Kate Rusby (born December 4, 1973) is an English folk singer an songwriter from Barnsley, South Yorkshire sometimes known as The Barnsley Nightingale. She has headlined various British national folk festivals, and is regarded as one of the most famous English folk singers of contemporary times. In 2001 "The Guardian" described her as "a superstar of the British acoustic scene." In 2007 the BBC website described her as "The first lady of young folkies". She is one of the few folk singers to have been nominated for the Mercury Prize.