Stealers Wheel's Joe Egan, co-writer of 'Stuck in the Middle with You', dies aged 77

9 July 2024, 10:33

Joe Egan founded Stealers Wheel with Gerry Rafferty in 1972.

Scottish musician Joe Egan has died at the age of 77.

Egan was best known for his time in Stealers Wheel, the band he formed with Gerry Rafferty.

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"Very sad news that the other half of Stealers Wheel, Joe Egan, passed away peacefully yesterday afternoon with his nearest and dearest around him," read a post on the official Gerry Rafferty Facebook page, which has been run by his daughter since his death in 2011.

"I will always remember him as a sweet and gentle soul. May he rest in peace."

Born in Renfrewshire, Scotland, Egan played in a number of bands with his schoolmate Gerry Rafferty and also worked as a session musician.

They founded Stealers Wheel together in 1972, and the following year had a massive hit with 'Stuck in the Middle With You', a song co-written by both men.

They released their self-titled debut that year and followed it up with Ferguslie Park in 1973, which featured the hit single 'Star' written by Egan.

Stuck in the Middle with you - Stealers Wheel

They released their third album Right or Wrong in 1975, before breaking up.

Long split up, the group had a resurgence of fame when 'Stuck in the Middle With You' was used in a pivotal scene in Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs in 1992.

After Stealer's Wheel split, Egan released the solo albums Out of Nowhere in 1979 and Maps in 1981. He retired from the music business in the 1990s.