The Spencer Davis Group

The Spencer Davis Group were a British rock band formed in Birmingham in 1963 by Spencer Davis (guitar), brothers Steve Winwood (vocals, keyboards, and guitar) and Muff Winwood (bass guitar), and Pete York (drums). Their best known songs include the UK No. 1 hits "Keep On Running" and "Somebody Help Me" and the UK and US Top 10 hits "Gimme Some Lovin'" and "I'm a Man".The Winwood brothers both left in 1967, with Steve going on to form the rock band Traffic, and Muff moving into music A&R and production. After releasing a few more singles and two more albums, the band split in 1969. Davis and York revived the group in 1973–1974, resulting in a further two albums. In 2006, the group was revived again, with Davis as the only original member, this time primarily as a touring act. Davis died on 19 October 2020, effectively ending the band.The Spencer Davis Group was formed in 1963 in Birmingham after Spencer Davis, a guitarist from Swansea, Wales encountered vocalist and organist Steve Winwood (then 14) and his bass playing brother Muff Winwood performing at a Birmingham pub, the Golden Eagle, as the Muff Woody Jazz Band. He recruited them and Pete York on drums to form the Rhythm and Blues Quartette, which performed regularly in the city.In 1964, they signed their first recording contract after Chris Blackwell of Island Records saw them at an appearance in a local club; Blackwell also became their producer. Island was then a small independent label with UK Fontana contracted for distribution. Muff Winwood came up with the band's name, reasoning, "Spencer was the only one who enjoyed doing interviews, so I pointed out that if we called it the Spencer Davis Group, the rest of us could stay in bed and let him do them."The group's first professional recording was a cover version of "Dimples", released as a single in 1964. In late 1965, they gained their first No. 1 single with "Keep On Running", written by reggae musician Jackie Edwards. In 1966, they followed this with another Jackie Edwards-written No. 1 hit "Somebody Help Me" and the Top 20 hit "When I Come Home", this song a collaboration between Edwards and Steve Winwood. "Keep On Running" and "Somebody Help Me" were issued as singles in the US on Atco during 1966, but due to lack of promotion, neither of them gained airplay or entered the American charts.

Biography summary from English Wikipedia, photograph via Wikimedia Commons.