Supertramp co-founder and co-vocalist Rick Davies has died, aged 81.
The news was announced last night (September 7) via an official statement shared with Variety, and later announced to the public via the band’s social media accounts. Per the statement, Davies died on Friday, September 5 at his home in Long Island.
“The Supertramp Partnership is very sad to announce the death of the Supertramp founder, Rick Davies after a long illness,” the statement to Variety reads. “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.”
They continued in their statement on social media: “As co-writer, along with partner 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 bands’ sound.”
“Beyond the stage, Rick was known for his warmth, resilience, and devotion to his wife Sue, with whom he shared over five decades. After facing serious health challenges, which kept him unable to continue touring as Supertramp, he enjoyed performing with his hometown buds as Ricky and the Rockets. Rick’s music and legacy continue to inspire many and bears testament to the fact that great songs never die, they live on.”
Rick Davies formed Supertramp in London in 1970 with Roger Hodgson – they were joined by Dougie Thomson, Bob Sienbenberg and John Helliwell. The brought tour four years later with their third album ‘Crime Of The Century’, which featured the ban’s first US Top 40 hit ‘Bloody Well Right’, written by Davies.
Other beloved songs written by Davies included ‘Goodbye Stranger’, ‘Ain’t Nobody But Me’, ‘From Now On’, ‘Brother Where You Bound’ and ‘Rudy’.
However, most of Davies’ contributions to the band were often overlooked and overshadowed by Hodgson, who left Supertramp mid-tour in 1983. Davies would carry on leading the band until their break up in 1988. In 1996, the group reformed with their original line-up, sans Hodgson and kept releasing music and touring until final album ‘Slow Motion’ in 2002.
They toured on-and-off for several years after the release of the album, with a couple of year-long breaks in between tours. The Davies-led Supertramp were due to reunite for their first tour in four years in 2015, but it was called off as the frontman was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a type of cancer that attacks plasma cells – his death is attributed as the cause of his death.
Roger Hodgson has yet to publicly comment on his former bandmate’s passing.
