Gerry Rafferty
Gerry Rafferty (16 April 1947 – 4 January 2011) was a Scottish singer-songwriter.[1] His 1978 album, City to City, reached number one on the music charts in the USA.[1] "Baker Street", a song from the album reached the Top 10 in both the USA and Britain.[1] It featured a distinctive saxophone solo played by Raphael Ravenscroft.[1]
Rafferty was born in Paisley, Scotland and began playing in bands as a teenager. "Stuck in the Middle" was written in the early 1970's with his band "Stealers Wheel". It was a parody of Bob Dylan's style.[1] It became a hit again after being used in the movie Reservoir Dogs directed by Quentin Tarantino in 1992.[1] Rafferty also played in a folk group, the Humblebums, with Scottish comedian Billy Connolly.[2]
He sold more than 10 million albums but did not enjoy working in the music industry which he said he "loathed and detested."[1] He died in Stroud, Gloucestershire, England, from liver failure caused by his alcoholism.[2]
Gerry Rafferty Media
Foxbar in Paisley, Renfrewshire, where Rafferty grew up
Rafferty with Stealers Wheel on TopPop (1973).
A street sign from Baker Street in central London, the inspiration for Rafferty's famous song.
Hugh Murphy produced seven of Rafferty's solo albums.
Several of Gerry Rafferty's solo albums, including City to City and Night Owl and parts of Snakes and Ladders and Sleepwalking, were recorded at Chipping Norton Recording Studios, which occupied this Grade II listed building at 28/30 New Street, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire, from 1972 until its closure in 1999.
Eaglestone House in Strathpeffer
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References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Martin, Chris (4 January 2011). "Gerry Rafferty, Songwriter, Dies at 63". The New York Times (New York). . https://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/05/arts/music/05rafferty.html. Retrieved 21 October 2011.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Watt, Chris (6 January 2011). "Connolly praises his 'hugely talented' late friend Rafferty". heraldscotland.com. Archived from the original on 19 August 2011. Retrieved 21 October 2011.