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Artist News
Baker Street sax player Raphael Ravenscroft dies
By Aly Barchi | Published on Wednesday 22 October 2014
Saxophonist Raphael Ravenscroft, who famously plays the sax solo on Gerry Rafferty’s ‘Baker Street’, has died aged 60 of a suspected heart attack.
As the story goes, Ravenscroft was only paid £27 (this via a cheque he was later unable to cash) for the ‘Baker Street’ session back in 1978, though is said to have earned £80,000 in royalties per year from the song since.
Made a big name practically overnight following the track’s number-three-charting release, Ravenscroft later worked as a session musician with Pink Floyd, ABBA, Marvin Gaye and, more recently Daft Punk. A one-time music teacher at York College, he also published an instruction book, ‘The Complete Saxophone Player’, in 1990.
Speaking to the press about Ravenscroft’s passing, his daughter, artist Scarlett Raven, said: You could tell from the way he played that he put his heart and soul into his music. He touched your soul and made you want to better yourself. I think he was very proud of ‘Baker Street’ and that it made people feel good. I’m sure a lot of people will put on ‘Baker Street’ and smile today”.