Spencer Davis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Spencer Davis
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Davis performing in July 2006
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Spencer David Nelson Davies |
| Born | 17 July 1939 Swansea, Wales |
| Died | 19 October 2020 (aged 81) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
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| Years active | 1963–2020 |
| Labels |
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| Associated acts | The Spencer Davis Group, World Classic Rockers |
Spencer Davis (born Spencer David Nelson Davies; 1939–2020) was a talented musician and singer from Wales. He started The Spencer Davis Group, a famous band from the 1960s. They had many hit songs like "Keep On Running", "Gimme Some Lovin'", and "I'm a Man". Another band member, Steve Winwood, sang lead on these hits. Later, Spencer also worked as an A&R executive for Island Records. This meant he helped find and develop new music artists.
Contents
Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Spencer Davis was born in Swansea, Wales, on July 17, 1939. His father was a soldier during World War II. While his dad was away, his uncle Herman taught Spencer to play the harmonica when he was just six years old.
Growing up, Spencer lived through the bombing of his city. He later said, "The bombed city centre was my playground. I watched the town being absolutely destroyed." His mother lived in Swansea until she passed away.
Spencer also learned to play the accordion at age six. He went to Dynevor School and became very good at learning languages. When he was 16, he moved to London and worked for the Post Office Savings Bank. He later went back to school to study languages more, becoming head boy in 1959. In 1960, he moved to Birmingham to study German at the University of Birmingham. Because of his studies, people in music circles sometimes called him "Professor."
Discovering Rhythm and Blues
Spencer's first musical loves were skiffle, jazz, and blues. He was influenced by artists like Big Bill Broonzy and Buddy Holly. By the time he was 16, Spencer was hooked on playing the guitar and listening to American rhythm and blues music. This music was just starting to become popular in the UK.
There weren't many places to hear R&B in South Wales, so Spencer went to as many local concerts as he could. When he moved to Birmingham for university, he often performed on stage after his classes. In Birmingham, he also became friends with Christine McVie, who later joined the famous band Fleetwood Mac.
Forming The Spencer Davis Group
In 1963, Spencer went to a club in Birmingham called the Golden Eagle. He saw a jazz band there that included two brothers, Muff Winwood and his younger brother, Steve Winwood. Spencer convinced them to join him and drummer Pete York to form a new band called the Rhythm and Blues Quartet.
In the band, Spencer played guitar, sang, and played harmonica. Steve Winwood played guitar, organ, and sang. Muff Winwood played bass, and Pete York played drums. They decided to call themselves The Spencer Davis Group because Spencer was the only one who liked doing interviews with the press. This meant the other band members could sleep in!
Their live performances quickly caught the attention of Chris Blackwell, who started Island Records. He signed the group to their first contract and became their manager. The band had two number one hits in the UK in 1966: "Keep On Running" and "Somebody Help Me". Steve Winwood sang lead on all of The Spencer Davis Group's big hits, including "I'm a Man" in 1967.
The Spencer Davis Group continued even after Steve Winwood left in 1967 to form his own band, Traffic. The group made two more albums before they broke up in 1969. Later, different versions of the band toured with Spencer leading them.
Life After the Group
After The Spencer Davis Group first broke up, Spencer moved to California. He recorded an acoustic album called It's Been So Long in 1971. He then made a solo album called Mousetrap. Neither album sold very well.
Soon after, he moved back to the UK and formed a new Spencer Davis Group. In the mid-1970s, Spencer also worked as an executive at Island Records. In this role, he helped promote famous artists like Bob Marley, Robert Palmer, and even his former bandmate, Steve Winwood, in his solo career.
In 1993, Spencer formed a "supergroup" called the Class Rock All-Stars. He left that group in 1995 to create World Classic Rockers. This band included other famous musicians like Randy Meisner from the Eagles and Bobby Kimball from Toto.
Later Years and Legacy
Spencer always loved Germany, where he had studied the language and played in clubs early in his career. He saw both the Berlin Wall being built in 1961 and, with his son, its fall in 1989.
Spencer was a supporter of the Wales Nationalist Party, Plaid Cymru. From the mid-1970s, he lived on Catalina Island in California. In 2012, the Catalina Island Museum had an exhibition called "Gimme Some Lovin': The Spencer Davis Group" to celebrate his music. Spencer also took part in a discussion about "The British Invasion" of music.
Spencer had three children. He passed away from pneumonia in Los Angeles on October 19, 2020, at the age of 81.
Images for kids
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Davis performing in July 2006
See also
In Spanish: Spencer Davis para niños
