Roger Hodgson
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Charles Roger Pomfret Hodgson (born 21 March 1950) is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the former co-
frontman The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of the ...
and founding member of
progressive rock Progressive rock (shortened as prog rock or simply prog; sometimes conflated with art rock) is a broad genre of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom and United States through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early 1970s. Init ...
band
Supertramp Supertramp were an English rock band that formed in London in 1969. Marked by the individual songwriting of founders Roger Hodgson (vocals, keyboards, and guitars) and Rick Davies (vocals and keyboards), they are distinguished for blending pro ...
. Hodgson composed and sang the majority of the band’s hits, including " Dreamer", "
Give a Little Bit "Give a Little Bit" is the opening song on Supertramp's 1977 album '' Even in the Quietest Moments...'' The song was released as a single that same year and became an international hit for the band, peaking at number 15 on the ''Billboard'' Pop ...
", " Take the Long Way Home", "
The Logical Song "The Logical Song" is a song by English rock group Supertramp that was released as the lead single from their album ''Breakfast in America'' in March 1979. It was written primarily by the band's Roger Hodgson, who based the lyrics on his experie ...
", "
It's Raining Again "It's Raining Again" is a song recorded by the English progressive rock band Supertramp and released as a single from their 1982 album '' …Famous Last Words…'' with credits given to Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson, although as indicated on th ...
", and "
Breakfast in America ''Breakfast in America'' is the sixth studio album by the English rock band Supertramp, released by A&M Records on 29 March 1979. It was recorded in 1978 at The Village Recorder in Los Angeles. It spawned four US ''Billboard'' hit singles: "The ...
." In 1983, Hodgson left Supertramp and moved his family away from Los Angeles to live a simpler lifestyle close to nature. After releasing two solo albums in 1984 and 1987, he took a break from his music career to spend time with his children as they were growing up. He returned to touring in 1997, and released a third solo album in 2000. Hodgson often writes about spiritual and philosophical topics, and his lyrics have been described as personal and meaningful.


Biography


1950–1969: Early years

Hodgson was born in
Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council. Portsmouth is the most dens ...
, Hampshire, England, on 21 March 1950, the son of Charles and Jill Hodgson (née Pomfret), and grew up in
Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
. He attended boarding schools Woodcote House near
Windlesham Windlesham is a village in the Surrey Heath borough of Surrey, England, approximately south west of central London. Its name derives from the Windle Brook, which runs south of the village into Chobham, and the common suffix 'ham', the Old Engli ...
, Surrey, where he was the first boy to learn electric guitar, and
Stowe School , motto_translation = I stand firm and I stand first , established = , closed = , type = Public schoolIndependent school, day & boarding , religion = Church of England , president = , head_label = Headmaster ...
near
Buckingham Buckingham ( ) is a market town in north Buckinghamshire, England, close to the borders of Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire, which had a population of 12,890 at the 2011 Census. The town lies approximately west of Central Milton Keynes, sou ...
. Hodgson's first guitar, given to him when he was 12, was a parting gift from his father when his parents divorced. He took it to boarding school with him, where his teacher taught him three chords. He began composing his own music and lyrics and within a year gave his first concert at school with nine original songs at the age of 13. Hodgson's first band at school consisted of him on guitar and his friend Roy Hovey playing snare drums. They were dubbed the "H-bombs" because of their last names. When aged 19, Hodgson made his first appearance in a recording studio as guitarist for People Like Us, a band he joined shortly after leaving boarding school. The group recorded a single, "Duck Pond" and its B-side "Send Me No Flowers", which was never released.


1969: Argosy

After People Like Us disbanded, Hodgson auditioned for
Island Records Island Records is a multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded in 1959 by Chris Blackwell, Graeme Goodall, and Leslie Kong in Jamaica, and was eventually sold to PolyGram in 1989. Island and A&M Records, anoth ...
, with
Traffic Traffic comprises pedestrians, vehicles, ridden or herded animals, trains, and other conveyances that use public ways (roads) for travel and transportation. Traffic laws govern and regulate traffic, while rules of the road include traffic ...
's road manager providing him a foot in the door with the label. Island set him up in a recording studio as vocalist for the one-off "
flower power Flower power was a slogan used during the late 1960s and early 1970s as a symbol of passive resistance and nonviolence. It is rooted in the opposition movement to the Vietnam War. The expression was coined by the American Beat poet Allen Ginsber ...
" pop band Argosy, which also included
Reginald Dwight Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...
(later known as
Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...
),
Caleb Quaye Caleb Quaye (born 9 October 1948), is an English rock guitarist and studio musician best known for his work in the 1960s and 1970s with Elton John, Mick Jagger, Pete Townshend, Paul McCartney, Hall & Oates and Ralph McTell, and also toured with ...
, and
Nigel Olsson Nigel Olsson (born 10 February 1949) is an English rock drummer and singer best known for his long-time affiliation with Elton John. A dynamic drummer and backing vocalist, Olsson helped establish the Elton John sound as a member of the Elton J ...
. See entry on "Argosy". Their sole single, "Mr. Boyd" and B-side "Imagine", consisted of two pieces of orchestrated pop (both penned by Hodgson) and was issued in 1969 on the DJM (UK) and Congress (US) record labels. "Mr. Boyd" was covered in 1997 by
Jake Shillingford My Life Story are an English Pop music, pop group formed in London, England, in 1993. The group's success peaked in the mid to late 1990s as part of the Britpop era. Fronted by singing, singer/songwriter Jake Shillingford, the group inherited the ...
and his band
My Life Story My Life Story are an English pop group formed in London, England, in 1993. The group's success peaked in the mid to late 1990s as part of the Britpop era. Fronted by singer/songwriter Jake Shillingford, the group inherited their name from an ear ...
on their album "The Golden Mile".


1969–1983: Supertramp

After the break-up of Argosy, Hodgson, responding to an advert placed in ''
Melody Maker ''Melody Maker'' was a British weekly music magazine, one of the world's earliest music weeklies; according to its publisher, IPC Media, the earliest. It was founded in 1926, largely as a magazine for dance band musicians, by Leicester-born ...
'' by
Rick Davies Richard Davies (born 22 July 1944) is an English musician, singer and songwriter best known as founder, vocalist and keyboardist of the rock band Supertramp. Davies was its only constant member, and composed some of the band's best known songs ...
, auditioned for the guitarist spot in the progressive rock band Supertramp. Similar to fellow British prog rockers
Genesis Genesis may refer to: Bible * Book of Genesis, the first book of the biblical scriptures of both Judaism and Christianity, describing the creation of the Earth and of mankind * Genesis creation narrative, the first several chapters of the Book of ...
' search for a new lead vocalist, 93 guitarists auditioned before Hodgson was chosen for the role, but when Richard Palmer arrived the next day to audition for the same spot, Hodgson agreed to learn bass instead. All the songs on Supertramp's self-titled first album, released in 1970, were composed by Hodgson, Davies, and Palmer. Hodgson and Davies collaborated on the composing while Palmer wrote the lyrics. Palmer left shortly after the album's recording, allowing Hodgson to switch back to guitar (as well as providing keyboards with Davies). From their second album '' Indelibly Stamped'' forward, Hodgson and Davies wrote separately with each singing lead vocals on their own compositions. ''
Crime of the Century "Crime of the century" is an idiomatic phrase used to describe particularly sensational or notorious criminal cases. Chua-Eoan, Howard (n.d.)"Crimes of the Century: The Top 25" ''Time''. Retrieved September 10, 2021. In the United States, it is of ...
'', released in 1974, was the first of their albums to feature the line-up of Hodgson, Davies and new members Bob Siebenberg (drums),
Dougie Thomson Douglas 'Doogie' Campbell Thomson (born 24 March 1951) is a Scottish musician, born in Glasgow and raised in the Rutherglen area of the city. He was the bass guitarist of progressive rock band Supertramp during much of the seventies and eight ...
(bass) and
John Helliwell John Anthony Helliwell (born 15 February 1945) is an English musician, best known as the saxophonist, secondary keyboardist, backing vocalist, and occasional songwriter for the rock band Supertramp. He also served as an MC during the band's ...
(saxophone, clarinet, keyboards, backing vocals). This line-up would remain unchanged for the remainder of Hodgson's tenure in the group. Hodgson's song " Dreamer" became the band's first hit and drove the album to the tops of the charts. It was one of the first keyboard songs Hodgson wrote on his new Wurlitzer piano that he bought when he was 19 years old. "Dreamer" was written after setting the keyboard up at his mother's house, at the first opportunity he had to play it. At the time, Hodgson had a two-track tape recorder and made a "very magical" demo of the song on the spot with multiple vocal harmonies, using tin cans, lampshades and cardboard boxes for percussion. Hodgson has expressed that he loves playing the song in concert because it "just brings out the dreamer in everyone. So often we let go of that side of ourselves and it kind of reminds the audience and reminds me when I'm singing it, too, to keep that place in us alive." The follow-up ''
Crisis? What Crisis? ''Crisis? What Crisis?'' is the fourth album by the English rock band Supertramp, released in 1975. It was recorded in Los Angeles and London – Supertramp's first album to have recording done in the US. A remastered CD version of the album ...
'', their first album to be recorded in the US, was released in 1975. The album charted on both the UK Top TwentySupertramp in the UK Charts
, The Official Charts. Retrieved 6 August 2011.
and the US Top Fifty. By their 1977 release ''
Even in the Quietest Moments Even may refer to: General * Even (given name), a Norwegian male personal name * Even (surname) * Even (people), an ethnic group from Siberia and Russian Far East ** Even language, a language spoken by the Evens * Odd and Even, a solitaire game w ...
'', the band had permanently relocated to the United States. Hodgson's opening song on the album, "
Give a Little Bit "Give a Little Bit" is the opening song on Supertramp's 1977 album '' Even in the Quietest Moments...'' The song was released as a single that same year and became an international hit for the band, peaking at number 15 on the ''Billboard'' Pop ...
", became an international hit single (number 15 US, number 29 UK, number8 in Canada) and was written at 19 or 20 years of age; he introduced it to the band for recording five to six years later. Hodgson has stated the song was inspired by the Beatles' "All You Need Is Love", released during the love and peace movement of the 1960s.
Diana, Princess of Wales Diana, Princess of Wales (born Diana Frances Spencer; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997) was a member of the British royal family. She was the first wife of King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) and mother of Princes William and Harry. Her ac ...
loved the song, and Hodgson performed it in her honour at the 2007 Concert for Diana at Wembley Stadium. Hodgson said of the performance: "It was very wonderful when the audience all stood up, and the princes also, to sing 'Give a Little Bit' with me. That was a magical moment." Hodgson has said it is a wonderful feeling as an artist to close his concerts with the song: "I look out and people just start hugging each other and they start singing with me. It's a very unifying song with a beautiful, simple message that I'm very proud of and really enjoy playing today." Supertramp released their most successful album, ''
