Tuesday, September 9, 2025 - Rick Davies, the singer, keyboardist, and co-founder of Supertramp, has died at his home in Long Island at the age of 81 after a long battle with multiple myeloma.
“The Supertramp Partnership is very sad to announce the
death of Supertramp founder Rick Davies after a long illness,” the band said in
a statement. “As co-writer, along with 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.”
Davies co-wrote and performed many of the group’s most
celebrated tracks, including Goodbye Stranger, Breakfast in America, and Bloody
Well Right. Beyond the stage, he was known for his warmth, resilience, and
devotion to his wife, Sue, with whom he shared more than 50 years.
Supertramp, named after William Henry Davies’ 1908 book The
Autobiography of a Super-Tramp, was formed in 1969. After modest beginnings,
the band broke through 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 earned an Album of the Year
nomination.
Davies’ songwriting defined much of Supertramp’s legacy,
with tracks such as Cannonball, My Kind of Lady, and Crime of the Century. Even
after Hodgson’s departure in 1983, Davies carried the band forward, leading
later albums and tours.
Born in Swindon, Wiltshire, in 1944, Davies first gravitated
toward drums before moving to piano, where he found his true voice as a
musician. Before forming Supertramp, he played in bands including Rick’s Blues
with Gilbert O’Sullivan and the Lonely Ones with Noel Redding.
Despite health struggles, Davies continued performing
whenever possible. In 2015, Supertramp’s planned tour was canceled due to his
illness, and in later years he played occasional shows with Ricky and the
Rockets.
“Rick’s music and legacy continue to inspire many and bear
testament to the fact that great songs never die,” the band said.
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