Spencer Davis
b. 17 July 1941, Swansea, Wales. The nominal leader of the Spencer Davis Group's resumed a solo career in 1968 after managerial disagreements thwarted a liaison with Plastic Penny guitarist Mick Grabham and session pianist Kirk Duncan (co-writer of the last group single, Short Change). During a subsequent sojourn in Germany, Davis recorded Aquarius from Hair before migrating to California where he gained employment as a singing guitarist in venues such as Los Angeles’ Troubadour. Later, he was accompanied by bottleneck guitarist Pete Jamieson with whom he made the all-acoustic IT'S BEEN SO LONG (1970). With guitarists Jon Mark and Alun Davies, Davis contributed to Chicago sessions for an album by Mississippi Fred McDowell. An amalgamation of Mark and Spencer came to nought but the Davis and Davies duo's assault on the folk scene was more fruitful. A more ambitious link-up with an Australasian rhythm section and Sneaky Pete Kleinow (who had been behind the console on 1972's US-only MOUSETRAP) quietly died when a reformed Spencer Davis Group recorded two albums before likewise falling apart. After putting his languages degree to use as a technical translator in the mid-70s, Davis accepted a post on Island's west coast staff. He speculated later in other areas of entertainment, landing a 1983 video contact with Fleetwood Mac, and, the following year, releasing another album—which included a duet with Dusty Springfieldon Private Number. In 1988, Davis returned to Britain for a Blues Reunion tour with Pete Yorkand Zoot Money.