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The 60s band that Robert Plant said that was incredible
The legendary Led Zeppelin vocalist Robert Plant was born in 1948 and was a teenager when the music scene was exploding in the United Kingdom in the 60s. He had the chance to see many incredible bands that would later become extremely successful when they were still at beginning, playing in small clubs.
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So he had seen many fantastic acts during that decade before he joined Zeppelin and there is one band that he said once that was incredible.
The 60s band that Robert Plant said that was incredible
When he was young, Robert Plant used to live in the region of the West Midlands, in Birmingham, England. Many incredible bands appeared there and one of them was the Spencer Davis Group. He was lucky enough to have seen them performing live at the time and in an interview with BBC Radio 6 in 2022 (Transcribed by Rock and Roll Garage), he said they were just incredible. During that conversation, the musician picked some of his favorite songs of all time and one of the songs chosen was “Stevie’s Blues”, released in 1966.
“So many fantastic groups in the West Midlands, in Birmingham, there was an incredible group called The Spencer Davis Group. This is a track that really brings and highlights the great gift that Steve Winwood has, continues to have and can actually exercise whenever he feels like it. So this is ‘Stevie’s Blues’,” Robert Plant said.
Formed in Birmingham in 1963, The Spencer Davis Group became one of the most influential bands from the 60s. Being especially known for their powerful sound and the incredible voice of Steve Winwood. They also are best-known for hits like “Keep On Running”, “I’m A Man” and “Gimme Some Lovin’”.
Steve Windwood joined Spencer Davis Group when he was only 14
Robert Plant and Steve Winwood were both born in 1948, but Steve started his musical career at the age of 13 in 1961. He was found by Spencer Davis in 1963, when he was still 14. At the time, he already was a talented singer and organist. And of course, was a crucial part of the band’s sound. So when you hear the band’s hit “Keep On Running”, you are hearing a 17 year-old Winwood on vocals.
But obviously, the group was led by Spencer Davis, who was the guitarist, harmonica player and sometimes singer. The band was active from 1963 until 1969 and then from 1973 to 1974. But Winwood was only a member from 1963 to 1967, when he left and formed Traffic with Jim Capaldi.
Spencer Davis Group was then active from 2006 to 2020 but with two different line-ups. One in the United Kingdom and other in the United States. Only Spencer himself was part of both versions of the band. Spencer passed away in 2020 at the age of 81, a victim of pneumonia.
Spencer Davis Group released only eight studio albums, the final one being “Vibrate” in 1986. But Spencer also released solo records over the decades. His final solo record “Just Passing Through”, released in 2000.
