Look up spencer in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Spencer may refer to:

Names[link]

• Spencer (surname), a surname
  • List of people with surname Spencer
• Spencer (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name)

Place names[link]

Australia[link]

• Spencer, New South Wales, on the Central Coast
• Spencer Gulf, one of two inlets on the South Australian coast

United States[link]

• Spencer, Idaho
• Spencer, Indiana
• Spencer, Iowa
• Spencer, Massachusetts
  • Spencer (CDP), Massachusetts
• Spencer Township, Michigan
• Spencer Township, Minnesota
• Spencer, Nebraska
• Spencer (town), New York
  • Spencer (village), New York
• Spencer, North Carolina
• Spencer, Ohio
• Spencer, Oklahoma
• Spencer, South Dakota
• Spencer, Tennessee
• Spencer, Virginia
• Spencer, West Virginia
• Spencer, Wisconsin
  • Spencer (town), Wisconsin
• Spencer County, Indiana
• Spencer County, Kentucky

Characters[link]

• Spencer, a character in Beyblade
• Spencer, a character from Final Fantasy Mystic Quest
• Spencer (GH), a fictional family on General Hospital
• Spencer, a character on Hallo Spencer
• Spencer (Pinocchio 3000), a character from Pinocchio 3000
• Spencer, a railway engine in Thomas the Tank Engine
• Spencer Hastings, a character from Pretty Little Liars

Other uses[link]

• Spencer (clothing), a type of short jacket
• Spencer repeating rifle, a U.S. Army weapon popular from the American Civil War through the Plains Indian Wars.
• Spencer (sail) or Trysail, a small low sail used to maintain control of a sailing vessel in very high winds.
• Spencer (TV series), a 1984–1985 American sitcom
• Spencer Carriage House and Stable, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in Washington, D.C.
• Spencer's (department store), a department store chain in British Columbia, Canada (1873 to 1948)
• Spencer's Gifts, a retail chain in the United States and Canada.
• HMS Spencer (1800), a 74-gun third-rate ship of the line of the Royal Navy
• HMS Spencer (1795), a ship that sailed with the HMS Esperance

See also[link]

• Spenser (disambiguation)

This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

Spencer Pratt
Pratt in January 2009
Born	Spencer William Pratt (1983-08-14) August 14, 1983 (age 28) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Television personality
Years active	2005–2010
Religion	Roman Catholic
Spouse	Heidi Montag (2009-present)

Spencer William Pratt (born August 14, 1983)^[1] is a former American television personality known for his role on MTV's The Hills, along with his wife Heidi Montag. He is the older brother of Stephanie Pratt, who also appears on The Hills.

Career[link]

Reality television and bankruptcy[link]

Pratt first appeared on television in 2005 in the short-lived reality series The Princes of Malibu. Pratt was also Creator & Executive Producer of the series, he acted in the role of "manager/publicist/agent/stylist" to series star Brody Jenner.^[2] Pratt's friendship with Jenner led to his role on the MTV reality series The Hills, in 2006. Pratt's relationship with fellow cast member Heidi Montag was detailed on the series, along with the tension it caused between Montag and series star Lauren Conrad.^[3]

In April 2009, Pratt and Montag joined the cast of the reality television show, I'm a Celebrity... Get Me out of Here!^[4] Their behavior on the show was criticized as being childish and self-centered, and clouded by further controversy after Pratt's sister Stephanie claimed that NBC subjected the couple to torture^[5] (something the couple later denied^[6]). After four days, they quit the show.^[7] The couple then changed their mind and returned to the show after completing a challenge. However, they had to leave the show again shortly after returning because Montag had to be hospitalized due to a gastric ulcer.^[8]

In November 2010, Pratt was forced to file for bankruptcy.^[9]

Personal life[link]

In 2006, Pratt began dating Heidi Montag, resulting in the end of Montag's friendship with Lauren Conrad for unknown reasons. In May 2007, Heidi and Spencer announced their engagement.^[10] During The Hills season finale in December 2007, the couple broke off their engagement. During a broadcast of Ryan Seacrest's radio show, Pratt said that he was madly in love with Montag and trying to win her back.^[11] On November 20, 2008, Heidi and Spencer had a 15-minute marriage ceremony in Mexico with no family members present.^[12][13] Montag and Pratt married a second time on April 25, 2009 in Pasadena, California.^[14]

