The music world lost Scottish singer-songwriter Gerry Rafferty today. He battled liver failure over recent years, allegedly brought on by years of alcohol abuse. Rafferty was 63.

He rose to acclaim in the mid-70′s as a member of Stealers Wheel, which included keyboardist Joe Egan. They bagged a Top 10 hit in the USA with “Stuck In The Middle With You“, which featured Rafferty on lead vocals.

Gerry left the band to start a solo career that fostered five Top 40 hits, including “Baker Street” which held the #2 position on the Billboard charts for eight weeks in 1978. The Bee Gees’ “Night Fever” and Yvonne Elliman’s “If I Can’t Have You” teamed up to keep “Baker Street” out of the #1 spot. Still, it was a huge hit known for a very up-front-in-the-mix sax melody (played by Raphael Ravenscroft) and a searing guitar solo that should have been out of place on this song, but somehow fit brilliantly. In fact, this guitar solo inspired Slash of Guns ‘N Roses when he created the lead for “Sweet Child O’ Mine” (the BEST ‘power ballad’ ever, IMHO, but I digress) in 1988.

Rafferty continued to make music throughout the rest of his life, despite an overall decline in sales. His last album to reach the Top 40 in the UK was 1982′s “Sleepwalking”. His final album, ironically titled, “Life Goes On” was released in 2009.

Here is Stealers Wheel’s Top 30 hit “Star” from January, 1974 with Rafferty on lead vocals…