Associated Press
Oct. 21, 2020 at 8:30 a.m. PDT
Spencer Davis, a British guitarist and bandleader whose eponymous rock group had 1960s hits including “Gimme Some Lovin’ ” and “I’m a Man,” died Oct. 19 in California. He was 81.
His agent, Bob Birk, said the cause was pneumonia but did not release further details.
Influenced by the burgeoning British blues and skiffle scenes, Mr. Davis performed in bands with future stars including the Rolling Stones’ Bill Wyman and Christine Perfect — later Fleetwood Mac’s Christine McVie. He formed the Spencer Davis Group in 1963, with a teenage Steve Winwood on keyboards and guitar, his brother Muff Winwood on bass and Pete York on drums.
With Steve Winwood as lead vocalist, the band had two No. 1 U.K. singles — “Keep on Running” in 1965 and “Somebody Help Me” in 1966 — and seven British top 40 hits before Steve Winwood’s departure in 1967.
Mr. Davis released several solo albums without recapturing his 1960s fame, and later reformed the Spencer Davis Group without the Winwood brothers. In later years he was regarded as an influential elder statesman of British rock.
Spencer David Nelson Davies was born in Swansea, Wales, on July 17, 1939. He began working as a musician while he was a student at the University of Birmingham.
Survivors include his partner, June, and three children.
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