Pratt was baptised by Stephen Baldwin during his stint on the show I'm a Celebrity... Get Me out of Here!^[15]

In July 2009, Pratt and wife Heidi publicly expressed that they felt the September 11 attacks were an inside job.^[16] Pratt vowed to use his celebrity status to educate the public about the New World Order.^[17]

On June 8, 2010, Montag filed for legal separation from Pratt, listing irreconcilable differences as the reason for their separation.^[18] Originally, the couple's split was thought to be a publicity stunt. However, Spencer later confirmed that while the pair was on friendly terms, the split was not fake. In an interview with People, Pratt said, "We love each other but I'm a famewhore and I'll never grow out of it. [Heidi] knows that and doesn't want that... I want every kind of press. She believes in bad press. There's no way my love for fame and her love for puppies will ever work out successfully. She just wants to hike and hang out and be calmer."^[19] However, the couple called off the divorce in September 2010, saying, "We are back together trying to make things work. We do love each other and realized we do want to spend the rest of our lives together."^[20] In November 2010, Pratt admitted that the announcement of divorce was intended only to help Montag's struggling career, and stated that the pair never intended on splitting up.

Pratt was arrested and jailed in Costa Rica on September 11, 2010 while attempting to board an aircraft with a gun. He was subsequently released and banned from re-entering the country.^[21]

References[link]

Nadia Ali
Nadia Ali in 2011
Background information
Birth name	Nadia Ali
Born	(1980-08-03) August 3, 1980 (age 31) Libya
Origin	Queens, New York, U.S.
Genres	Electronic dance music, trance, house
Occupations	Singer-songwriter
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	2001–present
Labels	Smile in Bed
Associated acts	iiO, Armin van Buuren, Morgan Page, Avicii, Starkillers, Sultan & Ned Shepard
Website	nadiaali.com

Nadia Ali (Urdu: نادیہ علی; born August 3, 1980) is a Pakistani American singer-songwriter, born in Libya and raised in Queens, New York. She gained attention as the frontwoman and songwriter of the band iiO, after their 2001 hit "Rapture" reached No. 2 on the UK Singles Chart.^[1] The song also charted across several countries in Europe.^[2] Their 2006 single, "Is It Love?", reached the top of the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Chart.^[3]

After embarking on a solo career in 2005, Ali became successful as an oft-requested vocalist in electronic dance music. She released her debut album Embers in 2009. Critics praised her unique songwriting, which combined electronica with ballads, Eastern and acoustic music. Three singles from the album reached the top-ten of the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Chart, including the No. 1 hit, "Love Story".^[4][5][6] The song was also nominated at the 25th International Dance Music Awards at the Winter Music Conference, while "Fantasy" was nominated for a Grammy award.^[7][8]

In 2010, she released a remix compilation titled Queen of Clubs Trilogy to mark her decade-long career as a singer-songwriter. "Rapture" was re-released as the only single from the compilation and the song was once again a chart success in Europe.^[9] Ali released the single "Pressure" with Starkillers and Alex Kenji in 2011, which became a club and festival anthem and received an International Dance Music Award.^[10] She has also collaborated with several notable producers and DJs, such as Armin van Buuren, Schiller, BT and John Creamer & Stephane K. Ali is currently working on her second studio album titled Phoenix, which is due to be released in 2012.

Life and career[link]

1980–2005: Early life and iiO[link]

Nadia Ali was born in Libya to Pakistani parents in 1980. The family relocated when she was five years old and she was subsequently raised in Queens, New York.^[11][12] An eight year old Ali used any opportunity she could get to sing after a friend heard her humming a Madonna song at school and complimented her.^[13] While continuing singing as a hobby and for the thrill of performing and receiving no formal vocal training, she had also started writing poems and songs for her friends by the time she was 15.^[11] As a teenager her interest in dance music developed after visiting nightclubs in Manhattan and inspired her to dream that she would one day be featured on one of the records playing in the club.^[14]

