Spencer Davies, the Welsh guitarist belonging to the Spencer Davis Group and who helped popularise blues and RnB in the sixties, has died aged 81. He passed away on Monday after being treated for pneumonia in hospital.
The band formed in 1963 and have 2 number 1 hits in the UK. The group split in 1969 and then reformed in the mid 70’s and again in 2006 when they returned for an international tour. Along with other sixties popular bands, they had helped to popularise blues and RnB in the UK. Their hits included, ‘Gimmie some lovin,’ ‘Keep on helping,’ ‘Somebody Help Me’ and ‘I’m a Man.’
His Friend, Bob Birk who was a musician friend for more than 30 years told BBC News, “He was a very good friend. He was a highly ethical, very talented, good-hearted, extremely intelligent, generous man. He will be missed.”
At the age of just 6, Davis learnt to play the harmonica and the accordion. After taking up the guitar, he formed his first band, ‘The Saints’ with Bill Wyman who later joined ‘The Rolling Stones.’ He moved to Birmingham for university and played America folk and Blues in bands. This led to the formation of the ‘Spencer Davies Group’ a rhythm and blues quartet with drummer Spencer Davies.
Their first chart toping hit, ‘Keep on Running’ was a cover song by Jack Edwards. It topped the charts in 1966, when it knocked the Beatles A sided single, ‘We Can Work It Out / Day Tripper,’ off the top chart spot. A telegram from The Beatles congratulated them from The BBC, “Congratulations on reaching number one – The Beatles.”
Some of their later chart hits including, ‘I’m a man’ and ‘Gimmie Some Lovin’ were covered by the Blues Brothers. The band also recorded the theme song for the children’s tv show, ‘Magpie’ under the pseudonym ‘The Murgatroyd Band.’ The Spencer Davies Group last hit, ‘I’m a Man’ reached the top 10 in the US and the UK in 1967.
The Spencer Davies Groups’ music is still popular today and is played frequently. Officialcharts.com have reported that they spent 3 weeks at number 1 with, ‘Keep On Running’ ‘Somebody Help Me’ and ‘March’ with 19 weeks in the top 10 and 55 weeks in the top 40.
Jim Simpson from Birmingham’s International Jazz Festival said on his passing, “I took Pete’s call half an hour ago and thought: What a shame. Spencer was a lovely man – always very courteous and a purist about music. The Spencer Davis Group stuck more to the blues and never became a fully-fledged rock band. They had a residency at the sadly now demolished Golden Eagle on Hill Street and were originally called The Rhythm and Blues Quartet – a terrible name!” – Birmingham Live
1970,’s Spandau Ballet singer Gary Kemp paid tribute to the Davis tweeting, “He lead a magnificent band, one of the greats of the 60s, along with Muff and Steve Winwood. Keep in [sic] Running and Gimme Some Lovin’ were R&B classics. He drove soul into the white rock sound of the time.”
RIP Spencer Davis. He lead a magnificent band, one of the greats of the 60s, along with Muff and Steve Winwood. Keep in Running and Gimme Some Lovin’ we’re r&b classics. He drove soul into the white rock sound of the time. #SpencerDavis pic.twitter.com/LmAM9xXYKv
— Gary Kemp (@garyjkemp) October 20, 2020