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Rab Noakes (born Robert Noakes, 13 May 1947)[1] is a Scottish singer-songwriter.

Rab Noakes
Noakes at the Oran Mor, Glasgow, 2010
Background information
Birth name	Robert Noakes
Born	(1947-05-13) 13 May 1947 (age 75) St Andrews, Fife, Scotland
Genres	Folk, country
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter, musician, record producer
Instrument(s)	Vocals, guitar, keyboards
Years active	1970–present
Labels	Neon Media production
Website	Official website

Biography

Noakes was born in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland,[1] and brought up in Cupar.[2]

He has performed with Lindisfarne, who recorded his songs "Turn a Deaf Ear" on their first album, Nicely Out of Tune, and "Together Forever" on their second, Fog on the Tyne. Barbara Dickson also recorded "Turn a Deaf Ear" on her album Do Right Woman, on which Noakes also performed. Noakes also sang backing vocals and played guitar on the first solo album by Gerry Rafferty, Can I Have My Money Back,[1] most notably on "Mary Skeffington", a song about Rafferty's mother. After these sessions he became an early member of Stealers Wheel,[1] although he left them before they recorded their first album.[1] Noakes made his own debut solo recording Do You See The Lights in 1970,[1] with a line-up that included ex-partner Robin McKidd on electric guitar and Scottish jazz bassist Ronnie Rae. This recording included the songs "Too Old To Die", "Together Forever" and "Somebody Counts On Me".

In May 1972, the British music magazine, NME, reported that Noakes was to appear at the Great Western Express Lincoln Festival on 26 May that year. Other acts to perform in the 'Giants of Tomorrow' marquee included Budgie, Skin Alley, Tea & Sympathy, John Martyn, Warhorse and Gnidrolog.[3] One of Noakes's best-known recording, "Branch", was released as a single in the summer of 1974 from his album Red Pump Special,[1] which was recorded in Nashville, Tennessee and produced by Elliot Mazer, attracted considerable airplay on BBC Radio 1, but without making the UK Singles Chart.

The album Restless (1978) was produced by Terry Melcher at Starling Sounds, based at Tittenhurst Park, Ascot, former home of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, then owned by Ringo Starr. The albums, Rab Noakes (1980) and Under the Rain (1984) followed, but it was 1994 until Standing Up appeared.[1] Noakes subsequently toured with the Varaflames, containing Pick Withers, Rod Clements, and the harmonicist Fraser Speirs.

Noakes became the senior producer for music programmes on BBC Radio Scotland.[1] He left to create the production company, Neon.[1] In November 2007, his album Unlimited Mileage, again with the Varaflames, was released. In 2012, CDs of Standing Up Again made in 2009 and Just in Case (recorded in 2007) were made available; those albums only having been available to download up until then.

In 2015, he released the album I'm Walking Here. It was his 19th solo album and many of the songs tell the story of his working life as a songwriter and performer. It is a double album containing 26 songs. The first set consists of new compositions that show his gift for melody and love of Americana, and include "Out of Your Sight", influenced by Buddy Holly, a tribute to a 1920s minstrel singer and a poignant lament for Rafferty. The second album is dominated by "interpretations" (he hates the word covers) of songs from early Cliff Richard to Garbage and Beck, along with the skiffle standard "Freight Train", on which he was joined by Jimmy MacGregor, and a finely sung treatment of the traditional "The Two Sisters".[4]

On 20 July 2017 he appeared on Eggheads.[5]

Albums (including reissues)

Date	Artist	Label	Cat. #	Name
1970	Rab Noakes	Decca	SKL 5061	Do You See The Lights?
1972	Rab Noakes	A&M	AMLS 68119	Rab Noakes
1974	Rab Noakes	Warner Brothers	BS 2777	Red Pump Special
1975	Rab Noakes	Warner Brothers	K56114	Never Too Late
1978	Rab Noakes	Ringo O'	2339 201	Restless
1980	Rab Noakes	MCA	MCAC 3251	Rab Noakes
1984	Rab Noakes	Black Crow	(CD)CRO 207	Under The Rain
1988		Black Crow	(CD)CRO 217	Woody Lives!
1995	Rab Noakes	Mediart Music	MDMCD 003	Standing Up
2000	The Varaflames	Neon	NEONCD001	Throwing Shapes
2001	Rab Noakes With Fraser Speirs	Neon	NEONCD002	Lights Back On
2002	Rab Noakes	Neon	NEONCD004	Demos And Rarities Volume 1
2004	Rab Noakes	River Records	RIVERCD003	The River Sessions
2004	The Varaflames	River Records	RIVERCD042	Throwing Shapes (Re-issue)
2004	Rab Noakes With Fraser Speirs	River Records	RIVERCD043	Lights Back On (Re-issue)
2007	Rab Noakes	Neon	NEONCD007	Standing Up (Re-issue)
2007	Rab Noakes and the Varaflames	Neon	NEONCD009	Unlimited Mileage
2008	Rab Noakes	Neon	NEONCD010	Do You See The Lights? (Re-Issue)
2012	Rab Noakes	Neon	NEONCD011	Just in Case Songs Of Boudleaux & Felice Bryant
2012	Rab Noakes	Neon	NEONCD012	Live at the Reid Hall Edinburgh 2005
2012	Rab Noakes	Neon	NEONCD013	Standing Up Again
2013	Rab Noakes	Warner	WPCR15119	Red Pump Special (Re-issue)
2013	Rab Noakes	Warner	WPCR15120	Never Too Late
2013	Rab Noakes	Neon	NEONCD014	Demos And Rarities Volume 2 Adventures with Gerry Rafferty
2013	Rab Noakes	Neon	NEONCD015	Red Pump Special – 40th Anniversary Edition
2013	Rab Noakes	Universal	UICY75904	Rab Noakes (1972 Album Re-issue)
2014	Barbara Dickson & Rab Noakes	Neon	NEONCD016	Reunited EP
2015	Rab Noakes	Neon	NEONCD017	I'm Walkin' Here
2018	Rab Noakes	Neon	NEONCD021	Welcome to Anniversaryville

References

External links

• Official website
• Rab Noakes at Allmusic

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