Died On This Date (Otober 19, 2014) Raphael Ravenscroft / Provided Iconic Sax Solo On “Baker Street”
themusicsover Raphael Ravenscroft
June 4, 1954 – October 19, 2014
Raphael Ravenscroft was an in-demand session musician whose saxophone can be heard on albums by Robert Plant, Daft Punk, Mike Oldfield, Duffy, and Pink Floyd to name just a few. He most famously provided the iconic sax parts for Gerry Rafferty‘s 1978 hit single, “Baker Street.” The song reached #2 on the US charts, #1 in Canada and Australia, and #3 in the UK. In 2010, BMI recognized the it for having been played more than 5 million times around the world. Throughout his career, Ravenscroft also wrote several regarded saxophone instruction books. He also composed music for numerous major advertising campaigns. Ravenscroft semi-retired in 2012 due to health issues and died from a suspected heart attack on October 19, 2014. He was 60.