Breakfast in America ''Breakfast in America'' is the sixth studio album by the English rock band Supertramp, released by A&M Records on 29 March 1979. It was recorded in 1978 at The Village Recorder in Los Angeles. It spawned four US ''Billboard'' hit singles: "The ...
'', in 1979; it has sold over 20 million copies to date. From that same album, "
The Logical Song "The Logical Song" is a song by English rock group Supertramp that was released as the lead single from their album ''Breakfast in America'' in March 1979. It was written primarily by the band's Roger Hodgson, who based the lyrics on his experie ...
", written by Hodgson, is Supertramp's biggest chart hit in both the US and UK. In 1980, Hodgson was honoured with the
Ivor Novello Award The Ivor Novello Awards, named after the entertainer Ivor Novello, are awards for songwriting and composing. They have been presented annually in London by the Ivors Academy (formerly the BASCA) since 1956, and over 1,000 statuettes have been a ...
from the British Academy of Composers and Songwriters for "The Logical Song" being named the best song both musically and lyrically. To this day, "The Logical Song" also has the distinction of being one of the most quoted lyrics in schools. Hodgson composed the song from an autobiographical point of view, inspired by his experience of being sent away to boarding school for ten years. In recent interviews, Hodgson has said of the song's meaning that it was "born from my questions about what really matters in life. Throughout childhood we are taught all these ways to be and yet we are rarely told anything about our true self. We are taught how to function outwardly, but not guided to who we are inwardly. We go from the innocence and wonder of childhood to the confusion of adolescence that often ends in the cynicism and disillusionment of adulthood. In 'The Logical Song', the burning question that came down to its rawest place was 'please tell me who I am,' and that's basically what the song is about. I think this eternal question continues to hit such a deep chord in people around the world and why it stays so meaningful." "
Breakfast in America ''Breakfast in America'' is the sixth studio album by the English rock band Supertramp, released by A&M Records on 29 March 1979. It was recorded in 1978 at The Village Recorder in Los Angeles. It spawned four US ''Billboard'' hit singles: "The ...
" was written by a young Roger before joining Supertramp. An error on a demo copy credits Rick Davies as the writer, but an addendum corrects it prior to the album's release. Hodgson has said that he wrote it during his late teens at a time when he "had a lot of dreams" and that it "still brings a smile to his face" when he sings it on stage. Prior to writing the song, he was driven to find a
harmonium The pump organ is a type of free-reed organ that generates sound as air flows past a vibrating piece of thin metal in a frame. The piece of metal is called a reed. Specific types of pump organ include the reed organ, harmonium, and melodeon. T ...
(also known as a pump organ); he found one at an elderly woman's house in a village in the English countryside, which he bought for 24 pounds. Hodgson brought it home and proceeded to write many songs on it immediately, "Breakfast in America" being one of them - because the harmonium "had a magical quality to it and still does". He had the lyrics written in about an hour in a "stream-of-consciousness" fashion, expressed from a "real joyful, playful place he was in at the time", while "dreaming of having
kippers A kipper is a whole herring, a small, oily fish, that has been split in a butterfly fashion from tail to head along the dorsal ridge, gutted, salted or pickled, and cold-smoked over smouldering wood chips (typically oak). In the United Kin ...
for breakfast to flying to America and seeing the girls in California, among other things". Hodgson still has the instrument today. The sound on the record is the original harmonium and a grand piano. The live album ''
Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
'' was released in 1980. '' ...Famous Last Words...'', released in 1982, included Hodgson's compositions "
It's Raining Again "It's Raining Again" is a song recorded by the English progressive rock band Supertramp and released as a single from their 1982 album '' …Famous Last Words…'' with credits given to Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson, although as indicated on th ...
", "Don't Leave Me Now", "C'est le Bon", "Know Who You Are" and "Crazy". Hodgson wrote hits such as "
Give a Little Bit "Give a Little Bit" is the opening song on Supertramp's 1977 album '' Even in the Quietest Moments...'' The song was released as a single that same year and became an international hit for the band, peaking at number 15 on the ''Billboard'' Pop ...
", "It's Raining Again", " Take the Long Way Home", " Dreamer", and "Fool's Overture". In 1981, Hodgson moved his family from Los Angeles to northern California, where he built a home studio and began contemplating solo recordings. The rest of Supertramp remained in Los Angeles and the geographic separation created a rift between them and Hodgson; feuding was virtually non-existent, but the group harmony was lost. Hodgson felt increasingly constrained in the group context, and during the tour for ''...Famous Last Words...'' he made the decision to leave Supertramp. He has stated that there were not any real problems in his relationship with Davies, as was speculated.


