Rick Davies, co-founder of the legendary rock band Supertramp, has passed away at 81. The English singer, songwriter, and keyboardist died on Saturday, ten years after being diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a rare blood cancer, the band announced.
“As co-writer and musical partner to Roger Hodgson, Rick was the voice and the pianist behind Supertramp’s most iconic songs,” the band said in a statement. “His soulful voice and unmistakable Wurlitzer sound became the heartbeat of the band’s music.”
Born in Swindon, Wiltshire, in 1944, Davies began his career in several local groups, including The Joint. The band failed to find commercial success but caught the attention of Dutch millionaire Stanley August Miesegaes, who offered to fund Davies if he formed a new group. In 1969, after placing an ad in Melody Maker, Supertramp was born.
Davies and Hodgson shared songwriting and vocal duties, reaching international fame with their third album, Crime of the Century (1974), followed by the massive success of Breakfast in America (1979). The album featured hits like The Logical Song, Goodbye Stranger, and the title track, selling over 30 million copies worldwide and earning two Grammy nominations in 1980.
Though tensions later led Hodgson to leave the band in 1983, Davies continued touring and recording under the Supertramp name. A planned reunion tour in 2015 was canceled after his cancer diagnosis.
“Offstage, Rick was known for his warmth, resilience, and devotion to his wife Sue, his partner for over fifty years,” the band added. Even after health challenges ended his touring career, he continued to perform with childhood friends as Ricky and the Rockets.
Rick Davies leaves behind a timeless musical legacy, proof that great songs never die, they simply keep playing.
You can listen to Supertramp’s greatest hits on Classic Hits.
