Davy Jones, the frontman and only British member of the ’60s pop band the Monkees, has reportedly died of a heart attack.
The death of Jones — arguably the biggest heartthrob in the group, which was originally formed for the purposes of a TV show but quite successful at cranking out enormously catchy hits — was first reported by TMZ and confirmed by AP. The TMZ story states that both a rep and the medical examiner’s office in Martin County, Fla., confirmed that the singer passed away at the age of 66. (Update: A rep for Jones also responded to an e-mail and confirmed that “very sadly, this is true.”)
Jones — along with Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork and Micky Dolenz — turned “The Monkees” into a popular TV show and parlayed that into top 40 success that lasted well after 1968, the year the series came to an end. The Beatles knock-off band’s well-known tunes included “Daydream Believer,” “Last Train to Clarksville,” “(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone,” and the theme from “The Monkees.”
The diminutive Brit also made a name for himself in the ‘60s by making a famous guest appearance on an episode of “The Brady Bunch” (yes, Marcia adored him, too) and, later, by appearing with his fellow Monkees in the influentially trippy movie “Head.”
A “Monkees” revival in the 1980s — spurred by reruns of the series that aired on MTV — again made Jones and co. heartthrobs of sorts. Other subsequent reunion tours followed.
Jones’s most recent high-profile appearance occurred at the Television Critics’ Association’s press tour last summer, where he promoted the PBS show “’60s Pop Rock: My Music,” a nostalgic look at the era that he co-hosted.
Jones is survived by his third wife, Jessica Pacheco, and four daughters from his previous marriages.
Please feel free to share your favorite Davy Jones and Monkees memories via the comments below
Loading...
Comments