Kate Rusby celebrates thirty years as a professional musician

Kate Rusby

Kate Rusby celebrates an amazing thirty years as a professional musician in 2022 with the release of a brand new album 30 : Happy Returns (Pure Records) on May 6 and a 21-date tour, taking her the length and breadth of the UK, during April and May.

Her impressive 30-year career has seen Kate release 19 widely praised albums and net a Mercury Music Prize early on in 1999. More awards and accolades followed, including two honorary doctorates. She’s headlined major venues around the UK, from the Royal Albert Hall to Cambridge Folk Festival, and internationally, and also established her own successful record company, Pure Records, alongside her family.

Kate’s music has been used in various films and TV shows over the years, including Ricky Gervais’ Afterlife Series 3 (Netflix), Ruth Jones’ Stella (Sky 1), Heartlands starring Michael Sheen (Miramax) and throughout series 1 and 2 of Jennifer Saunders’ Jam And Jerusalem (BBC), to name but a few. She has attracted numerous celebrity fans along the way too, including Matt Lucas, Stephen Fry, Brian Cox, Ade Edmondson and Paul Weller.

Anniversary album 30 : Happy Returns features a stellar array of guest musicians who have all inspired Kate during her career: Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Richard Hawley, Darlingside, KT Tunstall, Sarah Jarosz, Sam Kelly, Dan Tyminski, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Damien O’Kane and on the physical version of the album, a bonus track with the Royal Northern Sinfonia. The songs are newly recorded versions of favourites from across Kate’s career. Full track listing below.

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!!”

Kate Rusby 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/

‘Three Little Birds’ from Kate’s previous album, Hand Me Down: