Posted on 02/21/2019 8:32:11 AM PST by Red Badger
Peter Tork, a blues and folk musician who became a teeny-bopper sensation as a member of the Monkees, the wisecracking, made-for-TV pop group that imitated and briefly outsold the Beatles, died Feb. 21. He was 77.
His death was confirmed by his sister Anne Thorkelson, who did not say where or how he died. Mr. Tork was diagnosed with adenoid cystic carcinoma, a rare cancer affecting his tongue, in 2009.
If the Monkees were a manufactured version of the Beatles, a “prefab four” who auditioned for a rock-and-roll sitcom and were selected more for their long-haired good looks than their musical abilities, Mr. Tork was the group’s Ringo, its lovably goofy supporting player.
On television, he performed as the self-described “dummy” of the group, drawing on a persona he developed while working as a folk musician in Greenwich Village, where he flashed a confused smile whenever his stage banter fell flat. Off-screen, he embraced the Summer of Love, donning moccasins and “love beads” and declaring that “nonverbal, extrasensory communication is at hand” and that “dogmatism is leaving the scene.”
A versatile multi-instrumentalist, Mr. Tork mostly played bass and keyboard for the Monkees, in addition to singing lead on tracks including “Long Title: Do I Have to Do This All Over Again,” which he wrote for the group’s psychedelic 1968 movie, “Head,” and “Your Auntie Grizelda.”
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Oh, my favorite was Mike, but Peter had this innocent hippie way to him that you had to love! So sad this all these sweet things from our childhood are passing away.
Lol! Love that reference!
I made love bead necklaces as a kid! They were fun to make and back then, pre-Michael’s and Hobby Lobby, you could get the supplies for them at the local 5 & 10. Such memories!
That, I have never heard before.
Maybe he was a part of MTV’s beginnings.
China clipper calling Alameda.
Signed,
Mister Dobalena, Mister Bob Dobalena.
True enough. That may be changing though.
I had to break up a fight between two girls at our church carnival, and they were wailing on each other pretty good.
“I’m a Believer” actually was by Neil Diamond, as I recall.
When Japan gave America the 200 cherry trees that were used to decorate the tidal basin in DC, The USA gave Japan 200 dogwood saplings. These were distributed among the universities throughout Japan and most were incinerated during WWII, However, one was recently found forgotten in the back of a university in Tokyo, still alive after all these years...
“The Monkees songs are some of the most just plain fun songs to play. “
Yep. We used to play Steppin’ Stone in one of my bands.
I like the BeatMonks.
I like Eric Clapner................................
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.