Tributes pour in for singer Rafferty

The Scot was said to have died peacefully on Tuesday at his home in Dorset after a long illness, with daughter Martha by his side.

His death was reported in later edition's of yesterday's Yorkshire Post.

Baker Street, with its distinctive saxophone solo, reached number 3 in the UK charts and no 2 in the United States.

Rafferty was said to have earned 80,000 a year from the royalties on that song alone.

Connolly, who performed with Rafferty in the past, said: "Gerry Rafferty was a hugely talented songwriter and singer who will be greatly missed.

"I was privileged to have spent my formative years working with Gerry and there remained a strong bond of friendship between us that lasted until his untimely death."

Rafferty was born in Paisley near Glasgow on April 16 1947. He cut his teeth as a busker and also appeared with Connolly's folk group The Humblebums.

He fell out with the comedian when Connolly's jokes began to take up more time at concerts, and he walked out in 1970.

Two years later he formed Stealers Wheel, with whom he scored another huge hit in 1972 with Stuck In The Middle With You. That group ended in acrimony in 1975.

Stuck In The Middle With You had a renaissance in the early 1990s when it was featured in Quentin Tarantino's hit film Reservoir Dogs.

He worked as a producer with Scottish group the Proclaimers who issued a statement yesterday saying: "He was exceptional when we worked together and very kind to us. As well as a great songwriter, he was a really, really good singer with fantastic harmony ideas."

Rafferty had well-documented problems with alcohol and was admitted to hospital in November after collapsing.

It is understood his funeral will be held in his home town of Paisley later this month.