1984–present: Solo career

Roger Hodgson recorded three solo albums at his new home studio, the first before his departure from Supertramp. Titled ''Sleeping With the Enemy'', it was cut in the months between the release of ''...Famous Last Words...'' and its supporting tour, and mixed during Supertramp rehearsals for the tour in hopes of fitting in some solo promotion while on the road. However, at the last minute Hodgson had second thoughts about the album's quality and decided to scrap it, planning to record a new and better album after his last tour with Supertramp. '' In the Eye of the Storm'', released in late September 1984, would prove to be Hodgson's biggest success without the group. The album became an international hit, selling over two million copies. The single "Had a Dream (Sleeping With the Enemy)" peaked at number 48 on Billboard's
Hot 100 The ''Billboard'' Hot 100 is the music industry standard record chart in the United States for songs, published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine. Chart rankings are based on sales (physical and digital), radio play, and online streaming ...
charts and number 11 on Billboard's
Mainstream Rock Tracks Mainstream Rock is a music chart in ''Billboard'' magazine that ranks the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations in the United States, a category that combines the formats of active rock and heritage rock. The chart was launched in Ma ...
chart, and the follow-up single "
In Jeopardy "In Jeopardy" is a song by Roger Hodgson, released in 1984 as the second single from his debut solo album '' In the Eye of the Storm''. It peaked at number 30 on the '' Billboard'' Mainstream Rock Mainstream rock (also known as heritage rock) is ...
" peaked at number 30. Hodgson's second album was ''
Hai Hai ''Hai Hai'' is the second solo album by ex-Supertramp singer/guitarist/keyboardist Roger Hodgson, released in September 1987. Co-produced by future No Doubt and Black Crowes producer Jack Joseph Puig, and recorded at Hodgson's 48-track home studi ...
'' (1987). However, just prior to the album's release, Hodgson fell from a loft in his home and broke both wrists, which disabled him from promoting the album. Doctors told Hodgson that he would never play music again, but he was doing so within a year and a half. He decided to take a long break from both touring and recording in order to spend more time with his children. In 1990, Hodgson was approached by Yes to join them as lead vocalist, but he declined the offer. One of the songs he co-wrote with
Trevor Rabin Trevor Charles Rabin (; born ) is a South African rock musician and composer. Born into a musical family and raised in Johannesburg, Rabin took up the piano and guitar at an early age and became a session musician, playing and producing with a va ...
, "
Walls Walls may refer to: *The plural of wall, a structure * Walls (surname), a list of notable people with the surname Places * Walls, Louisiana, United States *Walls, Mississippi, United States * Walls, Ontario, neighborhood in Perry, Ontario, C ...
", appears on Yes's 1994 ''
Talk Talk may refer to: Communication * Communication, the encoding and decoding of exchanged messages between people * Conversation, interactive communication between two or more people * Lecture, an oral presentation intended to inform or instruct ...
'' album, with lyrics revised by
Jon Anderson John Roy Anderson (born 25 October 1944) is an English singer, songwriter and musician, best known as the lead singer of the progressive rock band Yes, which he formed in 1968 with bassist Chris Squire. He was a member of the band across thre ...
. A version of "Walls" with only Hodgson and Rabin on vocals was released on Rabin's 2003 archival release '' 90124''. After a long break, Hodgson launched into his first tour in over ten years, and released 1997's ''
Rites of Passage A rite of passage is a ceremony or ritual of the passage which occurs when an individual leaves one group to enter another. It involves a significant change of status in society. In cultural anthropology the term is the Anglicisation of ''rite ...
'' to document the tour. The live album was recorded at the
Miners Foundry The Miners Foundry (previously Nevada Foundry; Nevada Iron Foundry and Machine Shop, George Allan's Foundry and Machine Works, American Victorian Museum, Miners Foundry and Supply Company; currently Miners Foundry Cultural Center) is located at 32 ...
in Nevada City, California. He performed with a full band that included his son Andrew and Supertramp sax player
John Helliwell John Anthony Helliwell (born 15 February 1945) is an English musician, best known as the saxophonist, secondary keyboardist, backing vocalist, and occasional songwriter for the rock band Supertramp. He also served as an MC during the band's ...
. The album did not chart in the UK or the US, though it did reach number 34 in Germany. Hodgson played
