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Glasgow Live
Glasgow Live
Entertainment
Tom Bryant & Sophie Buchan

Rod Stewart brings 94-year-old sister on stage at Scottish gig as he wraps up UK tour

Sir Rod Stewart has brought his sister on stage during one of his Scottish gigs as he wraps up his UK tour.

Surprising fans with a new backing singer, the Maggie May singer introduced the crowds to his 94-year-old sister, Mary.

Whilst singing Sailing, Mary was the star of the show with the legendary singer telling the Mirror what a joy it was to be “in Edinburgh with my big sister, Mary”.

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He added: “At 94, she’s on a rock’n’roll stage and loving it. She has and continues to teach me about life.”

Mary was draped in a Royal Banner of Scotland flag and was smiling ear to ear as the crowds gave her a warm welcome.

His shows sold out with two dates in the capital at Edinburgh Castle - marking the end of his successful tour - - and it was especially poignant given his family’s Scottish connections.

The Hoops fan is the youngest of five children of Robert Stewart and Elsie Gilbart, with his two brothers and two sisters being born in Scotland before the family moved to London, where he was born.

His older brothers and “best mates” Bob and Don died last year. Don died in September, aged 94. Bob was 88.

Last November Sir Rod said: “It’s with great sadness that I announce the loss of my brother Bob last night, who joins my brother Don on the great football pitch in the sky. I’ve lost two of my best mates in two months.”

He lost his elder sister Peggy to multiple sclerosis in 1975, when she was just 40. He said of his siblings in 2019: “They were instrumental in supporting me, helping me get into music.”

Sir Rod reflected on his parents when he received a knighthood in 2016. After meeting the Duke of Cambridge he said: “We talked about music and he said, ‘It’s great that you’re still going’ and I said, ‘I have to – I’ve got eight children’.

“He congratulated me on my long career and I said how happy this made me. I just wish my mum and dad had been here to see it."

Sir Rod's Edinburgh performance comes shortly after the music legend issued a firm denial that he would be retiring from performing any time soon.

The Maggie May singer has hit back at claims he was set to “throw in the towel” after decades performing to spend more time with his family.

Despite health concerns including recent knee surgery and battles with prostate cancer in 2016 and thyroid cancer in 2000, Sir Rod is still determined to continue to perform as he “loves what he does” and won’t be stopping any time soon.

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