Roger Hodgson

Charles Roger Pomfret Hodgson (born 21 March 1950) is an English singer, musician and songwriter. He is best known as the founding member and former co-frontman of the rock band Supertramp. He wrote or co-wrote and sang the majority of the band’s hits including "Dreamer", "Give a Little Bit", "Take the Long Way Home", "The Logical Song", "It's Raining Again", and "Breakfast in America".

In 1983, Hodgson left Supertramp. 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.

Hodgson was born in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, on 21 March 1950, the son of Charles and Jill Hodgson (née Pomfret), and grew up in Oxford. He attended prep school Woodcote House School near Windlesham, Surrey, where he was the first boy to learn electric guitar, and public school Stowe School near Buckingham. Hodgson's first guitar, given to him when he was 12, was a parting gift from his father when his parents divorced.: 26–28 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.: 26–28 The group recorded a single, "Duck Pond" and its B-side "Send Me No Flowers", which was never released.

Biography summary from English Wikipedia, photograph via Wikimedia Commons.