Rick Davies facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rick Davies
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Davies in 1979
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Richard Davies |
| Born | 22 July 1944 Swindon, Wiltshire, England |
| Died | 6 September 2025 (aged 81) East Hampton, New York, U.S. |
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| Years active | 1956–2022 |
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Richard Davies (born 22 July 1944, died 6 September 2025) was a talented English musician. He was famous for starting the rock band Supertramp. Rick was the lead singer and played keyboards for the group. He was the only member who stayed with the band from beginning to end.
Davies wrote many of Supertramp's most popular songs. These include "Rudy", "Bloody Well Right", and "Goodbye Stranger". His music often featured exciting blues piano solos. He also created progressive rock songs with a touch of jazz.
From Supertramp's first album in 1970, Davies sang lead vocals with Roger Hodgson. They were songwriting partners. After Hodgson left in 1983, Rick became the main singer. His voice was deep and often raspy. This was different from Roger's higher voice. But sometimes, Rick would sing in a higher voice too, like in "Goodbye Stranger".
Contents
Rick Davies: The Music Maker of Supertramp
Early Musical Journey
Rick Davies was born in Swindon, England, on July 22, 1944. His mother, Betty, was a hairdresser. His father, Dick, worked in the navy. Rick's mother once said that music was his best subject at school.
When Rick was eight, his parents gave him a record player. It came with some old records. One record, Drummin' Man by Gene Krupa, really inspired him. Rick said it felt like a "thunderbolt." He played it many times.
A family friend made Rick a drum kit from a biscuit tin. At age 12, he joined a local band as a drummer. He loved the sound of drums. Rick took drum lessons and was very serious about it. He wanted to be a professional drummer.
Later, Rick started playing keyboards. People seemed to like his keyboard playing more than his drumming. So, he decided to focus on keyboards. He never took formal lessons for keyboards. He taught himself most of what he knew.
In 1959, Rick became interested in rock 'n' roll. He joined a band called Vince and the Vigilantes. By 1962, he formed his own band, Rick's Blues. He played an electric piano then. Gilbert O'Sullivan, a famous musician, played drums in Rick's Blues for a while. Gilbert later said Rick taught him a lot about music.
Rick left college and worked as a welder for a time. But his passion for music never faded. In 1966, he joined a band called the Lonely Ones. They later became the Joint. Rick admitted he wasn't very good at the organ when he joined. But he learned quickly. While in Munich, Rick met Stanley August Miesegaes. This wealthy man offered to help Rick start a new band.
Forming Supertramp
With funding secured, Rick decided to form a new band. He placed an advertisement in a music magazine called Melody Maker in August 1969. Roger Hodgson answered the ad. Even though they came from different backgrounds, they quickly became friends. They started writing almost all their songs together. The band was first named Daddy. But in January 1970, they changed it to Supertramp.
Supertramp signed with A&M Records. By the summer of 1970, they released their first album, Supertramp. Roger Hodgson sang most of the lead vocals on this album. But by their second album, Indelibly Stamped, Rick also sang lead vocals. They shared singing duties equally.
Supertramp's Big Success
After a few years, Supertramp found a stable group of musicians. They recorded Crime of the Century in 1974. This album brought them great success and praise. It reached number four on the UK Albums Chart. While their individual songs were not always huge hits, their albums were very popular.
Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson started writing songs more separately. However, they agreed to share credit for all their songs. This meant both their names appeared as writers. Songs like "Bloody Well Right" and "Goodbye Stranger" were written by Rick alone.
By 1977, the band moved to the United States. There, they recorded their most famous album, Breakfast in America. This album was made between 1978 and 1979. The band members worked very well together during this time. Rick even helped write a line in Roger's song, "The Logical Song". Breakfast in America had many hit songs. It reached number three in the UK and topped the charts in America.
Life After Roger Hodgson
Roger Hodgson left Supertramp in 1983. Their friendship had become difficult. The song "My Kind of Lady" was one of their last hits before Roger left. Rick showed off his amazing singing voice in this song. He sang in deep, high, and raspy tones.
With Rick leading the way, Supertramp's music changed. They focused more on progressive rock. Their album Brother Where You Bound was released. It included another hit song, "Cannonball". The band kept touring and recording for five more years. Then, they decided to stop, feeling that Supertramp's journey was complete.
Later Years and Legacy
In 1997, Rick decided to bring Supertramp back together. They recorded two more albums and went on tour. After some time, they split up again. Supertramp reunited in 2010 for a special tour.
A tour planned for 2015 was cancelled. This was because Rick was dealing with health problems. He was battling a serious illness called multiple myeloma.
In 2018, Rick shared that he had mostly recovered from his health issues. He was happy to play music again. He even performed with some Supertramp members under the name Ricky and the Rockets. He said it was unlikely Supertramp would perform again. Ricky and the Rockets played another show in June 2022.
About Rick Davies' Life
Rick Davies married Sue in 1977. Sue also managed Supertramp starting in 1984.
Rick's mother passed away in 2008. He used to visit her every Christmas from his home in Long Island, New York.
Rick owned a company called Rick Davies Productions. This company held the rights to Supertramp's music.
Rick was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a type of cancer. This led to the cancellation of Supertramp's 2015 tour.
Rick Davies passed away on September 6, 2025, at the age of 81. He had battled cancer for a long time.
Rick Davies' Music Albums
Albums with Supertramp
- 1970: Supertramp
- 1971: Indelibly Stamped
- 1974: Crime of the Century
- 1975: Crisis? What Crisis?
- 1977: Even in the Quietest Moments...
- 1979: Breakfast in America
- 1980: Paris (Live album)
- 1982: ...Famous Last Words...
- 1985: Brother Where You Bound
- 1987: Free as a Bird
- 1997: Some Things Never Change
- 2002: Slow Motion
Other Music Projects
- 1973: You And Me by Chick Churchill (Rick played on this album with other musicians like Roger Hodgson)
See also
In Spanish: Rick Davies para niños