Ali started working in the New York offices of Versace when she was 17, where she attracted attention by singing at the Christmas parties.^[11] A colleague from Versace introduced her to producer Markus Moser, who was looking for a female singer to collaborate on some of his original production for a girl group in Germany.^[13] The two teamed up with Moser working on production, while Ali wrote the lyrics and vocals for the songs.^[15] Her first song was the single "Rapture", which she wrote in 30 minutes based on an encounter with an Australian nightclub patron.^[16] A demo of the song was first played at the New York club Twilo in 2001 and received early support from influential DJ Pete Tong who played the demo on his show on BBC Radio 1. The song eventually became an Ibiza favourite after support from prominent DJ's such as Sasha, Danny Tenaglia and Sander Kleinenberg during the summer season.^[17] Released in late 2001 by Ministry of Sound, the single became a commercial success peaking at No. 2 on UK Singles Chart and Billboard's Hot Dance Club Play Chart, while charting in several countries in Europe.^[1][2][3] The success of "Rapture", Ali said, caused the formation of iiO as the music they were initially working on was quite different from dance music and were asked to come up with a project name to promote the single.^[18] They originally named themselves Vaiio after the Sony VAIO laptop Ali used to write the lyrics on.^[2] The duo toured internationally and released several more singles, including "At the End", "Runaway", "Smooth", and "Kiss You". Their first studio album, Poetica followed in 2005.^[4]

Ali left the group in 2005 to pursue a solo career, while Moser continued to release iiO material featuring her on vocals. Most notably, these releases include the 2006 single "Is It Love?", which reached No. 1 in America on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Chart,^[3] the 2007 remix album Reconstruction Time: The Best Of iiO Remixed^[4] and the 2011 studio album Exit 110.^[4] When asked about her decision to pursue a solo career, she said her time with iiO was a great learning experience but she decided to leave because she didn't want to restrict herself to one style of music but explore her creativity and also to have the freedom to collaborate with others artists.^[19]

Her decision to pursue a career as a singer was not initially encouraged by her Pakistani parents who were academically inclined and wanted her to pursue a more stable career. She has said since then they have evolved and are one of her biggest supporters.^[12] Speaking of her identity as a Pakistani and Muslim woman, she has said it is very important to her to set an example that they are able to contribute positively and capable of taking their career into their own hands. Explaining further, she said that she feels it as her responsibility to any women who are sometimes stereotyped to show that they can contribute to arts or any professional field.^[11] Her ethnicity, she has stated, has been an advantage and helped her stand out in the entertainment industry.^[20] She has said that over the years, she has met South Asian women who have told her that her story has inspired them to pursue something they loved.^[21]

[edit] 2006–09: Embers

Nadia Ali performing at Avalon, Boston in 2006

Ali started working on her debut solo album soon after leaving iiO, a process which took her four years. She attributed the delay to her busy tour schedule and the fact that she was still learning and "trying to establish her identity as a songwriter and co-producer".^[18][22] Her first solo release was the 2006 single, "Who is Watching?", a collaboration with Dutch DJ Armin van Buuren, which appeared on his album Shivers.^[23] She has described "Who is Watching?" as one of her most meaningful songs, the song described one's struggle to reach the top, only to realise once one is there how lonely it is and how one has forgotten their priorities and the important people in their life.^[24] This was followed by "Something to Lose" in 2006, a duet with singer-songwriter Rosko, produced by John Creamer & Stephane K and released by Ultra Records. The track was licensed to Roger Sanchez's Release Yourself, Vol. 5, as well as Sharam Tayebi of Deep Dish for his Global Underground debut Dubai.^[25][26]

In June 2008, she released "Crash and Burn", the first single from her solo album. The single became a club success peaking at No. 6 on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Play Chart.^[5] She released the second single, "Love Story" from the as-yet untitled album in February 2009. It topped Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Chart in April 2009 and was nominated for the Best Progressive/House Track at the 2010 International Dance Music Awards at the Winter Music Conference.^[6][7] Ali was featured on MTV Iggy in March 2009, where she recorded three live acoustic videos, performing "Rapture", "Crash and Burn" and "Love Story".^[27]

The third single "Fine Print" was released in July 2009. Ali announced that the single preceded the release of her debut solo album Embers.^[28] The single peaked at No. 4 on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Play Chart.^[29] Embers was released in September 2009. Co-produced by Sultan & Ned Shepard, Alex Sayz and Scott Fritz, Ali self-released the album on her own label, Smile in Bed Records.^[22] Embers generally received positive reviews, Chase Gran from About.com called it a "well rounded, gourmet album with impressive songs".^[30] Gail Navarro from Racket magazine complimented Ali on her songwriting saying, "It wasn’t just her sultry sound mixed in together with that enchanting singing voice; her songwriting got me hook, line and sinker".^[31] Speaking about the self-release of the album, she has cited her creative independence and the pressure of deadlines as the main reasons why she created her own record label.^[32][33] She chose to release her singles and albums digitally citing the nature of the electronic music audience with the listener choosing to click a button and getting music instantly and the traditional method of distribution deals in the United States.^[32]

