Rick Davies, the singer, keyboardist, and co-founder of Supertramp, has passed away at his home in Long Island at the age of 81, after a prolonged battle with multiple myeloma.
“The Supertramp Partnership is deeply saddened to announce the death of Supertramp founder Rick Davies following a long illness,” the band said in a statement. “As co-writer alongside Roger Hodgson, he was the voice and pianist behind Supertramp’s most iconic songs, leaving an unforgettable mark on rock music history. His soulful vocals and distinctive Wurlitzer playing became the heartbeat of the band’s sound.”
Davies co-wrote and performed many of the group’s most beloved tracks, including Goodbye Stranger, Breakfast in America, and Bloody Well Right. Offstage, he was admired for his warmth, resilience, and lifelong devotion to his wife Sue, with whom he shared over 50 years.
Supertramp, named after William Henry Davies’ 1908 book The Autobiography of a Super-Tramp, was formed in 1969. After a modest start, the band rose to fame with the 1974 album Crime of the Century, featuring hits like Bloody Well Right and Dreamer. Their 1979 album Breakfast in America went quadruple platinum, won two Grammy Awards, and was nominated for Album of the Year.
Despite ongoing health challenges, Davies continued to perform whenever possible. In 2015, Supertramp’s planned tour was canceled due to his illness, but in later years he occasionally appeared with Ricky and the Rockets.
“Rick’s music and legacy continue to inspire many and stand as proof that great songs never die,” the band added.
Davies’ songwriting shaped much of Supertramp’s legacy, contributing tracks like Cannonball, My Kind of Lady, and Crime of the Century. Even after Hodgson’s departure in 1983, Davies kept the band moving forward, leading subsequent albums and tours.
Born in Swindon, Wiltshire, in 1944, Davies initially gravitated toward drums before discovering his true musical voice on the piano. Before forming Supertramp, he played in bands such as Rick’s Blues with Gilbert O’Sullivan and the Lonely Ones with Noel Redding.
