NEED TO KNOW
- Rick Davies, a cofounding member of the British progressive rock group Supertramp, died on Sept. 6, according to a statement shared on the band’s social media account
- Davies wrote many of the band’s hits, including “Goodbye Stranger, “Bloody Well Right” and “The Logical Song,” with Roger Hodgson
- “Rick’s music and legacy continue to inspire many and bears testament to the fact that great songs never die, they live on,” the statement read
Rick Davies, a keyboardist, singer and songwriter who cofounded the British progressive rock group Supertramp — best known for such hits from the 1970s as “Goodbye Stranger,” “Give a Little Bit,” “The Logical Song” and “Bloody Well Right” — died on Saturday, Sept. 6, at the age of 81.
The band’s social media account shared a statement on Sunday, Sept. 7, that Davies had been battling multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer, for more than 10 years.
“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,” read the statement. “His soulful vocals and unmistakable touch on the Wurlitzer became the heartbeat of the bands’ sound.”
According to the band’s biography, Davies, who was born in Swindon, England, was in a group called The Joint when they broke up in 1969. With the backing of a Dutch millionaire named Stanley “Sam” Miesegaes, Davies went about starting a new music project. Seeking musicians, he placed an ad in the British music publication Melody Maker, which attracted the attention of singer, guitarist and songwriter Roger Hodgson, leading to the formation of what would become Supertramp.
The group’s first two albums, Supertramp (1970) and Indellibly Stamped (1971) didn’t burn up the charts commercially. But it was their third release, 1974’s Crime of the Century — with the classic band lineup of Davies, Hodgson, drummer Bob Siebenberg, bassist Dougie Thomson and saxophonist John Helliwell — that became Supertramp’s breakthrough record with such notable tracks as “Bloody Well Right,” “Rudy,” “Dreamer,” the title song and “Hide in Your Shell.”
Supertramp’s career continued on an upward trajectory with the release of their next albums, Crisis? What Crisis? (1975) and Even in the Quietest Moments (1977). Then 1979’s Breakfast in America became the biggest smash in the group’s career. The hugely popular album peaked at number one on the Billboard album chart and resulted in the hits “The Logical Song,” “Goodbye Stranger,” the title track and “Take the Long Way Home”; it was nominated for two Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year.
The band’s foundation was built on the joint songwriting of Davies and Hodgson, who sang lead on most of Supertramp’s hits, but their partnership was beginning to dissolve by the early 1980s. The group released the album …Famous Last Words… in 1982, which generated a hit in “It’s Raining Again.” In 1983, Hodgson left Supertramp.
“Hodgson and Davies were drifting further apart—not in hostility, but in philosophy. Hodgson built a home in the Northern California mountains, where he raised his family and pursued spiritual interests. Davies stayed in Los Angeles, more rooted in urban grit,” the band’s biography stated about the split.
Despite Hodgson’s departure, Davies and the other members of Supertramp carried on to record 1985’s Brother Where You Bound and 1987’s Free as a Bird albums — with Davies assuming the lead vocals and songwriting by himself. After a 1988 tour, the band went on hiatus until eight years later when Davies reassembled a new Supertramp lineup minus Hodgson. The revived band recorded two more studio albums, Some Things Never Change (1997) and Slow Motion (2002). Plans for a 2015 tour were scuttled after Davies was diagnosed with multiple myeloma.
“Beyond the stage, Rick was known for his warmth, resilience, and devotion to his wife Sue, with whom he shared over five decades,” the statement continued. “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.”
Among the Supertramp songs that Davies sang lead on included “Bloody Well Right,” “From Now On” and “Goodbye Stranger.”
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“Rick’s music and legacy continue to inspire many and bears testament to the fact that great songs never die, they live on,” the statement concluded.
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