King Arthur King Arthur ( cy, Brenin Arthur, kw, Arthur Gernow, br, Roue Arzhur) is a legendary king of Britain, and a central figure in the medieval literary tradition known as the Matter of Britain. In the earliest traditions, Arthur appears as a ...
in the
rock opera A rock opera is a collection of rock music songs with lyrics that relate to a common story. Rock operas are typically released as concept albums and are not scripted for acting, which distinguishes them from operas, although several have been ad ...
'' Excalibur: La Legende Des Celtes'', and appeared on the album for two songs: "The Elements", and "The Will of God". The project was headed by Alan Simon and released in 1999. In 2000, Hodgson contributed vocals on a track titled "The Moon Says Hello" by Carlos Núñez, on the CD ''Mayo Longo''. Hodgson's fourth solo effort, '' Open the Door'', was released in 2000 and continued in the vein of his previous work. He collaborated again with Alan Simon on the album. ''AllMusic'' stated of the album: "Fans will be delighted to hear Hodgson returning to the craft of writing high-quality songs"... "''Open the Door'' is the closest thing to Supertramp since ''...Famous Last Words...''." In August 2000, Hodgson guested with
Fairport Convention Fairport Convention are an English folk rock band, formed in 1967 by guitarists Richard Thompson and Simon Nicol, bassist Ashley Hutchings and drummer Shaun Frater (with Frater replaced by Martin Lamble after their first gig.) They started o ...
at that year's
Cropredy Festival Fairport's Cropredy Convention (formerly Cropredy Festival) is an annual festival of folk and rock music, headed by British folk-rock band Fairport Convention and held on the edge of the village of Cropredy in Oxfordshire, England. The festi ...
. He performed "Breakfast in America", "The Logical Song", "Open the Door" and "Give A Little Bit". In 2001, Hodgson toured as a member of
Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band is a live rock music, rock Supergroup (music), supergroup founded in 1989 with shifting personnel, led by former The Beatles, Beatles drummer and vocalist Ringo Starr. History and description Since 1989, Starr h ...
playing guitar and singing, and has since collaborated with Trevor Rabin (who appears on the track "The More I Look" on ''Open the Door''). Hodgson continued touring, often playing alone, and frequently joined by his band or a full orchestra. He took part in the Night of the Proms concert series in Belgium and Germany in late 2004, as well as the rock festival
Bospop Bospop is an annual rock festival in Weert, Netherlands. It started off in 1981 as an initiative by the local youth, as an event for local amateur bands. Within a few years, it was able to book renowned Dutch bands like Fatal Flowers, Herman B ...
in 2005 with return performances in 2011, 2013 and 2017. On 30 November 2005, he held his first concert in England for over twenty years, at
Shepherd's Bush Shepherd's Bush is a district of West London, England, within the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham west of Charing Cross, and identified as a major metropolitan centre in the London Plan. Although primarily residential in character, i ...
, London. While the performance was filmed and scheduled for a DVD release, the plan was scrapped. Instead, the concert recorded at the Place Des Arts in
Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...
, Canada on 6June 2006 was his first DVD, released on 22 August 2006, entitled '' Take the Long Way Home—Live in Montreal''. In October 2006, the DVD was certified multi-platinum by the CRIA (Canadian Recording Industry Association). In May 2006, Hodgson was honoured by
ASCAP The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) () is an American not-for-profit performance-rights organization (PRO) that collectively licenses the public performance rights of its members' musical works to venues, broadca ...
in recognition of his song "Give A Little Bit" being one of the most played songs in the ASCAP repertoire in 2005. He received another ASCAP award on 9April 2008 for the Gym Class Heroes' song "
Cupid's Chokehold "Cupid's Chokehold" is a song by American rap rock band Gym Class Heroes, featuring the vocals of Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy. The song relies heavily on the music and chorus from Supertramp's hit song "Breakfast in America" written by Roger ...
", a remake of Hodgson's "
Breakfast in America ''Breakfast in America'' is the sixth studio album by the English rock band Supertramp, released by A&M Records on 29 March 1979. It was recorded in 1978 at The Village Recorder in Los Angeles. It spawned four US ''Billboard'' hit singles: "The ...
", recognised as one of the most played songs in ASCAP's repertoire in 2007. Hodgson participated as a mentor on ''
