Stealers Wheel, a band known for their hit songs but with a history of lineup changes, was often compared to the iconic group Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young in the music scene of its era. The core of Stealers Wheel, comprising Gerry Rafferty and Joe Egan, started their musical journey in Paisley and eventually formed the band. Their voices harmonized like few other duos, reminiscent of Graham Nash and David Crosby. Despite the initial instability in the lineup, the band’s self-titled debut album, produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, was a critical and commercial success, featuring the popular track ‘Stuck in the Middle with You’.
As the band navigated through lineup changes and internal struggles, the duo of Egan and Rafferty emerged as the defining pillars of Stealers Wheel. They adapted a strategy similar to Steely Dan in the way they organized their band, with a focus on their voices and employing backing musicians as needed. Despite some chart success with songs like ‘Star,’ the band faced pressure for more hits, leading to creative tensions that eventually strained the partnership between Egan and Rafferty and contributed to the band’s dissolution after a few albums.
The aftermath of Stealers Wheel saw Rafferty and Egan pursuing solo projects, with Rafferty achieving significant success with the hit ‘Baker Street’ and the album ‘City to City.’ Although Stealers Wheel ceased to exist after 1975, their music continued to resonate through best-of compilations and popular tracks like ‘Stuck in the Middle with You,’ showcasing the enduring legacy of the band’s brief yet impactful tenure in the music industry.