The discography of Kate Rusby, an English folk singer, consists of twenty-two solo albums, four albums as part of a duo or group, four extended plays (EPs), two video albums, fourteen singles, and seven music videos. Rusby's debut was Intuition, an album recorded in collaboration with five other female singers from Yorkshire, which was released on a small label in 1993. Her breakthrough came with an eponymous album recorded with Kathryn Roberts, another of the singers featured on Intuition. This album, which was named as the best of the year by Folk Roots magazine, was the first release on Pure Records, a label set up by Rusby's father on which all her subsequent solo recordings have been released. Rusby and Roberts also formed the band the Equation in conjunction with the Lakeman Brothers, but Rusby left the group after their debut EP. In 1996 she joined the all-female folk group the Poozies, with whom she released one EP and one full-length album.
In 1997 Rusby released her first solo album, Hourglass, and two years later followed it with Sleepless, which was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize. Two years later, Little Lights became Rusby's first release to enter the Top 100 of the UK Albums Chart, peaking at number 75. Her highest placing on this chart came with 2012's 20, which reached number 22. In 2006 she provided guest vocals on the single "All Over Again" by Irish pop singer Ronan Keating, which reached number six on the UK Singles Chart. Rusby has also made guest appearances on albums by artists such as Show of Hands, Battlefield Band, Roddy Woomble, Ella Edmondson and John McCusker.
Albums
Solo albums YearAlbum detailsPeak chart positionsUKUS World1998Hourglass Released: 1 March 1997 Label: Pure Formats: CD——1999Sleepless Released: 17 August 1999 Label: Pure Formats: CD——2001Little Lights Released: 12 June 2001 Label: Pure Formats: CD75—200210 Released: 7 January 2003 Label: Pure Formats: CD——2003Underneath the Stars Released: 11 August 2003 Label: Pure Formats: CD78102005The Girl Who Couldn't Fly Released: 11 October 2005 Label: Pure Formats: CD45—2007Awkward Annie Released: 14 August 2007 Label: Pure Formats: CD32—2008Sweet Bells Released: 15 December 2008 Label: Pure Formats: CD91—2010Make the Light Released: 22 November 2010 Label: Pure Formats: CD99—2011While Mortals Sleep Released: 22 November 2011 Label: Pure Formats: CD91—201220 Released: 22 October 2012 Label: Pure Formats: CD22—2014Ghost Released: 4 August 2014 Label: Pure Formats: CD——2015The Frost Is All Over Released: 27 November 2015 Label: Pure Formats: CD——2016Life in a Paper Boat Released: 7 October 2016 Label: Pure Formats: CD98—2017Angels & Men Released: 24 November 2017 Label: Pure Formats: CD40—2019Philosophers, Poets & Kings Released: 31 May 2019 Label: Pure Formats: CD——Holly Head Released: 2019 Label: Pure Formats: CD——2020Hand Me Down Released: 2020 Label: Pure Formats: CD12—202230: Happy Returns Released: 6 May 2022 Label: Pure Formats: CD, download97—2023Light Years Released: 1 December 2023 Label: Pure Formats: CD, download76—2025When They All Looked Up Released: 25 April 2025 Label: Pure Formats: Vinyl, CD, download——Christmas Is Merry Released: 5 December 2025 Label: Pure Formats: CD—— "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that country.
