LONDON, (Reuters Life!) – Scottish singer-songwriter Gerry Rafferty, whose 1970s hits include “Baker Street” and “Stuck in the Middle With You,” has died at age 63, his agent said today.
“I can confirm that Gerry very sadly passed away,” Paul Charles said in an email, giving no further details.
British media reported that Rafferty died peacefully at home with his daughter Martha by his side. He had battled a drinking problem and spent time in hospital at Bournemouth in the south of England, with liver failure, the BBC reported.
Rafferty was born in Paisley, Scotland, and played in several bands before forming the folk rock outfit Stealers Wheel in 1972.
The group’s eponymous debut album featured “Stuck in the Middle With You,” a hit single that enjoyed a new lease of life when it was was used in Quentin Tarantino’s movie “Reservoir Dogs.”
Stealers Wheel broke up in 1975, but three years later Rafferty released the solo album “City to City” which produced the song “Baker Street” and sold millions of copies worldwide.
In October, “Baker Street,” which includes the famous saxophone solo, was recognized by the royalty collection organization BMI for more than five million plays globally.
“Stuck in the Middle With You” has been aired more than four million times.