Ali released two collaborations in 2009, the first "Better Run" with Tocadisco was released on his album TOCA 128.0 FM and "12 Wives In Tehran" with Serge Devant was released on his album Wanderer.^[34][35]

[edit] 2010–2011: Queen of Clubs Trilogy

Ali's first release in 2010 was the track "Try", a collaboration with German producer Schiller, chosen as the lead single from his album Atemlos, the music video premiered on YouTube in February 2010.^[36] In April 2010, Ali released "Fantasy", the fourth single from Embers. The track was chosen as a single by her fans after a poll conducted by Ali on her Facebook page.^[22] The music video for "Fantasy" was set to the Morgan Page remix, which served as a prologue to Ali's next project; Queen of Clubs Trilogy: The Best of Nadia Ali Remixed. Speaking about the project, Ali mentioned that she wanted a remix compilation, which spanned the 10 years of her career from her one-half as iiO, to her solo album and collaborations.^[37] Explaining the name of the concept, she said she wanted to incorporate her upbringing in Queens and the fact that her music is predominantly played in nightclubs.^[38] Using that inspiration, she decided to use the playing card "Queen of Clubs" as the title, portraying herself as the Queen, a move she described as "audacious" but something she felt she could prove because she had the substance.^[37] The package was broken into three releases: Ruby Edition (August 2010), Onyx Edition (October 2010) and Diamond Edition (December 2010). It featured collaborations with, and remixes by, Armin van Buuren, Gareth Emery and Avicii amongst several other prominent DJs and producers.^[39]

I think the fact that it (electronic dance music) is mostly male dominated makes females stand out that much more if they are driven enough. I believe anything is possible with hard work.

– Nadia Ali^[40]

With a decade-long career, MTV described Ali as one of the "enduring empresses" of electronic dance music and the Queen of Clubs Trilogy as "aptly titled".^[41] Noted for being the "definitive" and "unmistakable" voice of dance music, she is said to have "enriched" and "invigorated" the genre.^[21][42] Ali has went on to become an oft-requested collaborator by DJs and producers.^[22] She was praised for acquiring notability in a male and DJ-dominated genre where vocalists serve as supporting acts.^[40][43] In December 2010 she received her first Grammy nomination when the Morgan Page remix of "Fantasy" was nominated in the Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical category.^[8]

Her first track with iiO, "Rapture" was re-released as a single from Queen of Clubs Trilogy with remixes by Tristan Garner, Gareth Emery and Avicii. A new music video for the track was shot based on the "Queen of Clubs" theme and released on January 24, 2011.^[44] The song peaked at No. 3 on the Romanian Top 100 chart, while charting in other European countries.^[9]

Nadia Ali performing at Armin Only in Poland

Throughout 2010, Ali's collaborations with DJs and producers were released. These included remixes of her upcoming collaboration "That Day" with Dresden and Johnston, which were released on compilation albums. The next, "The Notice" with Swiss duo Chris Reece was released on July 13 on all digital retailers.^[45] Ali was featured on the track "Feels So Good" on Armin van Buuren's fourth album Mirage. Released as the fifth single from the album, the song was voted as the Best Trance Track at the 27th International Dance Music Awards in the Best Trance Song category.^[10][46] She was also a featured guest on his Armin Only tour.^[12]

During 2011, Ali announced the release of collaborations with several DJs and producers. The first of these was "Call My Name" with the duo Sultan & Ned Shepard, released by Harem Records on February 9. "Call My Name" was a club success, charting at No. 5 on Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Chart.^[47] The second track "Pressure", a collaboration with Starkillers and Alex Kenji was released on February 15 by Spinnin' Records.^[48] The Alesso remix of "Pressure" became a club and festival anthem and received support from notable DJs such as Armin van Buuren, Tiesto, Swedish House Mafia and Calvin Harris and was voted the Best Progressive House Track at the 27th International Dance Music Awards.^[10][49]

