Rick Davies, Supertramp Co-Founder and Vocalist, Dies at 81

Rick Davies, co-founder and vocalist of English rock group Supertramp and one of the group’s primary songwriters behind classics like “Goodbye Stranger” and “Give a Little Bit,” has died, the band confirmed in a tribute to the singer posted this weekend. He was 81.

Davies died on Saturday after a decade-long battle with Multiple Myeloma, the band said, crediting him as creative force in the group.

“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,” the band said. “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.”

Davies was born in Swindon, England in 1944, taking to music early in childhood, starting on the drums with inspiration from Gene Krupa’s “Drummin’ Man.” Lead by Hodgson and Davies’ writing partnership, Supertramp broke through in the early ’70s with the band’s third album Crime of the Century, which featured Davies-penned tracks including “Bloody Well Right” and “School.” The album went gold, their first record to do so. His vocals and instrumentation are prominently found on classics like “Give a Little Bit” and the Logical Song.”

Davies was also the sole writer and lead vocalist on the band’s hit “Goodbye Stranger” off their sixth album Breakfast in America, which was by far their biggest album, going quadruple-platinum by 1984. In the band’s tribute, they pulled some of Davies’ lyrics, with a screen grab that read “goodbye stranger, it’s been nice, hope you find your paradise.”

Rick’s music and legacy continue to inspire many and bears testament to the fact that great songs never die, Supertramp said, “they live on.”