Salut! Live

There is something particularly disconcerting about hearing someone you met only as a young man was all of 75 when his time came. For me, he never grew old.

Like Barbara, Rab was a regular visitor to the folk clubs of North-eastern England that I frequented, ran and helped to run back in the late 1960s and the start of the 1970s. They also collaborated, performing and recording together or Barbara singing Rab’s songs.

In short, Rab was one of those maddeningly gifted artists who would come down to our clubs from Scotland and  show us how it should be done. I had not seen him, face to face or singing live, since moving away half a century ago though I remained familiar with his work and we did exchange, like or retweet very occasional Twitter messages.

Seriously underrated, as one of the tributes that follow asserts, Rab Noakes nevertheless  commanded huge respect from other singers, writers and musicians as well as the audiences he entertained in such accomplished fashion.

I will let others tell of their grief at his death and the admiration they felt for this outstanding artist.

For one of my clips, I have chosen a live rendition of one of the Rab Noakes songs I instantly called to mind when hearing he had died. Here, in the familiar format of performing with Lindisfarne, is a live version of Together Forever.

And now for a few other words on Rab, starting with those of Linda Thompson, another great musical product of Scotland, plus two more clips. You can explore more of his music at YouTube and read up on his career at Wikipedia.

Linda Thompson

Heartbroken about Rab Noakes. We were friends for well over 50 years. We were due to have lunch in a couple of weeks. Oh Jesus!

Bill Taylor, friend in Canada and regular Salut! Live contributor

This is so sad. And he was SO under-rated. It's hard to find but I love his version of Utah Phillips's The Goodnight Loving Trail. He was a great friend of Lindisfarne's. There's a nice video on YouTube of the band and Rab in concert doing Together Forever. [found  and included above - Ed]. And Lindisfarne's Turn a Deaf Ear includes him in one of the verses:

My friend's girl, she has a wireless aerial sticking out of her head

And a pile of True Romances lying underneath the bed

And a giant poster of Rabby Noakes just beside the door

But I know she'll get along fine without him if he doesn't see her any more

RIP

Ken Alderson, Salut! Live Facebook group member

Discovered him via Lindisfarne song credits, Branch still on the jukebox. Beautiful singer.

Steve Peck, also a member of our Facebook group

Wow, this hit me like a heavy ton of bricks. I discovered Rab here over the in the States almost by accident back in 2018. He's been my constant companion. He epitomized joy for me, even tho some of his music is sadder and darker. I actually bawled when I heard it. I don't think I've done that since John Prine died. </blockquote>

And from John Sakamoto, a highly respected Canadian music writer, comes my second clip, to which his pal, Bill, refers above

And finally, one of those collaborations with Barbara Dickson, talking and singing ...