Rick Davies, the co-founder, frontman and chief songwriter of the British band Supertramp, has died at the age of 81 after a long battle with cancer, the band confirmed in a statement. Davies, who wrote and sang hits such as 'Goodbye Stranger' and 'Bloody Well Right,' passed away at his home on Long Island on 5 September.
Davies was born in Swindon, England in 1944 and developed a passion for music early on, first as a drummer and later as a keyboardist. In 1969, he placed an advert to form a new band, and Roger Hodgson was among the musicians who responded. Despite their differences, the pair gelled musically and, after a brief period as Daddy, renamed themselves Supertramp in January 1970.
The band signed with A&M and grew in popularity with each album, making their first breakthrough with 'Crime of the Century,' powered by the Davies-penned single 'Bloody Well Right.' Their success peaked with the 1979 album 'Breakfast in America,' which featured Hodgson's hit 'The Logical Song' and Davies' 'Goodbye Stranger.'
However, creative differences and disputes over songwriting royalties led to Hodgson's departure in 1983. Davies continued the band for four more albums, the last being 2002's 'Slow Motion,' and performed as recently as 2022 under the name Ricky and the Rockets. He was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2015.
The Supertramp Partnership expressed their condolences to Davies' wife, Sue, stating: 'We had the privilege of knowing him, and playing with him for over fifty years.'
