Classic Rock Legend Dies of Multiple Myeloma: Rick Davies Was 81

Rick Davies, co-founder and lead singer of the British rock band Supertramp, has died of multiple myeloma. He was 81.

Supertramp announced Davies’ death on Monday, shared on Facebook and its website that the voice behind “Goodbye Stranger” and “Bloody Well Right” had died following a decade-long battle with the blood cancer multiple myeloma.

“Born in Swindon, England in 1944, Rick’s love of music began in his childhood listening to Gene Krupa’s ‘Drummin’ Man’ which grew into a lifelong passion for jazz, blues and rock’n’roll,” the statement continued. “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 bands’ sound.”

Beyond the stage, Davies “was known for his warmth, resilience, and devotion to his wife Sue, with whom he shared over five decades,” the band’s statement went on. “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.”

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

Davies and Hodgson formed Supertramp, formerly known as Daddy for a brief time, in London in 1969. The band would go on to release albums Crime of the Century in 1974 and Even in the Quietest Moments… in 1977, but it was their sixth album, Breakfast in America, that made them a success worldwide.

The 1979 album, which featured popular hits “The Logical Song” and “Take the Long Way Home,” would go on to sell more than 18 million copies and win two Grammy Awards.

Hodgson left the band after Supertamp’s 1983 tour, and the group disbanded in 1988. In 1996, Supertramp reformed without Hodgson, performing until their retirement in 2012.