Collaborative albums YearAlbum details1993Intuition(with Kathleen Deighton, Rosalie Deighton,Julie Matthews, Kathryn Roberts and Pat Shaw) Released: 1993 Label: Fat Cat Formats: CD, cassette1995Kate Rusby & Kathryn Roberts(with Kathryn Roberts) Released: 1995 Label: Pure Formats: CD, cassette1999Infinite Blue(as a member of The Poozies) Released: 19 January 1999 Label: Pure Formats: CD2004Heartlands(with John McCusker) Released: 18 October 2004 Label: Pure Formats: CD
Extended plays Year TitleNotes1995In Session Released: 1995 Label: Crapstone Format: CDAs a member of the Equation1997Come Raise Your Head Released: 1997 Label: Pure Format: CDAs a member of the Poozies1999Cowsong Released: 1999 Label: Pure Format: CD2004Underneath the Stars Released: 2004 Label: Pure Format: CD
Singles Year TitleUK Album2001"Withered and Died"—Little Lights2004"Underneath the Stars"—Underneath the Stars2005"No Names"—The Girl Who Couldn't Fly"You Belong to Me"—"Little Jack Frost"—2006"All Over Again" (duet with Ronan Keating)6Bring You Home2007"Planets"—Awkward Annie"The Village Green Preservation Society"—2008"Who Knows Where the Time Goes?"—non-album single2019"Jenny"—Philosophers, Poets & Kings2020"Manic Monday"—Hand Me Down"Friday I'm in Love"—"Shake It Off"—2023"Glorious"—Light Years
Video albums Year Video information Notes2004 Live From Leeds Released: 29 June 2004 Label: Pure Director: Janet Fraser CrookRecorded live at the Leeds City VarietiesOriginally broadcast on BBC Four2013Live at Christmas Released: 28 October 2013 Label: Pure Director: not creditedRecorded live at the Royal Hall, Harrogate
Music videos YearTitle Director2006"All Over Again"Simon Levene2016"Big Brave Bill"unknown2017"Big Brave Bill Saves Christmas"Jay Sillence2019"Jenny"unknown2020"Manic Monday"Kate Rusby and Damien O'Kane"Shake It Off"2019"Glorious"unknown
Other appearances
Soundtracks YearSong Album1996"The Collier Recruit""Broken-Hearted I Will Wander"Over the Hills & Far Away: The Music of Sharpe
Compilation albums Only otherwise unreleased material included on compilation albums is listed YearSong Album/Single1999"The Cobbler's Daughter"Cambridge Folk Festival: A Celebration of Roots Music 1998-992004"I Wonder What's Keeping My True Love Tonight?"Folk Festival: A Celebration of Music Recorded at the Sidmouth International Festival2006"It's Curtains"The Song of Steel"Underneath the Stars"Cool as Folk2011"Butterfly"Davy Steele: Steele the Show"Awkward Annie""The Mocking Bird""The Blind Harper"Cambridge Folk Festival 2011 (DVD)
Guest appearances YearArtistAlbumCreditTrack(s)1995Chris Sherburn & Denny BartleyLast Night's FunVocals"The Roseville Fair/The Concert Reel""Starry Night"1997Battlefield BandAcross the BordersVocals"The Green and the Blue"Roy BaileyNew Directions in the OldVocals"Light Years Away"1999Show of HandsDark FieldsVocals"High Germany/Molly Oxford"2000Gibb ToddConnectedHarmony vocals, box"The Final Trawl""Will Ye No Come Back Again"John McCuskerYella HooseVocals"Night Visiting Song"2001Cathie RyanSomewhere Along the RoadVocals"Somewhere Along the Road"2002Linda ThompsonFashionably LateGuitar, harmony vocals"Miss Murray""No Telling"2003John McCuskerGoodnight GingerVocals"The Bold Privateer"2005John DoyleWayward SonVocals"Bitter the Parting"Cherish the LadiesWoman of the HouseVocals"Bogie's Bonnie Belle"2006Kris DreverBlack WaterHarmony vocals"Braw Sailin' on the Sea""Green Grows the Laurel""Navigator"Roddy WoombleMy Secret is My SilenceVocals"I Came in from the Mountain""Act IV""From the Drifter to the Drake""Waverley Steps""Play Me Something"2007Various artistsBallads of the BookVocals"The Weight of Years"(by Idlewild and Edwin Morgan)Martin SimpsonProdigal SonVocals"Never Any Good"2009Maura O'ConnellNaked with FriendsHarmony vocals"The Bright Blue Rose"Ella EdmondsonHold Your HorsesVocalsnot specified2010Damien O'KaneSummer HillVocals"Summer Hill""Raven's Wing""The Sun is Burning"2014West of EdenSongs from Twisting RiverVocals"The Bee That Stung"2015Damien O'KaneAreas of High TrafficVocals"Banks of the Bann"2017Damien O'KaneAvenging & BrightVocals"Lately"
References General
Specific
External links Official website