Kathryn Roberts is an English folk singer, from

Barnsley Barnsley () is a market town in South Yorkshire, England. It is the main settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley and the fourth largest settlement in South Yorkshire. The town's population was 71,422 in 2021, while the wider boroug ...

South Yorkshire South Yorkshire is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It borders North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire to the north, the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north-east, Lincolnshire ...

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 In mathematics, an equation is a mathematical formula that expresses the equality of two expressions, by connecting them with the equals sign . The word ''equation'' and its cognates in other languages may have subtly different meanings; for ...

, along with Devon-based folk musicians the Lakeman Brothers (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 The BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards celebrate outstanding achievement during the previous year within the field of folk music, with the aim of raising the profile of folk and acoustic music. The awards have been given annually since 2000 by British rad ...

. 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 in March 2011, a multi-artist residential project organised by the Shrewsbury Folk Festival 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 collector of folk songs, folk dances and instrumental music, as well as a lecturer, teacher, composer and musician. He was a key figure in the folk-song revival in England dur ...

. 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 The Bar-Steward Sons of Val Doonican are a British comedy folk music, folk and Parody music, parody band from Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Formed in 2006, they claim to be the hardest working comedy band in the UK, having played over 1350 show ...

, 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) *

– ''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 – ''Cecil Sharp Project 2011'' * Kathryn Roberts & Sean Lakeman – ''Personae'' (2018) * Kathryn Roberts & Sean Lakeman – ''Another Day At The Circus'' (Live album) (2025)

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 1974 births Living people 21st-century English singers 21st-century English women singers Equation (band) members English folk singers Musicians from Barnsley