HE'S been called one of the most underrated British songwriters. More people would recognise his voice than his face.

But Paul Carrack pictured right, singer and songwriter who has fronted Ace, Squeeze, Mike and the Mechanics, worked with anyone who is anyone in the business as well as enjoying a lengthy solo career, never saw himself as the flamboyant lead.

"I don't have the physical attributes to be a proper front man and I've never been a show off," he says.

"Yes I do want people to know who Paul Carrack is and come to my shows, and it's nice to have had a few hits to get people in the door.

"But I have absolutely no desire to be recognised in normal life. To go to a parent teachers meeting or football game and have people stare and say 'who does he think he is', is not my idea of fun."

His proudest achievement from a career that spans five decades is "Still being here aged 60, still thinking there is more to do and getting so much satisfaction from doing it.

I think I'm actually at my best now, more experienced than ever, with more musical vocabulary."

It's not only his fans who agree, critics too are quick to heap praise on recent offerings. But doesn't every songwriter need a certain amount of angst to be creative?

Given that he lives a quiet 'normal' life, still married to his first wife, with a family of four children, this is apparently not the case.

"I strive my level best to avoid trauma of any kind, to establish stability and security for my family. True a lot of my songs have a certain melancholy to them, but that I think is down to losing my dad aged 11 – that was enough trauma to last a lifetime.

"My mum was left a widow, to bring up two boys, it was very tough."

This is why, he explains he has had such a diverse career, moving with the times and taking opportunities. There have been plenty of highs and the odd low and some rock'n'roll living along the way.

"The first was topping the charts in the US with How Long as lead singer with Ace. I was 23 and I'd been in bands since I was 16, to get there at last was affirmation that we were doing something right. Then leaving austerity Britain on our first US tour, the land of milk and honey, was such a big deal.

"Playing keyboards with Roxy Music was fun, then to take Jools Holland's place in Squeeze, that was amazing. And joining Mike and the Mechanics was a real high, but then losing Paul Young, of course, was very painful."

By then the band had run its course, and he worked in his own right, as well as touring with Ringo Starr, sharing stages/recording studios with among others, BB King, Eric Clapton and Elton John.

In the 90s he worked with the Eagles, co-penning track for their come back album.

"I met them on our first tour of the US in '75, they loved How Long. I stayed in contact with Tim Smidt and he used to come to solo shows. Then in the mid 90s he asked me to be involved with a new project which never came to fruition, but we co-wrote Love Will Keep Us Alive. When the Eagles reformed the asked if they could use the track."

It became the most played single on the US in 1995 and the album it appeared on, Hell Freezes Over, also hit No 1 in the States while another track of his, I Don't Want To Hear Anymore, featured on 2007 Eagles Album Long Road Out of Eden, which topped charts around the world.

Last year he fulfilled his life long dream of recording an album, A Different Hat, with a symphony orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic.

"That was an unbelievable pleasure, such an indulgence, the level of proficiency and professionalism of the musicians had to be heard to be believed and they played with such feeling and cohesion too. We recorded the album in record time – three, three-hour sessions. "It was amazing for me, so different from what I'm used to."

There are still tickets available to see him, with support from Tinlin featuring Paul's son on drums, at Plymouth Pavilions tonight (box office 0845 146 1460).