Rick Davies, the English vocalist, keyboardist, and co-founder of the legendary rock band Supertramp, has died at the age of 81. His death comes a decade after he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer. Known for his soulful voice and signature touch on the Wurlitzer piano, Davies was instrumental in shaping the band’s sound and co-wrote many of its biggest hits alongside Roger Hodgson.
Born in Swindon, Wiltshire, in 1944, Davies began his career playing in smaller bands before securing backing from Dutch millionaire Stanley August Miesegaes, who encouraged him to form a new group. That band became Supertramp, established in 1969 after Davies placed an advert for musicians in Melody Maker. With Hodgson as co-vocalist, the group achieved its first major breakthrough with the 1974 album Crime of the Century, before going on to global success with Breakfast in America five years later. The 1979 LP sold more than 30 million copies worldwide and featured enduring hits such as The Logical Song and Goodbye Stranger.
Despite the success, relations between Davies and Hodgson soured, leading to Hodgson’s departure in 1983. Davies carried on recording and touring under the Supertramp name, although a planned reunion tour in 2015 was cancelled following his cancer diagnosis. Beyond his international fame, Davies cherished performing with local musicians in a side project called Ricky and the Rockets.
Tributes have highlighted not only his contributions to music but also his personal resilience. In a statement, Supertramp members remembered Davies as “the voice and pianist behind Supertramp’s most iconic songs,” praising his “warmth, resilience, and devotion” to his wife Sue, with whom he shared over five decades. His passing marks the end of an era for a band whose blend of rock and pop left an indelible mark on music history.
Supertramp’s classic line-up also featured Dougie Thomson, John Helliwell, and Bob Siebenberg, with whom Davies once shared royalties in an unusual agreement to keep the band united. Though disputes and lawsuits followed in later years, Davies’ legacy rests on his role as a driving force behind one of rock’s most distinctive bands, ensuring that his music will continue to resonate with generations to come.
