The son of a policeman, Jake Thackray was born in Yorkshire on February 22 1938 and attended a Jesuit boarding school at Dolgelly, where he thought of becoming a priest, but instead went on to Durham University and trained as a teacher. Having spent four years teaching in France (where he wrote songs as a professional aid), Thackray returned to Leeds, where he continued to teach for another six years before his work in folk clubs led to an appearance on an early morning farming programme on local radio. From there he progressed to BBC Radio's Northcountryman show, on which he exuded the Yorkshireman's love of his pint and of rugby. In 1967 Thackray was given a recording contract at EMI. His debut album, The Last Will and Testament of Jake Thackray, was well received and resulted in numerous appearances on popular television shows. At one stage he was required to produce a topical song each week for 'That's Life'. "Some of the songs were duff," he later recalled, "absolutely bloody duff, and I blush to think about having sung them." His second album, Jake's Progress (1969), received popular and critical acclaim, and led to a live album recorded at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London in 1972. Five years later he released "On Again! On Again!", followed in 1981 by Jake Thackray and Songs, a live album. He also published a book of lyrics, illustrated by the cartoonist Bill Tidy. Thackray recognised that, although he was much sought after to perform at large venues in Britain and abroad, his work was best suited to small clubs. He once confessed, however, that he "never liked the stage much". In later life Thackray and his wife Sheila settled at Monmouth; she survives him, with their three sons. In his song The Last Will and Testament of Jake Thackray, he left instructions as to what he expected from those whom he left behind: No tearing of hair, no wringing of hands, No sighs, no lack-a-days No woe-is-mes and none of your sad adieus. Go go go and get the priest And then go get the booze, boys."