Supertramp’s Rick Davies dead at 81 following lengthy cancer battle
Rick Davies, co-founder of English rock group Supertramp, has died aged 81, following a lengthy battle with blood cancer.
Davies’ passing was announced by the band on social media on September 7th. “The Supertramp Partnership is very sad to announce the death of Supertramp founder Rick Davies after a long illness,” the band wrote.
The group continued: “We had the privilege of knowing him, and playing with him for over 50 years. We offer our sincere condolences to Sue Davies.”
Supertramp also shared that Davies had been battling multiple myeloma, which is a form of blood cancer, for more than a decade. According to the NHS, multiple myeloma “affects your bones and different parts of your body”.
Reflecting on the legacy that Davies leaves behind, they added, “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.”
Their statement also noted, “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.”
Davies, who was born in Swindon, co-founded Supertramp in 1969 along with Richard Palmer, Robert Millar, and Roger Hodgson, but it wasn’t until their third album, Crime of the Century, in 1974, that they became established. Over the next few years, the new look line-up of Supertramp, with Davies and Hodgson at the heart, achieved international dominance with 1979’s Breakfast in America topping the US charts and winning Grammy Awards.
Hodgson departed the group in 1983, and Davies continued to steer the ship until 1988, when he decided it was time for Supertramp to call it a day. They eventually reunited in the late 1990s, without Hodgson, and released two more albums before playing their final concert in Madrid in 2012.
They were due to embark upon a huge European arena tour in 2015, which included a date at The O2 in London. However, due to Davies being diagnosed with blood cancer, these concerts were cancelled.
Davies died at his home in Long Island and is survived by his wife, Sue.
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