Rick Davies, Supertramp Singer and Co-Founder, Dead at 81
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Rick Davies, the singer, pianist, and co-founder of Supertramp, has died at the age of 81. A statement from the band confirmed that he passed away on Saturday (September 6) after a battle with cancer.
Davies had been living with multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer, for more than a decade. The band’s statement read, “As co-writer, along with partner Roger Hodgson, he was the voice and pianist behind Supertramp’s most iconic songs, leaving an indelible mark on rock music history. His soulful vocals and unmistakable touch on the Wurlitzer became the heartbeat of the band’s sound.”
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Tributes and Personal Life
The statement also reflected on Davies’s life beyond music. “Beyond the stage, Rick was known for his warmth, resilience, and devotion to his wife Sue, with whom he shared over five decades,” it said. It added that even after health struggles prevented him from touring with Supertramp, Davies found joy performing with his local group, Ricky and the Rockets.
The message closed with, “Rick’s music and legacy continue to inspire many and bears testament to the fact that great songs never die, they live on.”
Supertramp’s Legacy
Born in Swindon in 1944, Davies founded the band that would become Supertramp in 1969 with Roger Hodgson. The lineup shifted several times, but their most famous years were between 1973 and 1983, when Davies and Hodgson were joined by Dougie Thomson on bass, Bob Siebenberg on drums, and John Helliwell on saxophone.
This era produced the group’s most acclaimed work, including their breakthrough and the hit 1979 album Breakfast in America, which featured songs such as “The Logical Song” and “Take the Long Way Home.” When Hodgson left in 1983, Davies carried on as the sole constant member of Supertramp.
