FEBRUARY 2011
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Legendary Scottish singer Gerry Rafferty dies at 63
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COTTISH singer-songwriter Gerry Rafferty, who found fame in the 1970s with hits like Baker Street and Right Down the Line, has died. He was 63.
Rafferty died January 4 at his home near Bournemouth, England, after a long illness, according to his agent Paul Charles. He had been an alcoholic much of his life and had been hospitalized with liver failure late last year.
Rafferty had played with two successful British groups, the Humblebums and Stealers Wheel before recording the solo album City to City in 1978.
His single Baker Street, with its trademark saxophone solo by Raphael Ravenscroft, was a big hit on both sides of the Atlantic and dominated top-40 radio in 1978.
The song was recognized by musicians rights organization BMI at an awards ceremony in London last October, after having been played over five million times worldwide.
Rafferty refused to tour the U.S. in support of City to City and his next two solo albums, Night Owl and Snakes & Ladders didn't catch on.
in 1947, son of a Scottish mother and an Irish father. He left school in 1963 and played part-time in a local group, the Mavericks.
By 1968, he was a singer-guitarist, busking around London. He went through several bands before spending time with the Humblebums, a trio who were a major success throughout the U.K.
Rafferty developed his own distinctive sound in this time and cut his first solo album, Can I Have My Money Back in 1971.
Rafferty was born in Paisley, Scotland, He and friend Joe Egan formed Stealers
Rock guitarist Gary Moore dies
DUBLIN - The renowned rock guitarist Gary Moore has died in a hotel room in Spain. Moore, 58, originally from Belfast, was a former member of the legendary Irish group Thin Lizzy.
Adam Parsons, manager of the current Thin Lizzy line-up, told the BBC Moore had died early on February 7.
Moore was originally drafted into Lhin Lizzy by its late frontman Phil Lynott. He later gained acclaim for his solo work and was a former member of the Irish group Skid Row.
Lhe Northern Ireland guitarist was only 16 when he moved from Belfast to Dublin in 1969, to join Skid Row, which featured Lynott as lead vocalist.
He was later brought into Lhin Lizzy by Lynott to replace the departing Eric Bell, another guitarist from Northern Ireland.
Bell said he was still "in shock" at Moore's death. "I still can't believe it," he said. "He was so robust, he wasn't a rock casualty, he was a healthy guy."
Niall Stokes, the editor of the Irish music magazine, Hot Press, described Moore as a "genius."
A message on Moore's official website says, "It is with deep sorrow and regret, that we have to announce that Gary Moore passed away while on holiday in Spain last night."
Lhe lead guitarist received critical
GARYMOORE
acclaim for his work on the 1974 Lhin Lizzy album, Nightlife, but would never be constrained by the music group format.
A year earlier, he had released his first solo album Grinding Stone and his virtuoso playing was to make him a recognised artist in his own right.
Although returning to Lhin Lizzy briefly in the late 1970s, his solo work continued to garner interest and he also enjoyed UK chart success with Lynott, via singles Parisienne Walkways and Out In The Fields.
Lhroughout his career, Moore was to embrace a range of genres including blues, metal and hard rock. He performed on stage with a range of major artists and released 20 studio albums.
Wheel, which had a huge hit with the single Stuck in the Middle with You, but no commercial success after that. Rafferty later returned to Stealers Wheel songs with 1995's Over My Head.
Stuck in the Middle with You was part of the soundtrack for Quentin Larantino's Reservoir Dogs.
During the mid-'80s, he lapsed into obscurity, though he did contribute a song to the Scottish comedy film Local Hero.
In recent years, he was involved with several alcohol-fuelled incidents, including erratic stage performances and an apparent disappearance. His last album, Another World, was released in 2000.
Rafferty is divorced from his wife Carla, who he met at a dancehall when she was 15 and married five years later. He is survived by his daughter Martha, who was at his side when he died.
Dublin Goes Green
for 2011 St. Patrick's
Festival
DUBLIN - It's that time of year again and the countdown to St. Patrick's Festival 2011 throughout Ireland is on.
Lhis year the festival will take place from March 17-20 with four days and nights of entertainment, music, culture and craic.
Dublin City is going green this year for St. Patrick's Festival. Lo celebrate Ireland's national holiday, organizers have launched an initiative called 'Greening the City,' asking all businesses and venues to turn their lights green to create a city-wide illumination for the duration of the festival.
"St. Patrick's Festival is a great opportunity to showcase Dublin city and we want to encourage as many businesses as possible to participate," says CEO Susan Kirby.
"Research conducted last year showed that the Festival provides an estimated return of EU50.5 million to the economy, making it one of the most important events of the year for a lot of businesses, so it's a great time to join together and make a real impact.
"We've had a lot of interest in the initiative already and are looking forward to seeing the city lit up in celebration for the duration of the Festival," she added.
Pickets are now on sale for Sharon Shannon at the National Concert Hall in Dublin on March 19. One of Ireland's most accomplished musicians Sharon Shannon is celebrated worldwide for her unique style of accordion playing.
A special literary treat this year is DublinSwell - Words and Voices from the City of Literature, a compelling cultural evening celebrating Dublin's UNESCO City of Literature designation.
For full details on all events, see: www. stpatricksfesti val. ie.
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