Rick Davies, co-founder, singer and keyboardist of the rock band Supertramp, died Saturday at age 81 after a 10-year battle with multiple myeloma.
Davies’ death was announced on the band’s Facebook page. He was the only constant member of Supertramp, which formed in 1970. Davies wrote and sang many of the group’s most notable songs, including “Bloody Well Right,” “Crime of the Century” and “Goodbye Stranger.”
Davies shared songwriting and vocal duties with fellow co-founder Roger Hodgson during Supertramp’s most commercially successful period. The band’s hit albums during that era include “Crime of the Century” (1974), “Breakfast in America” (1979) and “…Famous Last Words…” (1982).
After Hodgson left the band to pursue a solo career, Davies became Supertramp’s sole frontman, releasing four more albums and continuing to tour.
According to the band’s statement, Davies was born in Swindon, England, in 1944. He developed a love for music as a child, inspired by Gene Krupa’s “Drummin’ Man,” and became passionate about jazz, blues and rock and roll. As a co-writer with Hodgson, Davies was the voice and pianist behind many of Supertramp’s iconic songs, contributing soulful vocals and a distinctive touch on the Wurlitzer keyboard.
Offstage, Davies was known for his warmth, resilience and devotion to his wife, Sue, with whom he shared more than 50 years. After facing health challenges that prevented further touring with Supertramp, he performed locally with a group called Ricky and the Rockets.
“Rick’s music and legacy continue to inspire many and bear testament to the fact that great songs never die; they live on,” the band’s statement said.