Canadian Idol ''Canadian Idol'' is a Canadian reality television competition show which aired on CTV, based on the British show ''Pop Idol''. The show was a competition to find the most talented young singer in Canada, and was hosted by Ben Mulroney. Jon Dore ...
'' along with
Dennis DeYoung Dennis DeYoung (born February 18, 1947) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and record producer. He was a founding member of the rock band Styx, and served as its primary lead vocalist and keyboardist from 1972 until 1999. DeYoung was th ...
. He continued mentoring several of the finalists during his 2006 Canadian tour. Hodgson performed at the
Concert for Diana Concert for Diana was a benefit concert held at the newly built Wembley Stadium in London, United Kingdom in honour of Diana, Princess of Wales, on 1 July 2007, which would have been her 46th birthday. 31 August that year brought the 10th ann ...
at
Wembley Stadium Wembley Stadium (branded as Wembley Stadium connected by EE for sponsorship reasons) is a football stadium in Wembley, London. It opened in 2007 on the site of the Wembley Stadium (1923), original Wembley Stadium, which was demolished from 200 ...
, on 1July 2007. He sang a medley of his most popular songs: "Dreamer", "The Logical Song", "Breakfast in America" and "Give A Little Bit". On 18 September 2007, the DVD '' Take the Long Way Home—Live in Montreal'' was released worldwide, achieving Platinum status in just seven weeks, reaching No.1 in all Canada, and multi-Platinum and Gold in France and Germany. Hodgson toured the US, Australia, New Zealand, South America, Europe, and Canada in 2010. Though Hodgson's former bandmates in Supertramp announced a 40th Anniversary reunion tour, he was not invited to join them. Hodgson's '' Classics Live'' is a collection of recordings taken from solo, band, and orchestra shows from his 2010 world tour. In May 2012, Hodgson was honoured by France as a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters. This prestigious decoration was established in 1957 by the French Minister of Culture to recognise significant contributions to the arts. Hodgson continued to tour worldwide from 2011 to 2016, including two concerts at the Royal Albert Hall. Hodgson's tour continues into 2017 with announced dates in Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, the UK, Netherlands, France, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Spain, Monaco and Canada. In December 2017, Hodgson toured with
Night of the Proms Night of the Proms is a series of concerts held annually in Belgium (since 1985), the Netherlands, Germany and Luxembourg. Regularly there are also shows in France, Spain, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, Denmark, the United States and Sweden. The co ...
for 17 shows in Germany and Luxembourg. He was accompanied by saxophonist Michael Ghegan;
Emily Bear Emily Jordan Bear (born August 30, 2001) is an American composer, pianist, songwriter and singer. After beginning to play the piano and compose music as a small child, Bear made her professional piano debut at the Ravinia Festival at the age of ...
performed "School" with him. As related by ''Subba-Cultcha'' magazine about Hodgson's concerts: "Alternating between electric keys, a grand piano and several guitars, Hodgson effortlessly weaves the music around his audience giving an almost cathartic emotional release in some cases"... "His instantly recognisable voice and pulsating keys are in as fine a form as you will hear, and the genuine friendliness and personality of Hodgson, comes across in waves from stage to audience." During his concerts, Hodgson often shares stories with the audience of how his songs were written and "connects deeply with the fans in a way few stars of his stature do". In 2018, Hodgson kicked off his Breakfast in America world tour, in honour of the 40th anniversary of Supertramp's ''Breakfast in America'' album. ''Rolling Stone'' reviewed the tour favourably. On 4 June 2019, he was decorated with the
Order of Arts and Letters The ''Ordre des Arts et des Lettres'' (Order of Arts and Letters) is an order of France established on 2 May 1957 by the Minister of Culture. Its supplementary status to the was confirmed by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963. Its purpose is ...
by
Franck Riester Franck Riester (born 3 January 1974) is a French politician who has been serving as Minister Delegate for Parliamentary Relations in the Government of Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne since July 2022. He previously served as Minister Delegate for ...
, French minister of Culture, in Paris during a tour at the
Olympia The name Olympia may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film * ''Olympia'' (1938 film), by Leni Riefenstahl, documenting the Berlin-hosted Olympic Games * ''Olympia'' (1998 film), about a Mexican soap opera star who pursues a career as an athlet ...
.


