A street busker never expected to get a special surprise while performing in Piccadily Circus in London. The musician was performing “Handbags and Gladrags” when the legendary rock star Rod Stewart appeared.
As the guitarist began playing the song, Stewart was already listening and decided to just join in. The public space then turned into a spontaneous concert hall. The passersby got the chance to enjoy the once in a lifetime treat by Sir Steward.
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Despite not being prepared for the performance and not having all the technology that is found in a modern studio, Stewart still sounded amazing. As the song concluded and the audience erupted into applause, the rock legend gave the guitarist the spotlight, much to the crowd’s delight.
Stewart released his version of “Handbags and Gladrags” on his 1969 album An Old Raincoat Won’t Ever Let You Down. This version was actually a cover, with the original rendition being written two years before by Mike d’Abo. Since then, the song has become a mainstay of popular culture, having been performed by numerous other artists, notably Stereophonics in 2001.
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Stewart began his music career in 1961, achieving fame in 1964 with the release of his hit single “Good Morning Little Schoolgirl.” Since then, Stewart has become a household name around the world.
In addition to his many hit records, Stewart has won numerous awards, notably the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for his 2005 CD Stardust… The Great American Songbook Volume III. Stewart might consider his biggest honors those bestowed on him by the British government.
In 2007, Stewart was inducted into the Order of the British Empire and was named Knight Bachelor by Queen Elizabeth in 2016. Queen Elizabeth cited Stewart’s great contributions to music and charitable activities in his knighthood ceremony.
