Celebrity

‘Gimme Some Lovin’ rocker Spencer Davis dies aged 81

Oct 21, 2020

The 1960s rocker passed away in hospital, where he was being treated for pneumonia. Source: Getty.

British musician Spencer Davis, who shot to fame as the guitarist and bandleader of his eponymous group in the 1960s, has passed away aged 81.

The ‘I’m A Man’ and ‘Gimme Some Lovin” rocker died in hospital where he was being treated for pneumonia, his agent Bob Birk told the BBC. Davis is survived by his partner June and three adult children.

“He was a very good friend,” Birk said. “He was a highly ethical, very talented, good-hearted, extremely intelligent, generous man. He will be missed.”

Davis formed the Spencer Davis Group in 1963 featuring Steve Winwood on keyboards and guitar, his brother Muff Winwood on bass and Pete York on drums. The group had two number one singles in the UK with 1965’s ‘Keep on Running’, followed by ‘Somebody Help Me’ a year later.

While both of their chart-topping hits were in fact covers, they also proved themselves as songwriters and enjoyed chart success with the likes of ‘I’m A Man’ and ‘Gimme Some Lovin”. In 1966, they also starred in their own musical comedy film The Ghost Goes Gear, alongside Nicholas Parsons, Arthur Howard and Sheila White.

The group split in 1967 when frontman Steve Winwood left to form Traffic. Davis went on to release solo material, however he never enjoyed the same success. In the ’70s he landed a job in artist development at Island Records, where he helped to promote the likes of Bob Marley, Robert Palmer and Eddie And The Hot Rods.