Spencer Davis Group

The Spencer Davis Group are a British band formed in Birmingham in 1963, by Spencer Davis (guitar) with Steve Winwood (keyboards, guitar) and his brother, Muff Winwood (bass guitar) and Pete York (drums). Their best known songs include the UK number ones "Somebody Help Me" and "Keep on Running" (both written by reggae musician Jackie Edwards), "I'm a Man" and "Gimme Some Lovin'", which reached #2 in the UK and #7 in the US.
Steve Winwood left in 1967 to form Traffic before joining Blind Faith, then forging a career as a solo artist. After releasing a few more singles, the band ceased to be active in 1968. Davis refounded the group on two more occasions, without the involvement of the Winwood brothers, first in 1973–1974 for two more albums, and again from 2006, since when they have primarily been a touring act.
In October 2020, Davis died from pneumonia at the age of 81.
== Links to Peel ==
John Peel was aware of the Spencer Davis Group during his time in the USA, where their singles "Gimme Some Lovin'" and "I'm A Man" made the Top Ten charts. They were one of the most successful groups of the mid-1960s and were heavily featured in the British pop press. Some of their hits were also featured in Peel's KMEN British Pop Top Ten on KMEN radio in San Bernardino; ."Keep On Running" in January 1966, "Somebody Help Me" topping the chart for two weeks in April, "When I Come Home" spending seven weeks in the listings in September and October, and "Gimme Some Lovin'" ten weeks, from November 1966 until January 1967. In addition, an article on Spencer Davis and the group appeared in the Kmentertainer of December 23, 1966. It may well have been written by Peel, although the author is uncredited. 
Peel also saw the Spencer Davis Group at Liverpool's Cavern Club during a holiday in the UK in 1965, according to the book The Cavern Club: The Rise Of The Beatles And Merseyside.   This may explain why he seemed keen on their work during his final year in the US, but the band lost much of their popularity after Steve Winwood left to form Traffic in early 1967. They had no more major hits after that, but did a session for Top Gear at the end of that year.
Steve Winwood remained the most famous ex-member of the Spencer Davis Group and his work with Traffic was reguarly featured on Peel's shows until the mid-1970s. Spencer Davis himself pursued a more low-key career as an acoustic artist, while Eddie Hardin and Pete York formed the band Hardin-York, which attracted some music business attention, but not much from Peel, although he played a track by them on the show of 15 November 1969. However, Muff Winwood, Steve's brother, became a record producer and A&R man with Island Records and later CBS. He was involved with many artists Peel featured, including Mott The Hoople, Sparks, the Sutherland Brothers, and Kevin Ayers
== Sessions ==
1. Recorded: 1967-12-30. Broadcast: 07 January 1968
*Taking Out Time / Mr Second Class / Time Sailor / Don't Want You No More / With His New Face On
== Other Shows Played ==
;thumb|330x330px1967
*31 December 1967: Mr. Second Class (single) United Artists 
;1968
*21 January 1968: Taking Out Time (shared LP with Traffic - Here We Go 'Round The Mulberry Bush (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)) United Artists
;KMEN British Pop Top Ten
*18 Feb 1966: Keep On Running (2)
*25 Feb 1966: Keep On Running (8)
*15 Apr 1966: Somebody Help Me (4)
*22 Apr 1966: Somebody Help Me (1)
*29 Apr 1966: Somebody Help Me (1)
*06 May 1966: Somebody Help Me (2)
*13 May 1966: Somebody Help Me (6)
*20 May 1966: Somebody Help Me (6)
*16 Sep 1966: When I Come Home (9)
*23 Sep 1966: When I Come Home (7)
*30 Sep 1966: When I Come Home (7)
*07 Oct 1966: When I Come Home (7)
*14 Oct 1966: When I Come Home (8)
*21 Oct 1966: When I Come Home (10)
*28 Oct 1966: When I Come Home (10)
*18 Nov 1966: Gimme Some Loving (7)
*25 Nov 1966: Gimme Some Loving (2)
*02 Dec 1966: Gimme Some Loving (2)
*10 Dec 1966: Gimme Some Loving (2)
*17 Dec 1966: Gimme Some Loving (2)
*24 Dec 1966: Gimme Some Loving (3)
*31 Dec 1966: Gimme Some Loving (8)
*07 Jan 1967: Gimme Some Loving (9)
*14 Jan 1967: Gimme Some Loving (9)
*21 Jan 1967: Gimme Some Loving (9)
== External Links ==
* Wikipedia
* Discogs
Category:Artists