall, Sarah Jarosz, Sam Kelly, Dan Tyminski, Beth Nielsen Chapman and of course…Damien O’Kane. Also, on the physical version of the album, there is a bonus track with the Royal Northern Sinfonia. The songs are newly recorded versions of favourites from across Kate’s career (See the tracklisting below).
Between her 20th career anniversary and her 30th, there has been no letting up…
Kate has continued to sell out venues across the country, and one of our reviewers who caught her in Chelmsford stated “she is one of the finest interpreters of traditional music we have.”
In 2014 she released ‘Ghost‘, which saw her pushing into new territory and adding new layers to her sound, but as ever, it was her voice that shone through. Whether singing folksong from the tradition or her own unique compositions, she brings the songs to life with a spellbinding skill that gets to the very essence of the stories.
Kate continued to evolve her sound with her 14th studio album “Life in a Paper Boat“. In the words of our reviewer, the album “furthers her development as a songwriter firmly in the tradition. It avoids the snares of the predictable while springing a few surprises, sure to please existing as well as bring new fans to her music.”
In 2017 she released Angels and Men, her fourth winter seasonal celebration and her 25th year Anniversary which saw her joined by a host of special guests. In Neil McFadyen’s words, “Blessed with a peerless voice, possessed of a remarkable talent for arranging both contemporary and traditional song, and surrounded by musicians of the highest calibre, with Angels & Men, Kate Rusby offers the very best musical backdrop anyone could hope for this Christmas.”
These festive albums began back in 2008 with Sweet Bells, when she decided it would be fitting to celebrate, and pay tribute to, the South Yorkshire tradition of carol singing in pubs rather than churches; giving those of us not blessed with a Yorkshire heritage the chance to enjoy some of the area’s unique approaches to traditional Christmas songs, as well as enjoy a few more modern offerings. While Mortals Sleep followed in 2011, and in 2015 The Frost Is All Over set the bar even higher with a glittering and accomplished collection of beautifully arranged and produced songs. She returned again in 2019 with Holly Head, the same year in which she received the English Folk Dance and Song Society’s highest award, the Gold Badge.
In 2019, she also delivered her 17th studio album “Philosophers, Poets & Kings” described on these pages as utterly delightful; she journeys into new territory while maintaining that unshakeable bond to her musical heritage. One of her finest albums to date.
In 2020 Kate surprised many with Hand Me Down, an album of covers that arrived at just the right time. There is no more perfect a time for an album like this. She said “Just forget the world for a moment and let the music in. Music is such a powerful potion, it can’t heal the world but it can heal the heart, even for a fleeting moment.” She delivered a truly individual set of covers that went down a treat receiving lots of national airplay along the way.
Of course, alongside the music and label, there is also a festival – Underneath The Stars began life back in 2014. The Rusby family decided it was time to bring together and share their passion of Folk & Roots music and celebrate the region the Rusby tribe has been born and raised for centuries.
We once asked Kate about her love of Folk music:
“I have always loved the stories in the songs. From being a small girl, I have been fascinated with the characters and their lives, it’s like lots of mini films. Folk music is so very important because it’s music of the people, music of the common man. The raw emotion and sentiment comes through today even in songs written hundreds of years ago, the landscape may have changed and now we live in a world of technology, but nonetheless, we as humans still feel happiness, heart wrenching sadness, and all that goes in between. We will never change, so folk music will always be relevant. Not to mention it is our heritage so is precious for that reason alone.”
Kate comes from a strong musical family, one that has brought a huge influence on her music. She was born in 1973 in Sheffield, England and from a young age, she was exposed to the burgeoning British folk scene. In an earlier Folk Radio interview, she told me “Me dad worked on the live side of the music scene in the 70s” Kate explains “he was a sound man for loads of different artists, working on tours and at festivals around the UK. When we were kids we were packed into the car or van along with the gear and travelled around with him to shows all over. Me mam and dad were huge folk fans and so we grew up singing in the car on our way to gigs. They also had their own ceilidh band that me and my sister Emma joined when we were old enough to hold a tambourine! We later graduated to playing fiddle and guitar and singing.”
Commenting on her career 30th anniversary, Kate said: “Music has taken me all over the world in those 30 years, where I’ve met the most incredible musicians and singers. 30 : Happy Returns is a culmination of those years, the music, the singers, the laughs, the songs, the memories. Here I am joined by some of my all-time musical heroes, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Richard Hawley, KT Tunstall, Darlingside, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Sarah Jarosz, Damien O’Kane, Sam Kelly not to mention the amazing lads in my band! I am in awe of their talent and generosity in sharing it and can safely say there are so many “dream come true” moments on this album. By my very nature I’ve never been ambitious so I am astounded taking this retrospective look over the years and feel so blessed to sing with these incredible artists. I am one very happy, happy girl!!”
The album will be supported by an extensive 21-date tour, taking her the length and breadth of the UK, during April and May.
Kate is also stepping in for Mark Radcliffe on BBC Radio 2 on Wednesday, 16 March…
I am utterly delighted to tell you I am hosting the Folk Show on @BBCRadio2 next week 😆😃🎉 9pm Weds 16th keeping the seat warm for Mark Radcliffe. Can’t wait to share my fave folk tracks with you. 🥰
— Kate Rusby (@katerusby) March 10, 2022
Thank you for having me lovely BBC! 🙏🌈 https://t.co/l2j7V2nR7x
30 : Happy Returns track listing
- WE WILL SING @30 with Ladysmith Black Mambazo
- NO NAMES @30 with Richard Hawley
- FAIREST OF ALL YARROW @30
- CRUEL @30 with Darlingside
- LET ME BE @30 with KT Tunstall
- GHOST @30
- HIGH ON A HILL @30 with Sarah Jarosz
- BLOOMING HEATHER @30 with Sam Kelly
- ONLY DESIRE @30 with Dan Tyminski (new version)
- UNDERNEATH THE STARS @30
- WALK THE ROAD @30 with Beth Nielsen Chapman
- HUNTER MOON @30 with Damien O’Kane (new version)
Remixes from Philosophers, Poets & Kings PRCD53
- UNTIL MORNING with Damien O’Kane
- JENNY ORDINARY REMIX with Damien O’Kane
- AS THE LIGHTS GO OUT with Sam Kelly
Bonus Track (physical copy only) - SECRET KEEPER with Royal Northern Sinfonia (special full-length version)
Kate Rusby Tour Dates
Kate and her band will tour the UK in April and May with dates as follows:
6 April 2022 – Aberystwyth Arts Centre
7 April 2022 – Floral Pavilion, New Brighton
8 April 2022 – King George’s Hall, Blackburn
29 April 2022 – Bristol Folk Festival
5 May 2022 – Lavenham Church
6 May 2022 – Lavenham Church
7 May 2022 – Spinney Theatre, Northampton
8 May 2022 – Corn Exchange, Exeter
12 May 2022 – New Theatre, Peterborough
13 May 2022 – Cadogan Hall, London
14 May 2022 – Pavilion Theatre, Worthing
15 May 2022 – Anvil Arts, Basingstoke
19 May 2022 – Hippodrome, Darlington
20 May 2022 – Palace Theatre, Newark
21 May 2022 – The Apex, Bury St Edmunds
22 May 2022 – Alban Arena, St Albans
25 May 2022 – New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth
26 May 2022 – Hay Festival, Hay-on-Wye
27 May 2022 – Westlands, Yeovil
28 May 2022 – Hall for Cornwall, Truro
29 May 2022 – Queens Theatre, Barnstaple
Tickets: https://katerusby.com/