Supertramp singer and co-writer dies at 81

Ian YoungsCulture reporterGetty ImagesRick Davies, pictured in 2010, shared Supertramp vocals and songwriting with bandmate Roger HodgsonSupertramp founder Rick Davies, who wrote and sang a few of the rock band’s best-known hits, has died on the age of 81.The English vocalist and keyboardist died on Saturday, a decade after being identified with a number of myeloma, a kind of blood most cancers, the band stated.”As co-writer, together with companion Roger Hodgson, he was the voice and pianist behind Supertramp’s most iconic songs, leaving an indelible mark on rock music historical past,” a press release stated. “His soulful vocals and unmistakable contact on the Wurlitzer grew to become the heartbeat of the bands’ sound.”Davies wrote songs together with 1974’s Bloody Properly Proper, their US chart breakthrough; and 1979’s Goodbye Stranger.Getty ImagesDavies, proper, with Supertramp in 1974Born in Swindon, Wiltshire, in 1944, Davies began off in a collection of bands together with one referred to as The Joint. They did not make it large however did appeal to the help of Dutch millionaire Stanley August Miesegaes, who provided to again Davies if he began a brand new group.So Davies put an advert for brand new bandmates in Melody Maker journal in 1969, and Supertramp have been born, with funding from Miesegaes for his or her first few years. Davies shared writing and vocals with Hodgson, and the band discovered chart success with their third album, Crime of the Century, in 1974.They made it large within the USA 5 years later with the album Breakfast In America, which included hit singles The Logical Tune and the title monitor, in addition to Goodbye Stranger.The LP bought greater than 30 million copies worldwide and was nominated for 2 Grammy Awards in 1980, together with album of the yr.Relations between the 2 frontmen soured, nonetheless, and Hodgson left the group in 1983.Davies continued to report and tour with Supertramp. They introduced a reunion tour in 2015, however it was cancelled when Davies was identified with most cancers.’Heat and resilience’ “Past the stage, Rick was recognized for his heat, resilience, and devotion to his spouse Sue, with whom he shared over 5 many years,” the band added of their assertion.”After going through critical well being challenges, which stored him unable to proceed touring as Supertramp, he loved performing along with his hometown buds as Ricky and the Rockets.”Rick’s music and legacy proceed to encourage many and bears testomony to the truth that nice songs by no means die, they dwell on.”Supertramp’s basic line-up additionally included bassist Dougie Thomson, saxophonist John Helliwell and drummer Bob Siebenberg.In 1977, Davies and Hodgson agreed to scale back their 50% share of songwriting royalties in an effort to give the trio and the band’s supervisor a lower – a transfer Hodgson stated was meant “to maintain the band functioning and comfortable”.That association lasted till 2018, and Thomson, Helliwell and Siebenberg sued Hodgson and Davies in 2021.Davies settled out of courtroom in 2023. Final month, a US appeals courtroom dominated that Hodgson should share royalties along with his ex-bandmates.