Exclusive:"I thought is was a joke": Paul Carrack's Sheffield Legends plaque "for the family" as big announcement made
Paul Carrack is without a doubt one of Sheffield and the UK’s most enduring and prolific musicians
After many years of calls for him to be honoured, Sheffield music royalty Paul Carrack is set to receive Walk Of Fame recognition.
It is an honour that he didn’t quite believe was real when he heard the news
The legendary singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist is set to be honoured with a Sheffield Legends plaque outside Sheffield Town Hall on Tuesday, August 4 in recognition of a distinguished career spanning more than five decades, as one of Britain’s most respected, prolific and enduring musical figureheads.
But alongside his musical prowess, Paul is known as being a true down-to-earth northerner, and that comes out in his reaction to the big news.
“I thought it was a joke at first,” Paul says. “I thought it was a practical joke from a mate.”
“I feel slightly embarrassed. I’ve not lived in Sheffield for a long-time, all I’ve done is be in bands,” he adds before hinting there may be people more “worthy” of a star.
It’s not that he is being disingenuous or ungrateful in any way at all. That much is apparent. Paul highlights the efforts of people who contribute to the city through acts of selflessness, as well as the respect and admiration he has for their positively impactful endeavours.
Considered by many within the city and the music industry to be somewhat a legend, Paul retains a humility when it comes to recognition – a decidedly Yorkshire trait.
Despite leaving Sheffield many years ago and travelling across the world, he still maintains strong ties to the city.
Much of his family still live in and around the city, Paul remains a staunch supporter and season-ticket holder at Sheffield Wednesday – even during the teams’ dramatic downturn in recent years.
His childhood, particularly his upbringing playing in the backyard of his parents’ painting and decorating shop in Crookes, which opened back in 1947 gave him the foundations for his later success.
Carrack’s on the corner of Stothard Road was a long-standing and beloved family business that remained in business for almost 80 years – before its closure in 2025.
As a child, it was difficult following the tragic death of his father, Paul was just 11-years-old at the time. A bereavement that rocked the family to its core, yet the Carrack family forged ahead and his older brother John ran the family business alongside their mother.
At the age of 17, Paul left for Germany to start a residency with his band at the time, what followed was a successful career as a solo artist, an in-demand session musician and band member of acts such as Mike and The Mechanics, Ace and Squeeze.
Since then the Sheffield-born musician has achieved multiple milestones over a multi-decade career that few can match.
From penning the timeless hit How Long and co-writing global favourites including Love Will Keep Us Alive and Over My Shoulder, to lending his unmistakable voice to some of the biggest names in music, Paul’s influence has been felt across generations and continents.
And his strong familial connections were not just key to his own values but a big part of the reason why he feels able to accept the Sheffield Legends recognition.
He said: “I started thinking about when I was young, as a child and the family and what growing up in Sheffield meant to me in terms of how great the people are.
“I’m from a working-class family, I grew up in the ‘50s not long after the Second World War. These people had been through a depression, through war. It was pretty tough for everybody.
“This is not just for me, but it’s recognition for the family, the people and the city that helped make me.”
The honour comes at another milestone moment as Paul prepares to release his latest studio album, The Country Side of Paul Carrack Vol 2, on August 7. The album continues a remarkable independent career that has seen him successfully build and run his own label, Carrack-UK, for more than two decades, giving him complete creative control over his music while maintaining a loyal fanbase across the world.
The plaque unveiling will take place outside Sheffield Town Hall on Tuesday 4 August from 1.30pm, with Paul joined by family, friends, the Lord Mayor of Sheffield and civic leaders.
Members of the public are also invited to attend and celebrate as one of Sheffield’s most successful and influential musicians as his name takes its place among the city’s legends.