Singer and keyboardist Rick Davies of the English band Supertramp is dead at 81.
The group announced his death with a social media post that included a clip of the their 1979 hit “Goodbye Stranger.”
He died Saturday following a 10-year battle with blood cancer, according to the band. The group enjoyed several hit songs on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean including “It’s Raining Again,” “The Logical Song” and “Take the Long Way Home.”
“Beyond the stage, Rick was known for his warmth, resilience, and devotion to his wife Sue, with whom he shared over five decades,” his bandmates wrote. “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.”
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Rick Davies (far right) with Supertramp in 1977. (Getty)
Supertramp was formed shortly after Davies places an ad looking for collaborators in the music publication Melody Makers. That attracted Roger Hodgson, with whom he would form the band in 1970 after first working under the name Daddy, according to Supertramp’s website.
Despite having enjoyed significant commercial success, Supertramp is not in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Numerous media outlets have reported the band won two Grammy Awards, though that organization’s official site only lists four nominations. Representatives haven’t responded to a request for clarification.
Bestsellingalbums.org reports their breakthrough album “Breakfast in America” sold 19 million copies worldwide, according to the BBC.