In April, iiO released the studio album Exit 110, which featured Ali on vocals. She distanced herself from the album and stated she had no involvement in the project besides her vocals and words from nearly 10 years ago being used for the songs.^[50] She described it as "interesting" that there was new material featuring her released by iiO when she hadn't worked with Moser since 2005.^[19] She further said that she hadn't spoken with Moser since her departure and when asked whether the split of iiO was amicable, she refused to explain the circumstances surrounding the dissolution of the duo.^[19] On May 23, her next collaboration, "Free To Go" with Alex Sayz was released by Zouk Recordings.^[51] She was featured on Sander van Doorn's second studio album Eleve11 on the track "Rolling the Dice", a collaboration between van Doorn, Sidney Samson and her.^[52] Her next release was the single "Believe It" with the German duo Spencer & Hill, which was released on October 3 by Wall Recordings.^[53] She collaborated once again with Starkillers on the single "Keep It Coming", which was released on December 26 by Spinnin' Records.^[54]

[edit] 2012–present: Phoenix

As of November 2010, Ali had begun working on her second studio album.^[12] A music video for the lead single from the album, "When It Rains", was released on her YouTube channel on August 17 2011 with a release date to be announced.^[55] She attributed the delay in the release of the album once again on her busy touring schedule citing the demand to perform live particularly in the United States.^[56][57] However, beginning in February 2012 she took 40 days off to finalise the album, which she said would be titled Phoenix.^[56] She chose the name as an allusion to what she felt was a relaunch of her career.^[58] Explaining the creative process behind the album, she said she chose to work with a mix of international producers in an effort to combine the North American understanding of good songwriting with the European expertise in production to create a high energy dance album catered for her dance music fans.^[57][59] She said she had tried to bring together the DJs who she had released songs with in the last few years to make one cohesive compilation.^[58] The theme of the album, she elaborated, was trying to get the listener to understand the "artist personality" and the singer-songwriter behind the music.^[59]

Her first release in 2012 was "This Is Your Life", the fourth single from Swiss DJ EDX's album On The Edge.^[60] That was followed by "Carry Me", a collaboration with Morgan Page on his third studio album, In the Air.^[61] Her next release will be "Must Be The Love", the lead single from BT's upcoming eighth studio album, which was a collaboration between him, Arty and Ali.^[62]

Musical style and influences[link]

Ali is perhaps best known for her characteristic voice and vocal abilities.^[21][31][63] Reema Kumari Jadeja from MOBO described her work as "masterfully encapsulating euphoric and melancholic, Ali’s signature music style sees Eastern mystique caressed with intelligent electronica and fortified with soul".^[21] The songs on Embers were likened to Madonna's work in her prime and a "modern re-intepretation" of Stevie Nicks. Billboard praised her voice for having "too much life on its own".^[42][31][63] Ali has been influenced by an eclectic mix of artists, which she credits to her Eastern background and upbringing in Queens.^[18][33] She listed alternative, folk, Indian and Pakistani music as her biggest influences.^[16][18] Some of her vocal and songwriting influences, she said, were Stevie Nicks, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Madonna, Sade and Bono.^[13][16][32]

	"Crash and Burn" (2008) noicon "Crash and Burn" combines Ali's signature music styles: Eastern, electronic and acoustic
Problems listening to this file? See media help.

Her debut album was noted for a blend of electronica, acoustic and Middle Eastern melodies.^[30] Speaking about Embers, Ali said she did not want a typical dance record and chose to experiment, particularly with the number of ballads on the album.^[18] Meanwhile, her second album Phoenix, she said would be a more "high-energy" dance album, where while she maintained her characteristic vocal style, she also experimented with the musical style.^[58] She said while working on the album she was inspired and influenced by indie pop and the styles of Avicii, R3hab and Skrillex.^[58] Ali has collaborated with DJs from a broad range of genres and styles in electronic dance music. Some of the resulting work has been described as minimal trance,^[64] "sad disco"^[36] and "mainstream pop".^[45]

She has been praised for her songwriting, describing personal experiences with people, which "hit a powerful and striking chord" with the listener.^[31] Ali has said she almost always prefers to sing a song she has written herself and that the best songs are mostly written when they narrate a true account.^[13][14] The songs on Embers, Ali has stated, describe the relationships she has experienced and the emotions they have left behind.^[40] The song "Fantasy", she said, summed her up how she likes to be recognised, "an emotional songwriter who loves being a part of electronic music".^[22] Ali has said in the future she would like to focus more on production and songwriting and has written songs for Tocadisco, Avicii, Hardwell, Sultan & Ned Shepard, EDX and Pete tha Zouk.^[21][24]

