GRAMMY-nominated keyboardist, singer and songwriter Rick Davies, the leader and co-founder of Supertramp, died on Sept. 6. The British musician passed away at his home in East Hampton, New York from complications of multiple myeloma. He was 81.
On Supertramp’s Facebook page, Davies was remebered for "his warmth, resilience, and devotion to his wife Sue." When health issues prevented him from touring as Supertramp, Davies "enjoyed performing with his hometown buds as Ricky and the Rockets."
Born in Swindon, England, on July 22, 1944, Davies was influenced by Gene Krupa and Art Blakey, and first pursued drums before turning to piano. He developed a rhythmic, expressive keyboard style that would later become a hallmark of Supertramp's sound.
After playing in local bands, he moved to Munich and eventually connected with Roger Hodgson through a classified ad. With financial backing from a Dutch patron, the early incarnation of Supertramp was born in 1969 — part art rock experiment, part spiritual exploration.
Davies and Hodgson crafted a dual songwriting engine that fused thoughtful lyricism with wide appeal. Their contrasting styles became the band's defining asset: Hodgson’s soaring optimism balanced by Davies’s grounded introspection. As a result, Supertramp became one of the most enduring bands of the 1970s and ’80s.
"We’re both oddballs, and we’ve never been able to communicate too much on a verbal level," Hodgson told Melody Maker in 1978, per the New York Times. "When there’s just the two of us playing together, there’s an incredible empathy…. His down-to-earth way of writing, which is very rock ’n’ roll, balances out my lighter, melodic style."
Supertramp broke through in 1974 with Crime of the Century, featuring Davies’ "Bloody Well Right." But it was 1979’s Breakfast in America that cemented their place in music history and on the Billboard charts. With hits like "Goodbye Stranger" and "Take the Long Way Home," the album was nominated for Album Of The Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance By A Duo, Group Or Chorus at the 1980 GRAMMYs.
After Hodgson left Supertramp, Davies continued leading the band and released multiple studio albums. Records like Brother Where You Bound and Some Things Never Change saw him expanding the band’s palette, often incorporating political themes and longer-form compositions. Clocking in at over 17 minutes, "Brother Where You Bound" was nominated for Best Music Video, Short Form at the 1987 GRAMMYs.
Despite being more comfortable out of the spotlight, Davies’ performances were marked by quiet charisma and musical integrity. His lyrics explored ambition, alienation and human vulnerability; his melodies, even at their most intricate, were emotionally accessible. His voice — a warm, resonant baritone — remains instantly recognizable.
Rick Davies leaves behind a deeply influential musical legacy that married intellectual depth with mainstream appeal to create a catalog that is both personal and profound.