Rick Davies, Voice Behind Supertramp Classics, Dies At Age 81

Rick Davies, the legendary musician, songwriter, and co-founder of the iconic British rock band Supertramp, passed away on September 5 at his home in Long Island after a prolonged battle with cancer. He was 81.

The news of his demise was confirmed in an official statement released by the band. “The Supertramp Partnership is very sad to announce the death of the Supertramp founder, Rick Davies, after a long illness. 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 fifty years. We offer our sincere condolences to Sue Davies,” the statement read.

Davies was one of the two creative pillars of Supertramp, steering the band from its progressive-rock beginnings in the early 1970s to international stardom with the 1979 blockbuster album Breakfast in America. The record catapulted the group into mainstream fame, producing enduring classics and cementing their place in rock history.

As the band’s co-frontman and principal songwriter alongside Roger Hodgson, Davies contributed several of Supertramp’s most celebrated hits, including “Goodbye Stranger” and “Bloody Well Right.” His deep, gravelly voice stood in striking contrast to Hodgson’s soaring tenor, creating the vocal duality that became the band’s signature.

While Hodgson penned global favorites like “The Logical Song” and later left the band in 1983 following creative and financial disputes, it was Davies who carried Supertramp forward. Despite decades of legal wrangles over royalties and songwriting credits — disputes that spilled into courts as recently as last month — Davies remained the band’s backbone, keeping its music alive on stage and in the studio.

Born in Swindon, England, Davies’ musical journey was defined by resilience and innovation. Even after being diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2015, he showed remarkable grit, returning to the stage briefly and continuing to inspire fans worldwide with his story of determination.

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