Rick Davies, co-founder, singer, keyboardist and key songwriter for Supertramp whose voice is on several of the British band’s hits including “Bloody Well Right” and “Goodbye Stranger,” has died, the band announced Sunday. He was 81.
Davies succumbed to a long battle with cancer, the band, which recently canceled its upcoming shows, said in a statement.
“The Supertramp Partnership is very sad to announce the death of the Supertramp founder Rick Davies after a long illness,” the band statement said. “Rick passed away at his home on Long Island on September 5th. We had the privilege of knowing him, and playing with him for over 50 years. We offer our sincere condolences to Sue Davies.”
Davies continued the band after splitting in the early 1980s with co-founder Roger Hodgson, whose unmistakeable tenor and falsetto voice fronts Supertramp’s biggest hit, “The Logical Song” and other chart-toppers like “Give a Little Bit.” The ’70s super-group largely worked because of the contrast between their voices, with Davies’ bluesy baritone holding down the low-end vocals.
Formed in London in 1969, Supertramp built a reputation for blending progressive rock with pop sensibilities. With low-key success in the early goings, the band eventually broke through internationally in the 1970s.
Their sixth album “Breakfast in America” became their biggest hit in 1979, topping charts worldwide. Driven by singles like “The Logical Song” and “Take the Long Way Home,” the album went on to win two Grammys and sell more than 20 million copies globally.
Their separation in 1983 was largely due to creative and lifestyle differences, though a dispute over songwriting and other royalties continued through this year. Davies kept Supertramp going, with the most recent album, “Slow Motion,” being released in 2002.
He was diagnosed with multiple myleoma in 2015, and performed as recently as 2022.
