WITH a career spanning 25 years in music, Kate Rusby has been hailed as one the finest interpreters of traditional folk songs and one of the most emotive original songwriters in the genre.

And in the quarter of a century the 43-year-old has been in the music industry she has been prolific in releasing new material and touring around the world.

Speaking to The Gazette whilst in the middle of recording an upcoming Christmas album, Rusby said: “It seems to be that every year now I am putting out an album and then working on something else in the run up to Christmas. So it never really stops for me.

“I work in cycles and in the last couple of years, once I started doing the Christmas tours, I would want to keep things fresh by doing a “normal” album.

“There is such a vast depth to folk music which as an artist you can tap into and that is what I try and do.”

What makes Rusby’s work rate even more impressive is her ability to balance home life with her work.

Regularly collaborating with guitarist husband Damien O’Kane, the pair have two young girls together and the singer explains it can sometimes be hard to detach themselves from working on new material.

“It can be a bit of an omnipresent at times,” added the songwriter.

“But when you are working with such a good friend the ideas do just bounce off each other, and with both myself and Damien coming from musical family’s it all comes very easily if we get a moment when the girls are at school for him to pick up his guitar and put together an idea.

“However, there are times where I think I just don’t talk about work anymore I just want to watch Coronation Street.”

One of Rusby’s unique selling points is her proud Yorkshire background and her accent even coming across in her singing.

“I’m proud of being from Yorkshire,” continued Rusby.

“When I was younger we always used to have family sing-alongs, but it wasn’t until I started performing in public that people asked why I was singing with an accent, it was just normal to me.”

Rusby will be performing alongside O’Kane and Duncan Lyall, Nick Cooke and Steve Byrne at the Anvil on May 18.

For more information and tickets visit anvilarts.org.uk.