Tours

*''Breakfast in America Tour'' (2012–2017)


Discography


Solo studio albums

*'' In the Eye of the Storm'' (1984) *''
Hai Hai ''Hai Hai'' is the second solo album by ex-Supertramp singer/guitarist/keyboardist Roger Hodgson, released in September 1987. Co-produced by future No Doubt and Black Crowes producer Jack Joseph Puig, and recorded at Hodgson's 48-track home studi ...
'' (1987) *'' Open the Door'' (2000)


Live albums

*''
Rites of Passage A rite of passage is a ceremony or ritual of the passage which occurs when an individual leaves one group to enter another. It involves a significant change of status in society. In cultural anthropology the term is the Anglicisation of ''rite ...
'' (1997) *'' Classics Live'' (2010)


with Supertramp

*''
Supertramp Supertramp were an English rock band that formed in London in 1969. Marked by the individual songwriting of founders Roger Hodgson (vocals, keyboards, and guitars) and Rick Davies (vocals and keyboards), they are distinguished for blending pro ...
'' (1970) *'' Indelibly Stamped'' (1971) *''
Crime of the Century "Crime of the century" is an idiomatic phrase used to describe particularly sensational or notorious criminal cases. Chua-Eoan, Howard (n.d.)"Crimes of the Century: The Top 25" ''Time''. Retrieved September 10, 2021. In the United States, it is of ...
'' (1974) *''
Crisis? What Crisis? ''Crisis? What Crisis?'' is the fourth album by the English rock band Supertramp, released in 1975. It was recorded in Los Angeles and London – Supertramp's first album to have recording done in the US. A remastered CD version of the album ...
'' (1975) *'' Even in the Quietest Moments...'' (1977) *''
Breakfast in America ''Breakfast in America'' is the sixth studio album by the English rock band Supertramp, released by A&M Records on 29 March 1979. It was recorded in 1978 at The Village Recorder in Los Angeles. It spawned four US ''Billboard'' hit singles: "The ...
'' (1979) *''
Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
'' (1980) *'' ...Famous Last Words...'' (1982)


References


External links

*
Interview with Roger Hodgson in International Songwriters Association's "Songwriter Magazine"
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hodgson, Roger 1950 births Living people 20th-century English singers 21st-century English singers People educated at Stowe School English rock singers English pop singers English rock guitarists English rock keyboardists British soft rock musicians English pianists English rock pianists English rock bass guitarists English male singer-songwriters Male bass guitarists English multi-instrumentalists Art rock musicians Progressive rock musicians Musicians from Oxford Supertramp members Ivor Novello Award winners A&M Records artists Epic Records artists Articles containing video clips Lead guitarists English expatriates in the United States 20th-century British guitarists 21st-century British guitarists British male pianists Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band members People educated at Woodcote House School