<P> Raphael Ravenscroft (4 June 1954--19 October 2014) was a British musician, composer and author . </P> <P> While his place of birth is disputed, the England and Wales Birth Index places it at Stoke - on - Trent . He spent much of his young life in Dumfries, where his father lived . </P> <P> In January 1978, Scottish singer - musician Gerry Rafferty released his first solo material since 1972 and first material of any kind since the demise of Stealers Wheel in 1975 . A then unheralded session musician, Raphael Ravenscroft was asked to play the saxophone on the album City to City (1978). Ravenscroft's contribution included the sax riff on the best - known song from the album and of Rafferty's career, "Baker Street". The song was an international hit, charting at number 3 in the UK and number 2 in the US . "Baker Street" was reported in 2010 as having received 5 million air plays worldwide to date . City to City reached number 1 in the US album charts and went platinum . In the UK the album reached number 6 and went gold . </P> <P> Ravenscroft told the BBC's The One Show in 2010 that he was only paid £ 27.50 for the "Baker Street" session, which was the Musicians' Union rate at the time . It has been (falsely) reported that the cheque bounced and that it was kept on the wall of Ravenscroft's solicitors; by contrast the song is said to have earned Rafferty £ 80,000 a year in royalties . In a radio interview in 2011, Ravenscroft said the song annoyed him . "I'm irritated because it's out of tune," he said . "Yeah, it's flat . By enough of a degree that it irritates me at best ." </P>

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