Tributes as Stealers Wheel co-founder Joe Egan, 77, dies
TRIBUTES have poured in for Scottish singer-songwriter and musician Joseph “Joe” Egan following his death at the age of 77.
Born in Paisley in 1949, Egan, together with former St Mirin’s Academy schoolmate Gerry Rafferty, played in various bands such as The Sensors and The Mavericks, and worked as a session musician.
He was best known for his time in Stealers Wheel, the band he formed with Rafferty in 1972.
After two unsuccessful singles, their track Stuck In The Middle With You, which Egan co-wrote with Rafferty, became a hit in 1973 and reached the Top 10 of both the UK Singles Chart and the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Subsequently, the band had a few smaller successes, among others with the Egan-penned song Star, but stagnating sales figures and artistic differences led to the band splitting up in 1975. In 1992, the band gained a new wave of popularity after Stuck In The Middle With You soundtracked an iconic scene in Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs.
After the break-up of Stealers Wheel, Egan ventured into solo territory with two albums, 1979’s Out Of Nowhere – which saw him register a minor hit with single release Back On The Road -- and Map in 1981.
In the 1990s, he stepped away from the limelight to run a publishing company from his home in Renfrewshire, though he did briefly reunite with Rafferty to perform vocals on some tracks on the latter’s 1992 album On A Wing And A Prayer.
After Rafferty’s death in 2011, Egan said: “Like everyone else, I suppose we had our fallouts because we spent so much time living in each others’ pockets. But we were still in touch until very recently. In fact, I’d be sitting at home in Paisley with a glass in my hand and Gerry would be the same down south. We would talk on the phone for hours and reminisce about the old days. It was as though we were sitting in a pub in Paisley He was a great friend, as well as bandmate.”
Egan’s passing was reported on the late Rafferty’s Facebook page, which is run by his daughter Martha in a post which read: “Very sad news that the other half of Stealers Wheel, Joe Egan, passed away peacefully yesterday afternoon [July 6] with his nearest and dearest around him.
“I will always remember him as a sweet and gentle soul. May he rest in peace.”
Margaret Boyd, a friend and former bandmate of Egan, told The Herald: “Prior to The Sensors, Joe was the male vocalist with the band at The Flamingo on Paisley Road West and I was the female vocalist.
“Joe was really supportive of me and helped me immensely. Later, I worked with Joe again when I was the female vocalist in The Sensors.
“Joe was the kindest, selfless person I’ve known. Hearing of his death saddened me but it brought many good and funny memories back. ”