Spencer Davis
by Craig HarrisWales-born guitarist, harmonica player and vocalist Spencer Davis became one of the elder statesmen of mid-1960s British rock. Together with his group, the Spencer Davis Band, which he formed in Birmingham in 1963, he scored with chart-topping hits, "Keep On Running" and "Somebody Help Me", in the UK and top ten hits, "Gimme Good Lovin'" and "I'm A Man", in the United States. The band, which featured teenaged Stevie Winwood on vocals, guitar and organ, his brother, Muff Winwood on bass and Peter York on drums, continued to mix commercial pop tunes and blues-inspired R&B until the Winwoods departed in 1967.
Inspired by American blues musicians, including Ledbelly and Muddy Waters, Davis left a career as a college English professor to form the Rhythm And Blues Quartet. After performing a series of gigs at Birmingham nightclub, the Golden Eagle Pub, the group became the club's resident band. Soon after adding regular Tuesday night sessions at the Marquee in London to their schedule, they changed their name to the Spencer Davis Group.
Although he briefly kept the band together, following the departure of Steve and Muff Winwood, and recorded two minor hits, "Mr. Second Class" and "Time Seller", Davis disbanded the group. After briefly sharing a duo with guitarist Alun Davies, he moved to California in 1970. Remaining active as a musician, he recorded a solo album that quickly went out of print, formed a new blues-pop band, Davis, York, Hardin and Fenwick in 1973 and an acoustic blues band with Richard Landis and Peter Jameson.
For much of the remainder of the 1970s and early-80s, Davis worked behind the scenes. After working as a consultant for a California video company, he worked as an independent producer and publicist for Island Records, where he helped to guide the early careers of Robert Palmer and Bob Marley, and served as head of A&R for a small Hollywood-based independent label. In addition to recording an impressive solo album, Crossfire, featuring guest appearances by Dusty Springfield, Flo and Eddie and Booker T. Jones, he produced Spokane, Washington-based group, USK and Canada's Downchild Blues Band.
Forming a new version of the Spencer Davis Group, in 1984, Davis toured throughout the United States, Europe and the Middle East. By 1987, the group averaged more than one hundred shows a year. Davis appeared as a guest during concerts by the Grateful Dead, Gary U.S. Bonds, Levon Helm, Bruce Springsteen, Peter "Herman" Noone, Downchild and Alvin Lee.
Joining with ex-Iron Butterfly and Blues Image guitarist/vocalist Mike Pinera, ex-Rare Earth drummer/vocalist Peter Rivera and ex-Sugarloaf bassist/vocalist Jerry Corbetta, Davis formed the Classic Rock All Stars in 1993. During the two years that he worked with the group, Davis was featured on an album, Double Live and performed in North America and Japan.
Davis's original songs were featured in such films as Iron Eagle, Big Chill, Mr. Destiny, Days Of Thunder, Mr. Holland's Opus and Notting Hill. He recorded numerous advertising jingles, in the mid-1990s, and appeared in a co-starring role on television comedy, Married With Children.
Inspired by American blues musicians, including Ledbelly and Muddy Waters, Davis left a career as a college English professor to form the Rhythm And Blues Quartet. After performing a series of gigs at Birmingham nightclub, the Golden Eagle Pub, the group became the club's resident band. Soon after adding regular Tuesday night sessions at the Marquee in London to their schedule, they changed their name to the Spencer Davis Group.
Although he briefly kept the band together, following the departure of Steve and Muff Winwood, and recorded two minor hits, "Mr. Second Class" and "Time Seller", Davis disbanded the group. After briefly sharing a duo with guitarist Alun Davies, he moved to California in 1970. Remaining active as a musician, he recorded a solo album that quickly went out of print, formed a new blues-pop band, Davis, York, Hardin and Fenwick in 1973 and an acoustic blues band with Richard Landis and Peter Jameson.
For much of the remainder of the 1970s and early-80s, Davis worked behind the scenes. After working as a consultant for a California video company, he worked as an independent producer and publicist for Island Records, where he helped to guide the early careers of Robert Palmer and Bob Marley, and served as head of A&R for a small Hollywood-based independent label. In addition to recording an impressive solo album, Crossfire, featuring guest appearances by Dusty Springfield, Flo and Eddie and Booker T. Jones, he produced Spokane, Washington-based group, USK and Canada's Downchild Blues Band.
Forming a new version of the Spencer Davis Group, in 1984, Davis toured throughout the United States, Europe and the Middle East. By 1987, the group averaged more than one hundred shows a year. Davis appeared as a guest during concerts by the Grateful Dead, Gary U.S. Bonds, Levon Helm, Bruce Springsteen, Peter "Herman" Noone, Downchild and Alvin Lee.
Joining with ex-Iron Butterfly and Blues Image guitarist/vocalist Mike Pinera, ex-Rare Earth drummer/vocalist Peter Rivera and ex-Sugarloaf bassist/vocalist Jerry Corbetta, Davis formed the Classic Rock All Stars in 1993. During the two years that he worked with the group, Davis was featured on an album, Double Live and performed in North America and Japan.
Davis's original songs were featured in such films as Iron Eagle, Big Chill, Mr. Destiny, Days Of Thunder, Mr. Holland's Opus and Notting Hill. He recorded numerous advertising jingles, in the mid-1990s, and appeared in a co-starring role on television comedy, Married With Children.
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