When was Rick Davies diagnosed with cancer? Health struggle explored as Supertramp co-founder dies

Keyboardist and singer-songwriter Rick Davies recently passed away at the age of 81 at his home on Long Island.

On August 8, the British rock band Supertramp took to its official Facebook handle to announce that its cofounder and lead singer had died on Saturday, September 6, after battling Multiple Myeloma for over 10 years.

"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," the post stated.

The post also included a voice snippet of the band's song Goodbye Stranger, along with a portion of the lyrics "Goodbye stranger, it's been nice. Hope you find your paradise." It also offered Rick a final salute.

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

Rick was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2015, a development which also prompted the band to cancel their Supertramp Forever tour, which had been scheduled to visit 25 European cities the same year.

According to a statement by the band, Rick had "begun aggressive treatment to combat the disease."

In a statement at the time, Rick stated:

"I’m sorry to disappoint everyone who has overwhelmingly supported the upcoming tour. Unfortunately my current health issues have derailed me and right now I need to focus all of my energy on getting well."

Who was Rick Davies' wife?

Remembering Rick Davies, co-founder of Supertramp, who passed away at the age of 81. Davies's contributions were integral to Supertramp's most iconic work, including classic tracks like "Bloody Well Right" and "Goodbye Stranger." pic.twitter.com/9Zb1EANlvD

— Discogs (@discogs) September 8, 2025

The statement mentioned above emphasized that outside of his public persona as a performer, Rick Davies was known for his warmth, resilience, and devotion to his wife, Sue, whom he married in 1977.

It continued that "serious health challenges" kept him "unable to continue touring as Supertramp, he enjoyed performing with his hometown buds as Ricky and the Rockets."

Although Sue Davies has kept her personal life private, she was known to have been Superstramp's manager since 1984.

Rick Davies' love for 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," per the post.

According to the band's biography, Rick, born in Swindon, England, in 1944, placed an ad in the British music publication Melody Maker, seeking musicians for a new music project after his previous band, The Joint, disbanded in 1969.

Rick, who had the financial backing from Dutch millionaire patron Stanley "Sam" Miesegaes, who had "both money and faith in Davies’s talent," received a response from Roger Hodgson, "a wiry 19-year-old with an angelic tenor and the polished background of English private schools."

Together, the two would go on to form Superstramp.

The band made their first breakthrough with the 1974 album Crime of the Century, which featured hit songs like Bloody Well Right, Rudy, Dreamer, and Hide in Your Shell.

As new albums followed, the band's success grew until 1983, when Hodgson left.

Despite his departure, the rest of the members stayed and recorded two more albums, 1985's Brother Where You Bound and 1987's Free as a Bird. However, "by 1988, Supertramp quietly disbanded."

In 1996, Rick Davies revived the band with John Helliwell, Bob Siebenberg, and Mark Hart. Together they released two albums, Some Things Never Change (1997) and Slow Motion (2002).

According to Variety, Davies continued to perform until 2022, often under the name Ricky and the Rockets.

Stay tuned for more updates.