Rick Davies, co-founder, co-frontman, and songwriter for English progressive rock and pop band Supertramp has passed away at the age of 81 after a lengthy battle with cancer. He wrote some of the band’s best known songs, including "Crime of the Century" and "Bloody Well Right". 

“The Supertramp Partnership is very sad to announce the death of the Supertramp founder Rick Davies after a long illness,” the band announced. “We had the privilege of knowing him, and playing with him for over 50 years. We offer our sincere condolences to [manager and wife] Sue Davies.”

“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.

Born in Swindon in 1944, Davies met bandmate Roger Hodgson in late 1969 and instantly hit it off, initially naming their band Daddy before quickly changing it to Supertramp. Whilst Hodgson initially took the role of lead vocalist, by the time of Indelibly Stamped (Supertramp’s second album), Davies had become co-lead vocalist of the group.

After several lineup changes, with Hodgson and Davies being the sole constant presence in the band, Supertramp rose to stardom with their 1974 album Crime of the Century, reaching No. 4 on the UK Albums chart. But it was their poppier sixth album, 1979’s Breakfast In America, that was the group’s greatest commercial success, spending six weeks atop the US Billboard 200 with hits like "The Logical Song", "Breakfast In America", and the Davies-penned "Goodbye Stranger".