Peter Tork of The Monkees dies at 77

[bradl]

This groups resurgence in the mid 1980s thanks to Nick at Night in the mid 80s played a huge part of my childhood.

https://www.wowt.com/content/news/Peter-Tork-of-The-Monkees-is-dead-at-77-506160771.html

Peter Tork of The Monkees dead at 77
By Ed Payne, Gray News |
Updated: Thu 11:19 AM, Feb 21, 2019

(Gray News) - Peter Tork of The Monkees, the made-for-TV pop group from the 1960s, died Thursday. He was 77.

“It is with beyond-heavy and broken hearts that we share the devastating news that our friend, mentor, teacher, and amazing soul, Peter Tork, has passed from this world,” This Facebook account said. “We ask for your kindness and understanding in allowing us to grieve this huge loss privately.”

HIs cause of death wasn’t immediately known, but Tork was diagnosed with adenoid cystic carcinoma, a rare cancer affecting his tongue, in 2009.

The Monkees debuted on NBC in the fall of 1966 and were an immediate success both on TV and on the music charts. The group’s first single “Last Train to Clarksville,” had become a number one hit a few weeks earlier.

Although often dismissed as the “pre-Fab Four," because The Monkees were the creatiion of TV executives, Tork and Michael Nesmith had solid performing and recording experience before joining the band, AllMusic.com reported. Micky Dolenz and Davy Jones were primarily actors but had also dabbled in pop music and had strong vocal abilities.

And apropos enough, Daydream Believer just came up next on my playlist for today.

BL.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

This groups resurgence in the mid 1980s thanks to Nick at Night in the mid 80s played a huge part of my childhood.

https://www.wowt.com/content/news/Peter-Tork-of-The-Monkees-is-dead-at-77-506160771.html



And apropos enough, Daydream Believer just came up next on my playlist for today.

BL.

I hadn't known this, and thanks for sharing.

Actually, I really liked The Monkees, and some of their music was exceedingly good (not least because they had managed to attract some seriously good song-writers to write music for them).

 

[bradl]

I hadn't known this, and thanks for sharing.

Actually, I really liked The Monkees, and some of their music was exceedingly good (not least because they had managed to attract some seriously good song-writers to write music for them).

Interesting you mention this. NPR picked up the story this morning, in which they mentioned that only their first album didn't contain any music written by the band, notwithstanding the fact that Mike Nesmith and Tork were musicians-turned actors, while Micky Dolenz and Davy Jones were actors-turned-musicians. Their third album was primarily of songs played by the band.

I never would have heard of them if it literally weren't for Nickelodeon here in the US getting a lot of criticism and feedback from kids that an "all kids channel" was being co-opted by a young "Arts and Entertainment Network (A&E) at 7pm every night, playing different variants of Evita and Carmen. To the young 6-10 year old, that was boring. So they came up with Nick at Nite, showing reruns of Dennis the Menace, Donna Reed, Mr. Ed, My Three Sons, The Monkees, and many more that brought these to the attention of 80s kids.

BL.

 

[Gutwrench]

I never would have heard of them if it literally weren't for Nickelodeon...

I remember them on Saturday mornings in the 60’s. Excuse me as I change oxygen tanks.