‘Island of Dreams’ was good but the most astounding song was from ‘Seven Brides for Seven Brothers’ – ‘I’m a Lonesome Polecat’. “There would always be a couple of songs from the trio, in the most gorgeous sibling-driven harmonies. “I was privileged to attend some family parties when all three Rafferty brothers were alive. I can recall us singing all night in places, never repeating a song. Rab Noakes became a lifelong friend of the late Gerry Rafferty.Īs Rab told me: “Singing at parties was a regular occurrence. On the contrary, there was something life-affirming and inspirational about the often impromptu fashion in which partnerships and relationships were formed and, although Gerry was shy in the media gaze and uncomfortable with the trappings of celebrity – a term he detested – he relished being in the company of other chanters and musicians who could create a joyful noise. This was in the days before music was awash with technology and 24 and 36-track recording decks with every conceivable piece of equipment. I love to sing, especially with other people and it wouldn’t be a lie to admit that my best companion in that was Gerry.” Music filled the nights into the wee sma’ hours “There was always a song going on and it’s the singing that really underpins it all. “Gerry was finishing songs for his solo record ‘Can I have my Money Back?’ which was his first work with producer Hugh Murphy. “The house in TW was consistently alive with singing, strumming and writing. “The initial performances were Gerry and me as a duo, throughout the UK. “When that came to a natural end, in 1971 we convened in Tunbridge Wells where Stealers Wheel was born. “Gerry then joined The Humblebums for a couple of years in a duo set-up with Billy Connolly. “He was a month older than me, so we were total, shared-experience soul-mates in the sense of being post-war offspring of the 1950s and 1960s. Later, as we were packing up to go, we engaged in a dressing-room rendition of The Beatles ‘In my Life’ and a lifetime friendship was born. “We had each been invited to sing a couple of songs. He recalled: “The occasion was a pre-show get-together on the afternoon of The Humblebums’ first major Glasgow concert in the City Hall. The journey began on an auspicious day in Partick in Glasgow and St Andrews-born Rab spoke with affection about how everything fell into place as he and his compatriot suddenly found themselves hitting all the right notes. Gerry Rafferty enjoyed success with Stealers Wheel before branching out on his own. It was the launch of a cherished partnership, which he has now outlined as part of a poignant tribute to his late, lamented colleague. Next up was Stealers Wheel, and Rab Noakes fondly remembers joining Gerry in a spontaneous rendition of a Beatles classic while the duo were still youngsters at the beginning of their respective careers in the late 1960s. They toured, composed, performed and blazed a vibrant trail together. It all started with The Humblebums, where Rafferty joined forces with the banjo/guitar-playing Billy Connolly amid a thriving arts scene in Glasgow. Gerry Rafferty was one of the most influential and successful singer-songwriters ever to emerge from Scotland.Īnd even now, a decade after his untimely death, many of the works which he created, from Baker Street and Night Owl to Get It Right Next Time and Stuck in the Middle with You, are ingrained in pop culture. Loading Spinner An icon of a loading spinner. Success Tick Timeout An icon of a greyed out success tick. Information An icon of an information logo. Speech Bubble Icon A icon displaying a speech bubble WhatsApp An icon of the WhatsApp logo. Video Camera An icon of a video camera shape. Previous An icon of an arrow pointing to the left. Notice An explanation mark centred inside a circle. Next An icon of an arrow pointing to the right. Hamburger Menu Icon An icon used to represent a collapsed menu. Search Icon A magnifying glass icon that is used to represent the function of searching. Magnifying Glass An icon of a magnifying glass. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Close Icon An icon used to represent where to interact to collapse or dismiss a component Comment An icon of a speech bubble. Breaking An icon of an exclamation mark on a circular background. Pause Icon A two-lined pause icon for stopping interactions. Is Not Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes with a diagonal line through it. Is Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes. Telephone An icon of a traditional telephone receiver. Profile An icon that resembles human head and shoulders. Linked In An icon of the Linked In "in" mark. Facebook An icon of the Facebook "f" mark. Caret An icon of a block arrow pointing to the right. Cancel An icon of a circle with a diagonal line across.
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