Discography[link]

Studio albums

• Embers (2009)
• Phoenix (2012)

Compilations

• Queen of Clubs Trilogy: Ruby Edition (2010)
• Queen of Clubs Trilogy: Onyx Edition (2010)
• Queen of Clubs Trilogy: Diamond Edition (2010)

Awards and nominations[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

	Biography portal
	Asian Americans portal

• Official website

Octavia Spencer
Octavia Spencer, May 2005
Born	Octavia Lenora Spencer May 25, 1970 (age 42) Montgomery, Alabama, U.S.
Alma mater	Auburn University
Occupation	Actress

Octavia Lenora Spencer^[1] (born May 25, 1970)^[2][3][4] is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Minny, the outspoken maid in the 2011 film, The Help, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, among other accolades including the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress, BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress, and Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role.

Early life and education[link]

Born in Montgomery, Alabama, she is the sixth of seven children. Her mother worked as a maid.^[5] Spencer graduated from Jefferson Davis High School in 1988,^[6][7] spent two years at Auburn Montgomery^[8] studying drama (1988–89), and received a bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts from Auburn University.^[9]

Career[link]

At 16, she worked as an intern on the set of The Long Walk Home, a film starring Whoopi Goldberg.^[10]

Spencer made her film debut as a nurse in Joel Schumacher's A Time to Kill based on the book by John Grisham. She was originally hired to work on casting, but asked Schumacher if she could audition for a small part.^[11] Other film credits include: Never Been Kissed, Big Momma's House, Bad Santa, Spider-Man, Coach Carter, Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! and Pretty Ugly People. She has made a number of guest appearances on a myriad of hit series including: Raising the Bar, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, The Big Bang Theory, Wizards of Waverly Place, NYPD Blue, Grounded for Life, ER, Titus, Becker and Dharma & Greg. However, she is best known for her starring roles as Serenity Johnson on Comedy Central's Halfway Home, and Constance Grady, the amorous INS caseworker on Ugly Betty.

In 2003, she made her stage debut in Los Angeles, in Del Shores' award-winning play, The Trials and Tribulations of a Trailer Trash Housewife, starring opposite veteran actress Beth Grant. It was her first and only play, as she told Back Stage Magazine that she suffers from "stage fright."^[12] Later that year, she starred opposite Emmy Award-winner Allison Janney in Tate Taylor's critically lauded and award-winning short feature, Chicken Party.

In 2008, Spencer's brief appearance in Seven Pounds as Kate, Rosario Dawson's home care nurse, garnered her high praise and media attention.^[13]

In April 2009, Entertainment Weekly listed Spencer in its list of 25 Funniest Actresses in Hollywood.^[14]

In August 2009, Spencer appeared in Rob Zombie's Halloween II. She also had a role in the American remake of the Danish classic Love at First Hiccup opposite Scout Taylor-Compton. Spencer starred in the hit web series-turned feature film Herpes Boy alongside Beth Grant, Ahna O'Reilly, and Byron Lane; and, can be heard as the voice of "Minny" on the audio version of The Help, the award-winning "New York Times Best Seller" by Kathryn Stockett. Later that year, Spencer's short film The Captain was honored by the CICFF as a finalist for the coveted REEL Poetry Award.

In August 2010, Spencer joined Viola Davis, Emma Stone and Bryce Dallas Howard in DreamWorks' production of The Help. She played the feisty and unflappable domestic, "Minny Jackson." The film was directed by Tate Taylor, and produced by Brunson Green, Chris Columbus, Michael Barnathan, and Mark Radcliffe. Her role garnered her critical acclaim, and started buzz for various awards nominations. She won the 2012 Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture for her work in The Help.^[15]

On February 12, 2012 she won a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress for her Performance in The Help, and on February 26 she won the Academy Award/Best Supporting Actress for the same performance; making it her first Oscar nomination and first win.

