Kate Rusby at the Palace

From a close family of musicians, Kate is renowned for her banter and ability to move audiences.

Her style emerged from chatting to audiences when tuning her guitar between songs. Kate said: “It just always felt odd that the audience were sat looking at me while I tuned so I started chatting to them as I did it and it just went on from there.

“We have a good laugh on tour and dressing room banter kind of spills on to the stage.

“Also, it’s good to explain the songs sometimes.”

Being a mother of two children and a touring artist is a tough act to juggle but Kate is lucky enough to have family close by on hand to help with the school runs.

She explained: “While they were both babies they just came with us on tour, as they were so portable.”

Kate’s new album, Ghost, has its own tale to tell. She wrote the song Ghost for the ghost living in their house.

She said: “After living there for a few months we saw it, a figure dressed in black standing next me but we like it being there. We have a piano in that room, so one night I decided that he deserved a song as he’d been there for so long.

“I sat at the piano for a few nights and wrote Ghost. I hope he likes it!”

Rusby also has the accolade of being a Mercury Prize nominee. She recalls how she felt about the honour: “That was such a great thing to be involved with as it opened up my music to a whole new audience. I am really proud that I have been one of the few folk singers to ever have been nominated, proud that folk music is up there and is considered a valued part of the British music industry.”

A remarkably interpretive singer, Kate’s soulful vocals and her talented band promise an evening of pure enjoyment.

See Kate at the Mansfield Palace Theatre on Thursday May 26, at 7.30pm. Tickets are priced £22 full / £20 concessions / £18 child and can be purchased from the box office on 01623 633133 or at www.mansfield.gov.uk/palacetheatre