Tribute to Gerry Rafferty tops the bill at Celtic Connections

Curated by former bandmate Rab Noakes and his daughter Martha, the star-studded show will feature close friends, collaborators and some of the Baker Street star’s biggest admirers, including The Proclaimers, Barbara Dickson, Emma Pollock and Ron Sexsmith.

It is expected to be one of the hottest tickets at Glasgow’s celebrated folk, roots and world music event, which has expanded into four new venues in its 19th year and will feature a record 2,100 musicians.

Other highlights of the festival programme – which will have a major political strand inspired by the Arab Spring protests of the past year – will include Motown legends Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, American singer-songwriter Bruce Hornsby and the banjo icon Bela Fleck. A host of the biggest names in Scottish music feature in the 18-day festival line-up performing one-off shows or major new premieres, including KT Tunstall, former Del Amitri frontman Justin Currie, singer-songwriter Eddi Reader, ex-Cream bassist Jack Bruce, veteran singer Jimmie MacGregor and 1980s Glasgow band The Big Dish, who will be reforming after 20 years.

Raffety’s best-known hits, including Baker Street and Stuck In The Middle With You, are expected to be performed at the show being planned in his honour on 22 January.

Many musicians paid tribute to Rafferty on stage at last year’s festival, which kicked off days after his death at the age of 63 following a long battle with alcoholism. Donald Shaw, the festival’s artistic director, said more acts would be added to the bill and he was “very hopeful” they would include Billy Connolly, who was in the folk band The Humblebums with Rafferty in the 1960s, if his film-making schedule allows.

Rafferty’s family, who sung at his funeral in his native Paisley, are also expected to appear at the concert at the 2,000-capacity Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.

The Proclaimers had their 1987 breakthrough hit Letter from America produced by Rafferty while Barbara Dickson sang backing vocals on City to City and Night Owl, and later duetted with Rafferty on her own album.

Noakes, who was a founder member of the band Stealers Wheel with Rafferty, said: “Martha and I discussed some kind of tribute concert after Gerry’s funeral, and we thought we’d approach Donald Shaw to see if something would be possible at Celtic Connections.

“It won’t just be people coming on and off stage and singing a few numbers, it will be more of a collaboration between all the performers, instead of solo renditions.

“I don’t know what Gerry would have made of it,” said Noakes. “He always eschewed all the gaudy trappings of fame, as he saw them, but was also very much a perfectionist who strived for excellence.

“There’s definitely been a revival of interest in his work since he died, and hopefully that will continue with this concert.”

Two of Rafferty’s regular bandmates, guitarist Hugh Burns and saxophonist Mel Collins, will feature with the evening’s house band, led by Glasgow singer Roddy Hart, who fronted last year’s Bob Dylan tribute.

Mr Shaw added: “I know Billy Connolly has said he would very much like to appear in the show. He obviously missed the funeral, as he was out of the country, and although he may be filming early next year, we know he wants to do it.

“I’m very hopeful we’ll be able to add him to the line-up.”

The festival’s political strand coincides with the 100th anniversary of the birth of American folk icon Woody Guthrie, whose granddaughter, Sarah Lee, will appear in a special celebration, along with a host of the new wave of American singers, including Will Johnson.

A separate event, Woody Turned Upside Down, will see Scots singers Justin Currie and Karine Polwart fronting a night of political song, while a play about the life and work of Guthrie will also be staged.

A concert is planned to mark 40 years since the Glasgow shipbuilding “work-in” on the Clyde, while Jack Bruce will be joining forces with maverick folk trio Lau for a one-off show.

Festival favourites Treacherous Orchestra, Salsa Celtica, Shooglenifty, Blazin’ Fiddles, Cherish The Ladies, Dick Gaughan and Session A9 will all be returning.

Mr Shaw said he felt the festival had moved on from the time it had to justify the inclusion of artists and their Celtic links.

He added: “For artists and audiences alike, Celtic Connections is a chance to be adventurous.

“Artists fully embrace the opportunity to collaborate with musicians from different countries and musical genres, and I think this brings something really special to the festival.”

Tickets for the festival, which runs from 19 January to 5 February, are on sale now at www.celticconnections.com