Spencer Davis, Julian Dawson

Spencer Davis, the legendary 60’s singer/ guitarist who’s now living in the States, has agreed to do a rare live appearance with a one-off UK performance of song and chat at the Victory Hall in Whimple, Devon on Saturday 25th March accompanied by Julian Dawson.

The venue at Whimple [EX5 2SN] will have a licensed bar and limited free parking. Tickets (all seated) at £12 each available online from www.onawhimpromotions.co.uk, Whimple Stores, Handsome Dicks Records or Rooster Records

Hailing from Wales, Spencer founded the famed Spencer Davis Group in 1963, producing a dozen top 10 hit songs, including “Gimme Some Lovin”, “Somebody Help Me”, “I’m a Man”, and “Keep On Runnin”, helping to bring British rock ‘n roll to the rest of the world.

The popularity of his songs live on and Spencer recently accepted an award from BMI in London for over 3 million broadcast performances of “Gimme Some Lovin.” Over the decades Spencer’s songs continue to live on in movies, such as Days of Thunder, Top Gun, Notting Hill, Iron Eagle, The Blues Brothers, Flight of the Phoenix, to name a few.

Starting out with degrees in modern languages, Spencer left his teaching career to begin his music career in Birmingham, recruiting drummer Pete York and brothers, Muff and Steve Winwood. Davis performed on guitar, vocals and harmonica. By the end of 1966, the group had numerous hits, including Gimme Some Lovin and I’m a Man, these two songs became their best-known successes, especially in the U.S. Touring with the Rolling Stones and The Who when they were still working clubs, and having after-hour drinks with The Beatles, jamming with Long John Baldry.

When the hits started to come one after the other, his momentum spurred major US success. Moving to America in 1970, Spencer went on to forge a solo career, forming an acoustic blues band. By the mid-’70s Spencer worked at Island Records (his group’s label) as a record company executive, personally helping to further the profiles of artists like Robert Palmer and Bob Marley.

In the early 80’s Spencer was head of A&R for a Hollywood-based independent label and the itch to play in a band again was coming back. That’s when he made his next album, “Crossfire”, with guests like Dusty Springfield, Flo and Eddie, and Booker T. Jones. In mid 80’s, Spencer was back on the road with his own band, touring America, Europe and the Middle East. By 90’s he was performing well over 100 shows a year. Including guest appearances with the Grateful Dead, Levon Helm, Springsteen’s E Street Band, and Peter Noone, amongst others, as well as opening for Hall & Oates and the Marshall Tucker Band.

Spencer spends most of his time in the States where he lives and tours, and he is currently writing his autobiography with the help of Julian Dawson, after his successful biography of the session great, Nicky Hopkins.