Looking back, to partly quote one of his songs, Paul Carrack can be satisfied that he has more than earned a place in the pantheon of pop.

Amazingly, some music fans still go blank at the mention of his name. Reeling off some of the list of songs he has penned over the years, however, soon brings recognition.

Many were showcased at The Orchard Theatre in Dartford when Carrack and his tight seven-piece band hit the stage, woven seamlessly around his latest, more mellow album A Different Hat with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

The Sheffield-born singer, keyboard player and guitarist reaches back to the mid-1970s when the pulsating How Long? was a hit for Ace and skips through the years of Squeeze, in which he replaced Jools Holland, and Mike and the Mechanics.

There were also spells with Roxy Music and Nick Lowe and Carrack, who will be 60 this year, has written songs for The Eagles, including Love Will Keep Us Alive on the Hell Freezes Over album and I Don't Want to Hear Any More on the comeback gem Long Road Out Of Eden.

Carrack is generally classified as middle-of-the-road and blue-eyed soul, but such is his talent he can turn his vocal chords to anything. His treatment of Marvin Gaye's What's Going On?, performed as a rousing encore, is a perfect example.

Diminutive in stature but big in voice, he hits the stage running, grabbing his guitar from a roadie and launching straight into the music.

The warm reception he received had the music maestro beaming, thumb prodding the air. Wearing one of his trademark hats, he switched between guitar and keyboards, as well reaching for his latest melodica instrument for an exquisite rendition of Eyes Of Blue.

The band comprises two drummers, one of whom is Carrack's son Jack, sax, trumpet, keyboards, lead guitar and bass guitar. Talented backing singer Lindsay Dracass provides the glamour, perched on vertiginous heels and doing a nice line in black and red gloves.

A purple haze descended as Carrack cooled the mood for one of his concert staples, The Living Years - always a moment to stir the emotions and make the hair bristle on your neck.

The show was jam-packed with his best known work including Tempted, Silent Running, Battlefield, Over My Shoulder, Love Will Keep Us Alive, Satisfy My Soul, I Don't Want To Hear Any More and It Ain't Over.

Having remained seated for most of the show, it didn't take much urging from Lindsay to get to our feet and sing and clap along.

Carrack looked genuinely humbled by the rapturous applause at the end and seemed reluctant to leave the stage. He finally did after slapping the hands of all those in the front row.

I defy anybody to attend a Paul Carrack concert and not have their soul fully satisfied.