Spencer Davis
Welsh pop musician best known for Gimme Some Lovin’ and Keep on Running
Spencer Davis (Spencer David Nelson Davies), pop musician. Born: 17 July 1939 in Swansea, South Wales. Died: 19 October 2020, aged 81
Spence rD a vis, the Welsh guitarist and band leader whose eponymous rock group had 1960s hits including Gimme Some Lovin’ and I’m a Man, has died. He was 81.
With Steve Winwood as lead vocalist, the Spencer Davis Group had two No. 1 UK – singles – Keep on Running in 1965 and Somebody Help Me in 1966 – and seven British top 40 hits before Steve Winwood’s departure in 1967.
Davis’ agent, Bob Birk, said Davis died in hospital while being treated for pneumonia. He did not give a location, but Davis lived in California.
Birk told the PA news agency: “I have represented him as his agent for over 30 years. He was a very good friend. He was a highly ethical, very talented, good-hearted, extremely intelligent, generous man.
“He leaves behind his longtime domestic partner June and three adult children. He will be missed.”
Davis, who was known in musical circles as the Professor, was born in Swansea and began learning harmonic a and accordion at the age of six.
He began working as a musician while he was a student at the University of Birmingham.
Influenced by the burgeoning British blues and skiffle scenes, he performed in bands with future stars including the Rolling Stones’ Bill Wyman and Christine Perfect – later Fleet wood Mac’ s Christine Mcvie. He formed the Spencer Davis Group in 1963, with a teenage Steve Win wood on keyboards and guitar, his brother Mu ff Win wood on bass and Pete York on drums.
They originally performed as the Rhythm and Blues Quarte ta nd played mostly R&B covers. Within a year, they had landed a regular gig at the famous Marquee Club on Oxford Street in London, and by 1964 had adopted the name The Spencer Davis Group.
The original line -up were together for six years, with subsequent reunions featuring a variety of new players.
The tr ac kGim me Some Lovin’ famously featured on the soundtracks of films The Blues Brothers and Notting Hill. Music by The Spencer Davis Group is also included in the recent Helen Reddy biopic I Am Woman.
Waterloo Road actor Philip Martin Brown was among those paying tribute. He said on Twitter :“# RIP Spencer Davis. Such happy memories of Northern Soul dancing to This Hammer.”
The Brian Jonestown Massacre frontman Anton Newcombe shared a video of the band pe rf or mingGim me Some Lovin’. He wrote: “Rest In Peace Spencer Davis.”
Horace Panter, bassist with ska band The Specials, tweeted :“One of the pioneers of those great 60 sb and sf using soul and R&B into rock. Remember first hearing #the spencer davis band as an impressionable teenager. Just got their album out so turntable beckons.”
Stevie Van Zandt, best known as a member of Bruce Springsteen’ s E Street Band, said he was a fan of Davis, tweeting :“The British Invasion is my main thing. RIP Spencer Davis. Thank you.”
Davis released several solo albums without re ca pt uring his 1960s fame, and later reformed the Spencer Davis Group without the Winwood brothers. In later years he was regarded as an influential elder statesman of British rock.