Spencer Davis, the guitarist and bandleader -- whose 60s group was fronted by Steve Winwood, died Monday in California at age 81.
According to TMZ, Davis had been hospitalized in California with heart issues.
With drummer Pete York and bass guitarist Muff Winwood, The Spencer Davis Group topped the British charts in 1966 with "Keep on Running." Later that year, they caught America's attention with the hit "Gimme Some Lovin'," which sold over a million copies. The follow-up "I'm a Man" also went Top 10.
Winwood quit to form Traffic in 1967. Davis remained musically active, but never again had chart success in the U.S., where he lived for many years.
Though Winwood was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer for his work in Traffic, Davis and his group have been overlooked.
Spencer Davis talked about discovering Steve Winwood, who became the voice of his group:
"'Cause I was into that sort of the stuff, I needed somebody that could fit the bill. And I was told to go and see a young Winwood, [with] The Muff Woodie Jazz Band and the young Winwood is in the band, playing piano like Oscar Peterson, singing like Ray Charles and I said, 'This is too much. Somebody's got to do something with this guy and I took him to the Golden Eagle and the rest is history."
[courtesy of Classic Hits Today]