Rick Davies, lead singer and co-founder of Supertramp, dies at 81

London — Rick Davies, the pb vocalist and co-founder of British set Supertramp, has died aft a agelong conflict with cancer, the set said Monday. He was 81.

Davies, who co-wrote the band's euphony with Roger Hodgson, was "the dependable and pianist down Supertramp's astir iconic songs, leaving an indelible people connected stone euphony history," the set said successful a tribute connected its website.

He died Saturday aft battling aggregate myeloma, a benignant of humor cancer, for much than a decade, the set said.

Davies and Hodgson formed Supertramp successful 1969 and produced hits including "Goodbye Stranger" and "The Logical Song." The band's 1979 medium "Breakfast successful America" topped charts successful the United States and Canada, won 2 Grammys and sold implicit 18 cardinal copies.

Davies' "soulful vocals and unmistakable interaction connected the Wurlitzer became the heartbeat of the bands' sound," the connection said.

Supertramp's Rick Davis, left, and John Helliweil execute during their archetypal performance of the 2002 satellite circuit "One More for the Road" successful Benidorm, Spain successful April 2002. Heino Kalis / REUTERS

Born successful Swindon, England successful 1944, Davies had a passionateness for jazz, blues and rock'n'roll from a young age, the set said.

Hodgson near the set successful 1983 and released solo albums. Supertramp disbanded successful 1988, though Davies revived it successful 1996. The radical performed for the past clip successful Madrid successful 2012.

"Beyond the stage, Rick was known for his warmth, resilience, and devotion to his woman Sue, with whom helium shared implicit 5 decades," the prohibition said. "After facing superior wellness challenges, which kept him incapable to proceed touring arsenic Supertramp, helium enjoyed performing with his hometown buds arsenic Ricky and the Rockets."

The band's tribute concluded with a connection it emphasized: "Rick's euphony and bequest proceed to animate galore and bears testament to the information that large songs ne'er die, they unrecorded on."