Joe Egan (musician)

Joseph "Joe" Egan (born 18 October 1949) is a Scottish singer-songwriter.

Early career

Egan was born in Paisley, Scotland, in 1949. Egan, together with former St Mirin's Academy schoolmate Gerry Rafferty, played in various smaller British bands, such as The Sensors and The Mavericks, and worked as a session musician.

Stealers Wheel

In 1972 he and Rafferty founded the folk/rock band Stealers Wheel. After two unsuccessful singles, their song "Stuck in the Middle With You"—which he had co-written with Rafferty—became a hit in 1973 and reached the Top Ten of both the UK Singles Chart and the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. Subsequently, the band had a few smaller successes, among others with the Egan-penned song "Star," but stagnating sales figures and artistic differences finally led to the band's break-up in 1975.

Solo work

Egan eventually recorded his solo debut album Out of Nowhere, but this did not occur until 1979 as he and Rafferty were contractually obliged not to release any recordings for three years, when he registered a minor hit with his first single release "Back on the Road". That same year he released a second single titled "Out Of Nowhere".

1981 saw the release of his second album, Map, which was not a critical or commercial success, and subsequently no singles were released in support of it. Since then he has not released any new recordings and has left the music industry, though he did briefly reunite with Rafferty to perform vocals on some tracks on the latter's 1992 album On a Wing and a Prayer.

After the music business

As of 2005, Egan lives in Renfrewshire and runs a publishing company from home.

Discography

• 1979 - Out of Nowhere

1. "Back on the Road"
2. "Ask For No Favour"
3. "Natural High"
4. "Why Let It Bother You"
5. "The Last Farewell"
6. "Freeze"
7. "Pride"
8. "No Time For Sorrow"
9. "Leavin It All Behind"
10. "Out Of Nowhere"

• 1981 Map

1. "Tell Me All About It"
2. "Survivor"
3. "Stay As You Are"
4. "Diamonds"
5. "Maker on the Make"
6. "Miss Match"
7. "Heat of the Moment"
8. "Price Of Love"
9. "A Little Bit Of Magic"
10. "Front Line"