Gerry Rafferty : Goodbye at age 63

[Borderstone]

I hate to start 2011 like this but sad news in the music world today.

From "The Washington Post" :

'Baker Street' singer Gerry Rafferty dead at 63

LONDON -- Gerry Rafferty, the Scottish singer-songwriter behind hit songs "Baker Street" and "Stuck in the Middle With You," has died. He was 63.

Rafferty's agent Paul Charles confirmed Tuesday that his client had passed away following a long illness, but said he had no additional information on how or where he had died.

Rafferty's classic record "Baker Street" - renowned worldwide for its distinctive haunting saxophone solo - climbed to No. 3 in the U.K. and No. 2 in the U.S. music charts in 1978. It still achieves considerable airplay on radio stations.

The singer also recorded "Stuck in the Middle With You" in 1972 while performing as part of the Scottish folk-rock band Stealers Wheel. The ode - or mocking tribute- to Bob Dylan's raspy voice grew new wings in film maker Quentin Tarantino's movie "Reservoir Dogs," and has sold more than a million copies worldwide.

Rafferty made headlines in the 80s & 90s for his public struggles with "alcoholism" and had also undergone treatment for "liver failure."

He reassured fans of his well-being in February 2009 after a former bandmate expressed concerns over his health and whereabouts in the press. Later that year, Rafferty released the album "Life Goes On."


After initially cutting his teeth as a busker, Rafferty appeared with Scottish comedian Billy Connolly in folk group the Humblebums and released a solo record before founding Stealers Wheel.

Despite his brushes with negative press - from a long-running contract dispute with Stealers Wheel to scathing character critiques posted online by his brother, Jim - Rafferty was described by employees at his latest record label as a man who kept to himself and shunned the spotlight.

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This really bums me out. I've been listening to Rafferty since 1978 and the songs "Baker Street" & "Right Down The Line" (which I have on 45rpm w/picture sleeve). As well as a rare 12 inch single of "Days Gone Down".

Since then,I collected all of his Early 1970s LPs and up to 1979's "Night Owl" & 1980's "Snakes & Ladders" and Stealer's Wheel as well.


S.W. & Gerry's Hits were :

Stealer's Wheel :

Stuck In The Middle With You #6
Star #29

Gerry Rafferty :

Baker Street #2
Right Down The Line #12
Home and Dry #28
Days Gone Down (Still Got The Light In Your Eyes) #17
Get It Right Next Time #21

(Videos for some of these can be seen at You Tube)

Albums :

Stealers Wheel (1972)
Ferguslie Park (1973)
Right Or Wrong (1975)
The Best of Stealers Wheel (1990)

G.R. :

Can I Have My Money Back?, Blue Thumb, 1971.

"GERRY RAFFERTY" Self-Titled (1974)
(This doesn't seem to be listed on most sites)

City to City, Capitol, 1978.
Night Owl, United Artists, 1979.
Snakes & Ladders, United Artists, 1980.
Sleepwalking, Liberty, 1982.
The First Chapter, Cambra, 1984.
North & South, Polydor, 1988.
On a Wing and a Prayer, Avalanche, 1992.
Over My Head, Avalanche, 1994.
Blood & Glory, Demon, 1999.
Another World, Icon Music, 2000.


Rest In Peace Gerry.

We thank you and I'm sad I'll never get to see you perform in concert.

[charlene]

I was just reading about this and listening to some youtubes of him...sad news...

[Borderstone]

I found out on Internet Movie Database,but I verified it with The Washington Post.

[charlene]

sad that the bottle brought him down...so senseless..

[BendRick]

How tragic, only 63. Here's the Rolling Stone article:
Baker Street Singer Gerry Rafferty Dead At 63

The Scottish songwriter co-wrote 'Stuck In The Middle' as a member of Stealers Wheel

http://assets.rollingstone.com/assets/images/story/baker-street-singer-gerry-rafferty-dead-at-63-20110104/1000x306/main.jpg Gerry Rafferty in Amsterdam, 1972.
Gijsbert Hanekroot/Redferns/Getty

By Andy Greene
January 4, 2011 6:40 PM EDT
Scottish singer/songwriter Gerry Rafferty, best known for his solo hit "Baker Street" and "Stuck In The Middle," which he recorded as a member of Stealers Wheel, died January 4th after a long battle with liver disease. He was 63. "Stuck In The Middle," the lone hit of his band Stealers Wheel, reached Number Six on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1973 — though many people confused it for a Bob Dylan song because of the intentional vocal similarity. The song received new life in 1992 when Quentin Tarantino used it in a particularly gruesome scene in his debut film Reservoir Dogs.
Gerry Rafferty's 'Baker Street' Blues: Rolling Stone's 1978 Feature (http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/gerry-raffertys-baker-street-blues-rolling-stones-1978-feature-20110104)
Rafferty began his career as a member of the mid-1960s folk-rock group the Humblebums, which also included future comedy star Billy Connolly. When they folded he formed Stealers Wheel with his old friend Joe Egan, but the group was never able follow up the success of "Stuck In The Middle" and they broke up soon after the track hit big. "I was going through a very strange period in my life then," Rafferty told Rolling Stone in 1978. "I'd been living a dream for six or eight years and suddenly I woke up. I was a pretty scary kind of feeling. Perhaps I was on the edge of a nervous breakdown."
He eventually rejoined the group and they cut a new album with the legendary songwriting team of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. The sessions were strained. "There was a generation gap and a culture gap," Rafferty said. "We didn't share a sense of humor or anything." The group split for good in 1975 and three years later Rafferty released his solo album City to City, which sold 5.5 million copies due to the massive hit "Baker Street" — best known for the saxophone hook by Raphael Ravenscroft. The famous sax solo was originally part of the melody and Rafferty thought he would sing it or play it on guitar, but ultimately he decided that it sounded best on the sax.
Quentin Tarantino on Five Key Soundtrack Picks, From Reservoir Dogs to Inglourious Basterds (http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/quentin-tarantino-on-five-key-soundtrack-picks-from-reservoir-dogs-to-inglourious-basterds-20090821)
Rafferty didn't capitalize off the huge success of "Baker Street" due to his refusal to tour or even hire a manager. Minor hits "All Down the Line" and "City to City" followed, but by the mid-1980s he had faded into obscurity. Rafferty was rarely seen in public in recent years, though there were many reports in the British press about his battles with alcoholism.

[jj]

sad, up there with gord as one of my fave males voices

my faves of his were not typical radio play ones, some samplers...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpeAXn_tUfw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwZaw0Cvc0U&playnext=1&list=PL4981A751E82FA4B7&index=10

[Borderstone]

Someone want to E-mail Andy Green and tell him the song is called "Right Down The Line"?

[timetraveler]

Looking at the photo of Gerry makes me think that he looked like a kid in high school and that he also looked like he was a little shy as well. He appeared to be a very sweet person. It really is a shame he's gone