Roger Hodgson

Born on March 21, 1950, in Portsmouth, England, Roger Hodgson first rose to prominence as the lead vocalist of art pop ensemble Supertramp. His early years unfolded in Oxford, where he took up guitar before entering his teens and began composing original material while enrolled at boarding school. Recording sessions commenced in the late 1960s, culminating in a 1969 single credited to the studio collective Argosy that also featured Elton John, then performing as Reg Dwight.

Supertramp was established that same year in partnership with Rick Davies, and the pair functioned as the band’s principal songwriters and singers across the next fourteen years. Dutch financier Stanley August Mieseages provided initial support, yet withdrew after the debut pair of albums met with limited commercial response. Breakthrough arrived with 1974’s Crime of the Century, which introduced the enduring radio staples “Dreamer” and “Bloody Well Right.” International success followed in 1977 via “Give a Little Bit,” drawn from Even in the Quietest Moments..., before the group attained its zenith with the chart-topping Breakfast in America in 1979. That release generated the major singles “Take the Long Way Home,” “The Logical Song,” and “Goodbye, Stranger” while ultimately selling twenty million copies worldwide.

Following the 1982 album ...Famous Last Words..., Hodgson departed Supertramp, settled in Northern California to prioritize family life, and delivered his first solo album, In the Eye of the Storm, in 1984. Days after the 1987 release of Hai Hai he suffered a fall that fractured both wrists, sidelining him for an extended period. He resurfaced by co-writing several tracks on Yes’ 1994 album Talk. Three years later the live recording Rites of Passage appeared, documenting performances alongside his son Andrew.

Open the Door, his first studio collection in thirteen years, surfaced in spring 2000. Favorable notices from both reviewers and listeners led to an invitation to join Ringo Starr’s All-Starr Band for touring. Hodgson maintained an active solo schedule, issuing the concert DVD Take the Long Way Home: Live in Montreal in summer 2006; the package later earned multi-platinum status in Canada and gold certifications in France and Germany. Classics Live, drawn from performances across the United States, Australia, New Zealand, South America, Europe, and Canada, followed in 2010. He sustained worldwide touring in configurations ranging from duo and full-band settings to orchestral accompaniment. In 2012 the French Ministry of Culture awarded him the title of Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters.