Gerry Rafferty, the smooth-voiced singer behind "Baker Street" and "Stuck in the Middle With You," has died. He was 63.
The UK singer died Tuesday (Jan. 4) of liver failure in London after a battle with alcoholism.
The Scotland-born Rafferty began performing early, first in the band the Mavericks on weekends, then busking in the London Underground. He then played with Billy Connolly in The Humblebums and recorded his first solo album.
In 1972, he teamed up with his chum Joe Egan to form Stealers Wheel, a group known for its hit "Stuck in the Middle With You." Filmmaker Quentin Tarantino's 1992 movie "Reservoir Dogs" contains an iconic scene in which Michael Madsen's character Mr. Blonde tortures someone to the song. [Warning: Violence and language.]
Here's the original video without the creepy violence:
After disbanding, Rafferty and Egan teamed up again for The Fifth Column, and then Rafferty released the solo album "City to City," which contained the single "Baker Street,...
The UK singer died Tuesday (Jan. 4) of liver failure in London after a battle with alcoholism.
The Scotland-born Rafferty began performing early, first in the band the Mavericks on weekends, then busking in the London Underground. He then played with Billy Connolly in The Humblebums and recorded his first solo album.
In 1972, he teamed up with his chum Joe Egan to form Stealers Wheel, a group known for its hit "Stuck in the Middle With You." Filmmaker Quentin Tarantino's 1992 movie "Reservoir Dogs" contains an iconic scene in which Michael Madsen's character Mr. Blonde tortures someone to the song. [Warning: Violence and language.]
Here's the original video without the creepy violence:
After disbanding, Rafferty and Egan teamed up again for The Fifth Column, and then Rafferty released the solo album "City to City," which contained the single "Baker Street,...
- 1/4/2011
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
The Scottish singer-songwriter Gerry Rafferty, who has died aged 63 after a long illness, wrote the multimillion-selling hit Baker Street, which more than 30 years after its 1978 release still netted him an annual £80,000. At the end of the 1970s he did his best work, a series of richly resonant albums that gave no hint of their creator's inner troubles.
Rafferty was born in Paisley, near Glasgow, an unwanted third son. His father, Joseph, was an Irish-born miner. His mother, Mary Skeffington, whose name would provide a Rafferty song title, dragged young Gerry round the streets on Saturday nights so that they would not be at home when his father came back drunk. They would wait outside, in all weathers, until he had fallen asleep, to avoid a beating. "If it wasn't for you, I'd leave," Mary told Gerry.
Rafferty was born in Paisley, near Glasgow, an unwanted third son. His father, Joseph, was an Irish-born miner. His mother, Mary Skeffington, whose name would provide a Rafferty song title, dragged young Gerry round the streets on Saturday nights so that they would not be at home when his father came back drunk. They would wait outside, in all weathers, until he had fallen asleep, to avoid a beating. "If it wasn't for you, I'd leave," Mary told Gerry.
- 1/4/2011
- The Guardian - Film News
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.