Kathryn Roberts is an English

folk singer Folk music is a music genre that includes traditional folk music and the contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be called world music. Traditional folk music has be ...

, from Barnsley,

South Yorkshire South Yorkshire is a ceremonial and metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and Humber Region of England. The county has four council areas which are the cities of Doncaster and Sheffield as well as the boroughs of Barnsley and Rotherham. I ...

Early career

Roberts' first released recordings were on the album ''Intuition'', a collection of songs by various South Yorkshire folk artists which also included her friend

Kate Rusby Kate Anna Rusby (born 4 December 1973) is an English folk singer-songwriter from Penistone, West Riding of Yorkshire, England. Sometimes called the "Barnsley Nightingale", she has headlined various British folk festivals, and is one of the be ...

. Roberts went on to record the critically acclaimed album ''Kate Rusby & Kathryn Roberts'' with her in 1995, which was voted Album of the Year by '' fRoots'' magazine.

Equation

Roberts and Rusby formed the band Equation, along with Devon-based folk musicians the

Lakeman Brothers The Lakeman Brothers were an English folk music trio, consisting of Sean Lakeman, Sam Lakeman and Seth Lakeman. They released one album, ''Three Piece Suite'', in 1994 before forming the band Equation with Kate Rusby and Kathryn Roberts. Seth has ...

(Sean, Sam and Seth). They recorded an EP CD in 1995, with Rusby and Roberts sharing lead vocals. This led to the group being signed to Blanco y Negro Records / WEA by Geoff Travis. Rusby left soon after, to be replaced with Irish singer Cara Dillon. Dillon also left after one album, leaving Roberts as the sole lead singer. Equation made four albums and two EPs. They toured throughout the UK, Europe and extensively through the US as a "folk supergroup".

Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman

Around 2001, Roberts and Sean Lakeman toured British folk clubs in an attempt to return to their folk roots. They released two albums as a duo, titled ''1'' and ''2'', before taking time away from the road to start a family. The couple returned to touring in 2011 and recorded their third album ''Hidden People'' in 2012. In 2013 they were voted Best Duo at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. Roberts' song "The Ballad Of Andy Jacobs" was also nominated as Best Original Song.

Other projects

Roberts appeared on Seth Lakeman's albums '' Kitty Jay'', '' Freedom Fields'' and '' Poor Man's Heaven (Album)''. She took part in the

Cecil Sharp Project The Cecil Sharp Project was a multi-artist, residential commission to create new material based on the life and collections of the founding father of the English Folk Revival Cecil Sharp. The residential took place in March 2011, immediately fol ...

in March 2011, a multi-artist residential project organised by the

Shrewsbury Folk Festival Shrewsbury Folk Festival is an annual festival of folk and world music and traditional dance held in the town of Shrewsbury in Shropshire, England. It takes place over four days on and around the UK Late Summer bank holiday weekend (usually t ...

to create new works based on the life, work and collecting of folklorist

Cecil Sharp Cecil James Sharp (22 November 1859 – 23 June 1924) was an English-born collector of folk songs, folk dances and instrumental music, as well as a lecturer, teacher, composer and musician. He was the pre-eminent activist in the development of t ...

. In 2020, Roberts appeared as a guest on the song ''Lift Dickie Bird Where He Belongs'' by the Barnsley comedy band The Bar-Steward Sons of Val Doonican, duetting with the band's lead singer Scott Doonican.

Personal life

Roberts is married to Sean Lakeman. They have twin daughters.

Discography

* ''Intuition'' (1993) * ''Kate Rusby & Kathryn Roberts'' (1995) * Equation – ''In Session E.P.'' (1995) * Equation – ''Return To Me'' (1996, released 2003) * Equation – ''Hazy Daze'' (1998) * Equation – ''The Lucky Few'' (1999) * Equation – ''Dark Ages E.P.'' (2001) * Equation – ''First Name Terms'' (2002) * Kathryn Roberts & Sean Lakeman – ''1'' (2003) * Kathryn Roberts & Sean Lakeman – ''2'' (2004) * Kathryn Roberts & Sean Lakeman – ''Hidden People'' (2012) * Kathryn Roberts & Sean Lakeman – ''Tomorrow Will Follow Today'' (2015) *

– ''Cecil Sharp Project 2011'' * Kathryn Roberts & Sean Lakeman – ''Personae'' (2018)

References

External links

Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman: Official website

Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman: Hidden People, Folk Radio UK review & interview
{{DEFAULTSORT:Roberts, Kathryn Living people English folk singers 1974 births Musicians from Barnsley 21st-century British singers Equation (band) members