Gerry Rafferty

Gerry Rafferty (born Gerald Rafferty, 16 April 1947, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland; died 4 January 2011, Stroud, Gloucestershire, England) was a Scottish singer-songwriter. His work combined rock, pop and folk influences and was distinguished by melodic songwriting and a distinctive vocal style. Rafferty is best known for the international hit “Baker Street” and for co-writing and performing “Stuck in the Middle with You”.

Rafferty began performing in Scotland in the 1960s and built early experience in folk-influenced groups. He co-founded the band Stealers Wheel in the early 1970s, achieving major success with “Stuck in the Middle with You” (1972), a song that became widely known through radio play and later film use. After line-up changes and touring, Rafferty moved towards a solo career, developing material that emphasised his songwriting and studio approach.

His peak commercial period arrived with the solo album City to City (1978). The album’s lead single “Baker Street” became an international hit and remains associated with its saxophone riff and reflective lyric theme. City to City reached number one in the United States and established Rafferty as a major solo artist, while follow-up work including Night Owl (1979) continued his presence in charts and radio with songs such as “Get It Right Next Time”.

Rafferty continued recording through the 1980s and early 1990s, releasing albums that maintained his melodic rock approach while moving between labels and periods of reduced public visibility. Later releases included On a Wing and a Prayer (1992), and he continued to write and record, though he became less active in touring and mainstream promotion. His music retained a steady audience through compilation albums, reissues and continued broadcasting of his best-known songs.

Rafferty’s record sales are closely associated with the success of City to City and the enduring popularity of “Baker Street”, which has remained a regular feature of rock radio and has been covered and sampled by other artists. His legacy is often discussed in relation to 1970s singer-songwriter rock and the craft of melody-driven pop writing. While his later career was less publicly prominent, his key recordings have continued to attract listeners and remain part of the long-term repertoire of classic rock and adult contemporary music.