Spencer Davis

Spencer Davis (born Spencer David Nelson Davies; 17 July 193919 October 2020) was a Welsh musician. He founded the Spencer Davis Group, a band that had several hits in the 1960s including "Keep On Running", "Somebody Help Me", "Gimme Some Lovin'" and "I'm a Man", all sung by Steve Winwood. Davis subsequently enjoyed success as an A&R executive with Island Records.

Early life Davis was born in Swansea, south-west Wales, on 17 July 1939. His father was a paratrooper during World War II. While his father was away, his uncle Herman was a musical influence on Davis, teaching him how to play the harmonica at age six. While growing up in Swansea, Davis lived through The Blitz: "The bombed city centre was my playground. I watched the town being absolutely destroyed." Davis's mother continued to live in the West Cross area of Swansea until her death. He began learning to play harmonica and accordion at the age of six. He attended Dynevor School in Swansea and became proficient at speaking a few languages. He moved to London when he was 16 and began working in the civil service as a clerical officer at the Post Office Savings Bank in Hammersmith and then for HM Customs and Excise. However, he went back to his old school to study for A-levels in languages, becoming head boy in 1959. In 1960, he moved to Birmingham, to read German at the University of Birmingham. In music circles, Davis was later known as "Professor".

Early music career His early musical influences were skiffle, jazz, and blues. Musical artists who influenced Davis include Big Bill Broonzy, Huddy Ledbetter, Buddy Holly, Davey Graham, John Martyn, Alexis Korner, and Long John Baldry. By the time he was 16, Davis was hooked on the guitar and the American rhythm and blues music making its way across the Atlantic. With few opportunities to hear R&B in South Wales, Davis attended as many local gigs as practical.

When Davis moved to Birmingham as a student, he often performed on stage after his teaching day. While in Birmingham, he formed a musical and personal relationship with Christine Perfect who was later a member of Chicken Shack and then Fleetwood Mac. From the mid-1970s onwards, Davis lived in Avalon on Catalina Island, a small island off the coast of Southern California. During the summer of 2012, the Catalina Island Museum hosted an exhibition called "Gimme Some Lovin': The Spencer Davis Group", to celebrate Davis's musical career. To complement the museum show, the museum also hosted a symposium on "The British Invasion", where Davis was joined on a panel by, among others, Micky Dolenz of the Monkees and a July Fourth concert featuring Davis singing his hits with a backing band named 'The Catalina All Stars'.

Personal life Davis is survived by his partner, June Dante, three children, Lisa, Sarah and Gareth, and five grandchildren.

Death Davis died from pneumonia in Los Angeles on 19 October 2020 at the age of 81.

Discography

With The Spencer Davis Group

Studio albums Label: FontanaAutumn '66 Released: 26 August 1966 Label: Victoria Label: Angel Air Originally planned for release in 1969 by CBS Records in the UK as Letters From Edith but withdrawn; released in the US by Date Records, a sub-label of Columbia Records, in 1970 as Funky but quickly withdrawn due to the dissolution of the label

EPs Label: FontanaEvery Little Bit Hurts Released: October 1965 Released: May 1966 Label: Fontana 1978 Spencer Davis Group| Released: May 1978 Label: Island Compilation EP 2017 Rambling Rose'' Released: 22 April 2017 Label: Rhythm & Blues Record Store Day release

Singles YearSingle1964"Dimples""I Can't Stand It"1965"Every Little Bit Hurts""Strong Love""Keep On Running"1966"Somebody Help Me""This Hammer" (Norway and Sweden-only release)"Sittin' and Thinkin'" (Netherlands-only release)"When I Come Home""Together 'Til the End of Time" (Norway-only release)"Take This Hurt Off Me" (Norway-only release)"Georgia on My Mind" (Netherlands-only release)"Gimme Some Lovin'""Det war in Schöneberg" (Germany-only release)"High Time Baby" (Norway-only release)1967"I'm a Man""Time Seller""It's Gonna Work Out Fine" (New Zealand-only release)"When a Man Loves a Woman" (Italy-only release)"Mr. Second Class"1968"After Tea""Looking Back" (US, Canada and Germany-only release)"(Aquarius) Der Wassermann" (Germany and Netherlands-only release)"Short Change"1971"Magpie" (as 'The Murgatroyd Band')1973"Don't You Let It Bring You Down" (US and Canada-only release)"Catch You on the Rebop""Mr. Operator""Livin' in a Back Street"1974"Another Day" (Spain-only release)

As Spencer Davis

Studio Albums Released: 1971 Label: Allegiance Records 2006So Far Released: 2006 Label: Varèse Sarabande

Singles Released: 1971 Released: 1984 Label: Allegiance