Filmography[link]

Films & Televison

References[link]

External links[link]

• Octavia Spencer at the Internet Movie Database
• Octavia Spencer biography – Comedy Central
• "Perfect Casting", BlogStage, Back Stage magazine, May 2010
• Riley, Jenelle, "Octavia Spencer: The quip queen", AllBusiness.com

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (November 2010)

Spencer Davis
Davis performing in July 2006
Background information
Birth name	Spencer David Nelson Davis
Born	(1939-07-17) 17 July 1939 (age 72)
Origin	Bon-y-maen, Swansea, U.K.
Genres	Pop music
Years active	1960s–present
Labels	Fontana
Associated acts	The Spencer Davis Group
Website	spencer-davis-group.com

Spencer David Nelson Davies (born 17 July 1939) is a British musician and multi-instrumentalist, and the founder of the 1960s rock band, the Spencer Davis Group.^[1] Davis dropped the E in Davies and became Davis because in England and in the US his last name was pronounced "Daveys" and not Davis as in the Welsh pronunciation.

Early life[link]

Davis was born in Swansea, in south Wales. His father served as a paratrooper. Influenced by his Uncle Herman's mandolin playing, Spencer Davis began learning to play harmonica and accordion at the age of six. He then attended Dynevor School, where he passed seven GCE O-level examinations. He moved to London when he was sixteen, and began working in the Civil Service as a clerical officer at the Post Office Savings Bank in Hammersmith and for HM Customs and Excise; but went back to his old school to study for A-levels in languages, becoming Head Boy in 1959. In 1960 he moved to Birmingham, to read German at the University of Birmingham.^[2] In music circles, Davis was later known as "Professor".^[3]

Early music career[link]

His early musical influences were skiffle, jazz, and blues, the mainstays of popular music in the early 1960s. Influential artists include Big Bill Broonzy, Huddy Ledbetter, Buddy Holly, Davey Graham, John Martyn, Alexis Korner and Long John Baldry. By the time he was sixteen Davis was hooked on the guitar and the American rhythm and blues music making its way across the Atlantic. With few opportunities to hear R&B in south Wales, Davis sought out any performance that came to town. When he heard a Dixieland band perform a skiffle version of the R&B song "John Henry", Davis formed a band called The Saints, with Bill Perks, who later changed his name to Bill Wyman.

When Davis moved to Birmingham, as a student he often performed on stage after his teaching work day was finished. While in Birmingham, he dated Christine Perfect, who later married Fleetwood Mac's John McVie. They busked and played in folk clubs with the Ian Campbell Trio. With Perfect on piano and Davis on 12 string guitar, they performed Canadian folk songs, such as "Spring Hill" and "Nova Scotia". They also interpreted W. C. Handy and Lead Belly songs.

The Spencer Davis Group[link]

In 1963, Davis went to a Birmingham public house to see Muff Woody, a traditional jazz band featuring Muff and Steve Winwood. Steve, only fifteen at the time, was already gaining notice for his musical abilities. Muff, five years older than his brother, was an accomplished jazz musician. Davis persuaded them to join him and drummer Pete York as the Rhythm and Blues Quartet. Davis performed on guitar, vocals and harmonica, Steve Winwood on guitar, organ and vocals, Muff Winwood on bass, and Pete York on drums. Playing mainly R&B covers, the band performed first at the Golden Eagle pub on Hill Street, but within a year they had landed a regular gig at The Marquee, and by 1964 had adopted the name The Spencer Davis Group. The group had No 1 hits in the UK with consecutive single releases in 1966 ("Keep on Running" and "Somebody Help Me"). Steve Winwood sang lead vocals on all the Spencer Davis Group's hits up to "I'm A Man" in 1967.

The Spencer Davis Group continued after Winwood left to form Traffic in April 1967, and split in 1969. Another version of the group with Davis and York appeared in 1973 and disbanded in late 1974. Various incarnations of the band have toured in recent years, under Davis' direction.

Solo career[link]

After the group broke up, Davis moved to California and recorded an acoustic album with Peter Jameson, It's Been So Long for Mediarts in mid-1971. He followed it up with a solo album Mousetrap for United Artists. Neither album sold. Soon after, he moved back to the UK and formed a new Spencer Davis Group and signed with Vertigo.

Current activities[link]

While remaining honorary member and supporter of the Wales nationalist party, Plaid Cymru, Davis now lives in Avalon on Catalina Island, a small island in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of southern California. He regularly accompanies other musicians on stage at such venues as The Lobster Trap, Luau Larry's and The St. Catherine.

Spencer Davis pulled out of a concert scheduled for 11 November 2011 in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, UK owing to 'serious illness' as confirmed by The Animals' lead singer.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Spencer Davis at the Internet Movie Database
• 2007 performance of "I'm A Man"