<p><br /> Singer-songwriter Gerry Rafferty, best known for his 1978 hit Baker Street, has died following a long illness.<br /> </p><p><br /> The 63-year-old Scot is said to have passed away peacefully at his home in Dorset on Tuesday, with daughter Martha by his side.<br /> </p><p><br /> It is understood that his funeral will be held in his home town of Paisley, near Glasgow, later this month.<br /> </p><p><br /> Baker Street, with its distinctive saxophone solo, reached number 3 in the UK charts.<br /> </p><p><br /> Rafferty, who split from wife Carla in the 1990s, was said to have earned £80,000 a year from the royalties on the song alone.<br /> </p><p><br /> He was also a member of the band Stealers Wheel, with whom he scored another huge hit in 1972 with Stuck In The Middle With You. The song underwent a renaissance in the early 1990s after being featured in Quentin Tarantino's hit movie Reservoir Dogs.<br /> </p><p><br /> Rafferty, who was born in Paisley on April 16, 1947, cut his teeth as a busker and also appeared with Billy Connolly's folk group the Humblebums.<br /> </p><p><br /> His biggest success came in 1978 with his solo album City To City, which contained the single Baker Street. It proved to be an enduring radio staple.<br /> </p><p><br /> Despite his earlier success, Rafferty suffered from well documented problems with alcohol. He was admitted to the Royal Bournemouth Hospital in November following a collapse.<br /> </p>
