BIOGRAPHY

This rock star from Wales, who created the famed Spencer Davis Group in 1963, has close to 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."

Starting out with degrees in modern languages (with fluency in German, French and Spanish), Spencer had left his teaching career to began his music career in Birmingham with drummer, Pete York and brothers, Steve and Muff Winwood.

Touring with the Rolling Stones and The Who when they were still working clubs, having after-hour drinks with Beatles, John and Paul and the lads, jamming with Charlie Watts and Long John Baldry and Jack Bruce were heady days for Spencer. 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 record a now-hard-to-find solo album, then played in an acoustic blues band, which included Richard Landis (former Juice Newton producer and manager) and Peter Jameson. By the mid-’70s Spencer worked at Island Records (his group’s label) and, as a record company executive, worked to further the profiles of people like Robert Palmer and Bob Marley.

In the early 80´s Spencer was head of A&R for a small 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 1984 Spencer was back on the road with his own band in America. Then came European and Middle Eastern tours with Pete York, plus other British rock legends, Brian Auger and Chris Farlowe. It was during this time he recorded pioneering CD albums for German and Swiss release.

Days on the road increased, as did the fans, and by 1987 he was performing well over 100 shows a year. For a rock and roll who’s-who, he made guest appearances with the Grateful Dead, Gary US Bonds, Levon Helm, Springsteen´s E Street Band, Peter Noone, Downchild, and Alvin Lee.

In the early 90’s. audiences watched Spencer pick up the pace at club and concert tours. His stature as a rock and roll ‘legend’ opened doors to a wide variety of benefits, telethons and special TV and radio appearances -- criss-crossing through the US and Canada with forays into Europe, including opening acts for Hall & Oates and the Marshall Tucker Band.

His guest appearances on TV and radio talk shows mounted throughout most of 1990 as Spencer became involved promoting the definitive photo collection of Michael Cooper’s book, “Blinds and Shutters,” -- Spencer being one of many contributors to the book. His tours during that time took him through Australia, the US, Canada and Japan with his own group.

In 1993, Spencer united with three other famed musicians to form one super group, The Classic Rock All-Stars (Mike Pinera-Iron Butterfly, Jerry Corbetta-Sugarloaf, and Pete Rivera-Rare Earth). The group released a CD together, simply titled, "The Classic Rock All-Stars" and they toured the US, Canada and Japan.

Davis left the Classic Rock All-Stars in the summer of 1995, and continued touring in Europe and the US the rest of the year into 1996 and 1997. In Europe, he played with drummer Pete York (the original drummer of the Spencer Davis Group), and the Spencer Davis Group´s popularity in Europe put Spencer on a World Tour with his European members, hitting Japan, the Far East, Middle East and Scandinavia.

Spencer signed a record deal with CMC who released the recording initially throughout Europe. The recording consisted of a mix of many new originals, old hits and classic songs.

In the Fall of 1996, Spencer teamed up with The World Classic Rockers, similar in concept to The Classic Rock All-Stars, but with a larger line-up, comprising of Carmine Appice-Vanilla Fudge, Bobby Kimball-Toto, Denny Laine-McCartney and Wings, Randy Meisner-The Eagles, and Michael Monarch-Steppenwolf. Spencer also contributed to the release of World Classic Rockers-Double CD and toured extensively with them.

Spencer´s songs continue to live on in movies, such as Iron Eagle, Big Chill, Mr. Destiny, Days of Thunder, Top Gun, Mr. Holland´s Opus, Notting Hill, Flight of the Phoenix, just to name a few! The mid 90´s also landed him on TV commercials, documentaries, and the TV special, "The History of Rock ´n Roll," as well as a co-starring role in the hit series, "Married with Children."

2001 proved to be as busy as any of the mid and late 90´s. From state fairs to casinos throughout the USA and Canada, the Spencer Davis Group continued entertaining millions with their classic repertoire. Along with the spring and fall tours, Germany and Europe were thrown in for good measure.

Spencer undertook a marathon tour with the Spencer Davis Group during the spring of 2002, with 47 shows over 60 days up and down jolly old England. Drawing upon his teaching skills from the past, Spencer was invited on the famous cruise ship QE2 in the summer of 2002 as a guest lecturer and performer. He then headed straight to Alaska and followed by a foray into the Middle East, with a mini tour of Europe right behind that.

The first half of 2003 brought Spencer through tours of Italy, side-stepping into the studio to record three new songs for his new upcoming CD, and then back to Italy and Germany. There were more state fairs and concerts in the park, where Spencer hooked up with friend Alan White of Yes to guest with him in the Washington State area.

Early in 2004, his U.S. tour led him to Illinois and Florida, with a jump over to tours through Germany, Holland, Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, and Austria until Spring. After a brief rest, the Spencer Davis Group headed out for a month-long tour of the U.K. starting in southern England, and going as far north as Scotland, and west into his native Wales homeland. He finishes up in the Royal Festival Hall in London and tours with his friends, the Yardbirds before heading back to Hungary and Germany again.

Spencer is now teamed up with the Rock and Roll Army, consisting of Felix Cavaliere, Mitch Ryder, and Rick Derringer. He went to New Zealand in June, playing acoustic shows with Ed Tree for the British Lions Tour. Then on to Australia in July 2005 with his own SDG. October and November rounded out with tours in Germany.

The Grand Finale of 2005 was a special guest appearance New Year´s Eve at the Cologne Arena with Cologne´s own Black Foess in front of 12,000 people -- a great time was had by all!

This year 2006 kicked off with a special guest appearance at David Fishof´s "Rock ´n Roll Fantasy Camp" at SIR in Hollywood, followed by a Battle of the Bands at the House of Blues and concert with Roger Daltry, Neal Schon, Jack Blades, among others.

Spencer has completed twelve tracks, all original, for a new CD/DVD, titled SO FAR for a summer 2006 release. SDG has already made a quick foray into The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and Scandinavia. In August he will be a counselor at the "Rock ´n Roll Fantasy Camp" in New York, followed by a three-week tour of the U.K. He will wrap up this year with three appearances in California in September, return to Germany in October, followed by an extensive tour of Australia in November.

As you can see this ol´ rocker just CAN´T STAND STILL and KEEPS ON RUNNING...

Check his concert itinerary and be on the lookout for the band to come your way!