Camilla Jessen
Rick Davies, Supertramp frontman, dies after battling cancer for more than a decade
The rock legend passed away after a long battle with cancer, leaving behind a legacy that helped shape the sound of a generation.
The Soul of Supertramp
Rick Davies, the British-born musician whose piano, vocals, and songwriting defined the sound of Supertramp, has died at the age of 81.
The band confirmed that he passed away peacefully at his home in Long Island on September 5, after living with multiple myeloma for more than a decade.
Music Was Always the Calling
Born in Swindon, England, Davies had only one real interest in school: music.
According to Newsner, his mother reportedly once said, “Music was the only thing he was any good at.”
That passion eventually took him far beyond his hometown.
Supertramp
In 1969, he co-founded Supertramp alongside Roger Hodgson, who answered an ad Davies had placed in Melody Maker.
The two came from vastly different backgrounds — working-class grit and private-school polish — but musically, they clicked immediately.
Together, they created a sound that was both soulful and cerebral, trading off lead vocals and crafting songs that defied easy categorization.
A Peak with Breakfast in America
The band broke through in the early ’70s, but their biggest moment came with the 1979 release of Breakfast in America.
The album was a commercial and critical triumph, climbing to No. 1 on the Billboard charts and selling more than 20 million copies worldwide.
It spawned hit after hit — including The Logical Song, Take the Long Way Home, Goodbye Stranger, and the title track — and earned Grammy nominations, including Album of the Year.
Fallout
But even as the band soared, Davies and Hodgson drifted apart.
By 1983, Hodgson had left, and their musical partnership came to an end.
Davies stayed in Los Angeles and carried on the Supertramp name, while Hodgson built a quieter life in Northern California.
Battling Cancer
Despite lineup changes, Davies kept Supertramp alive through the ’80s and beyond, touring and recording into the 2000s.
But in 2015, plans for a new tour were scrapped when he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer that attacks white blood cells in the bone marrow.
He later shared in a rare 2018 interview that he had largely overcome the worst of his health challenges and had begun enjoying music again.
Though his touring days were over, he continued to perform locally with close friends as Ricky and the Rockets.
A Life Beyond the Stage
“Beyond the stage, Rick was known for his warmth, resilience, and devotion to his wife Sue, with whom he shared over five decades,” Supertramp said in a statement.
Even when forced to step away from large venues, Davies stayed close to the music.
His voice was unmistakable — featured on songs like Bloody Well Right, From Now On, and Goodbye Stranger — and his touch on the Wurlitzer electric piano became a signature part of the band’s DNA.
Remembered by the Band and Fans
Supertramp’s official social media account confirmed the news of his death on September 7.
“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 band’s sound.”
