HOW did Ruth Moody, founder member of Canada’s alt-country roots trio The Wailin’ Jennys, warm up for tomorrow’s solo show at The Band Room, Low Mill, Farndale, on the North York Moors?

By the small matter of playing six June nights in a row at Dire Straits leader Mark Knopfler's London dates at the Royal Albert Hall, reveals Band Room promoter Nigel Burnham.

Ruth is in Britain this month for the final leg of her European tour in support of her second solo album, These Wilder Things, released last month on True North Records.

Born in Australia but long resident in Canada and now living in Winnipeg, Manitoba, she was trained classically, beginning with piano lessons at the age of four, and has been performing ever since her childhood in the Canadian prairies.

Best known for her ongoing work with The Wailin’ Jennys, Ruth made her first solo album, The Garden, in 2010 with Oh Susanna, Crooked Still, Luke Doucet and her Wailin’ Jennys cohorts, Nicky Mehta and Heather Masse.

“It's been a very intense time since then,” she says. “I released my first record while touring with the Jennys, then hit the road with my own band, and haven't really stopped. I've touched down briefly here and there, and during those times I was able to write and conceptualise the new record, but I’ve mostly been on the go.”

Her songwriting is inspired by poetry, by watching others play music and by listening to recordings both old and new. “I often start writing something two songs into listening to a record, if it’s something that resonates with me,” says multi-instrumentalist Ruth, who plays guitar, banjo, accordion, piano and bodhran.

“I find I'm inspired by nature, especially if I'm by myself. I'm an introvert, which makes being in this industry challenging at times, so getting out into the middle of nowhere, where there are trees and stars and silence at night, is the best way for me to recharge.”

Each song on These Wilder Things is a personal encounter in which Ruth explores the midnight heartbreaks and morning revelations of love and loss. “It can be scary to go to some of those darker and deeper places,” she confesses. “But it was rewarding to face it all head on. That's where the real emotional intensity lives and I think that's what moves people.”

Produced and engineered by David Travers-Smith, the album is at times acoustic and understated, at other times electric and adventurous, augmented with organ and horns. It features an all-star cast of players, led by her touring band of Adam Dobres on guitars and ukulele, Adrian Dolan on fiddle, mandolin, mandola and accordion, Sam Howard on upright bass and her brother, Richard Moody, on viola.

Special guest appearances on the record are made by Knopfler, Jerry Douglas, Crooked Still’s Aoife O'Donovan, The Wailin’ Jennys’ Nicky and Heather and Celtic players Mike McGoldrick and John McCusker. McCusker had first introduced Ruth to Knopfler, who asked her to sing on his 2012 album, Privateering, leading to his invitation to Ruth to open his European tour dates, including the aforementioned half a dozen at the Royal Albert Hall.

Tickets remain available for tomorrow's 7.30pm gig at thebandroom.co.uk and on 01751 432900.