Supertramp singer and co-founder Rick Davies has died at the age of 81.

The British musician and keyboardist passed away on Saturday, 6 September, after living with multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer, for a decade.

“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,” read a statement shared on the band’s social media. “His soulful vocals and unmistakable touch on the Wurlitzer became the heartbeat of the band’s sound.”

The message went on, “After facing serious health challenges that kept him from continuing to tour with Supertramp, he found joy performing with his hometown friends as Ricky and the Rockets. Rick’s music and legacy continue to inspire many, proving that great songs never die; they live on.”

Davies first met Hodgson, with whom he shared both writing and vocal duties, after placing an advertisement seeking band members. Following a short period performing under the name Daddy, the group officially became Supertramp in 1970.

The band made their breakthrough with their third record, Crime of the Century, in 1974, but their worldwide success came in 1979 with Breakfast in America. That album produced hits such as The Logical Song, the title track, and Goodbye Stranger, and went on to sell more than 30 million copies globally.

Hodgson left Supertramp in 1983 after the release of their seventh album, …Famous Last Words…, while Davies continued with four more albums, ending with 2002’s Slow Motion.

Supertramp announced plans for a reunion tour in 2015, but it was cancelled after Davies received his cancer diagnosis. He later returned to performing with Ricky and the Rockets.

In more recent years, Davies and Hodgson became embroiled in a legal dispute over Supertramp royalties with bandmates Dougie Thomson, John Helliwell, and Bob Siebenberg. That case was still ongoing as recently as last month.

Davies is survived by his wife Sue, whom he married in 1977.