Rab Noakes

Rab Noakes
Noakes at the Oran Mor, Glasgow, 2010
Background information
Birth name	Robert Noakes
Born	(1947-05-13) 13 May 1947 (age 69) St Andrews, Scotland
Genres	Folk, country
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter, musician, record producer
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, keyboards
Years active	1970–present
Labels	Neon Media production
Website	www.rabnoakes.com/rab-noakes.htm

Rab Noakes (born Robert Noakes, 13 May 1947, St Andrews, Fife, Scotland) is a Scottish singer-songwriter.

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, and became an early member of Stealers Wheel, although he left them before they recorded their first album. Like Rafferty, he became an alcohol-dependant but took his last drink in 1982. 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. Noakes best-known recording, "Branch", was released as a single in the summer of 1974 from his album Red Pump Special, and attracted considerable airplay on BBC Radio 1, but without making the UK Singles Chart.