Wednesday, February 29, 2012

DAVY JONES 1945-2012

Davy Jones, circa 1966
I know of no one who likes posting sad news, but there are times when a reporter must.
One of my childhood favorites, actor/singer David "Davy" Jones, best known as a member of The Monkees, has passed away of a heart attack at the age of 66 earlier today, February 29, 2012.
There are plenty of places where one can find information about the one time jockey who went on to make a career within the entertainment field,  but I would like to take a moment to talk from a more personal perspective.
Jones (center), with Tork (left) and Dolenz (right), circa 2011



I do not remember The Monkees first run. My earliest memories of the program and the group are from when CBS ran episodes on Saturday mornings after The Archies in 1968.
Between vinyl records, cassette tapes, and CDs; I have all of their albums and despite the complaints and comments about The Monkees' music being "pre-fab(ricated)" that have been made over the years, there is no denying the quality of the songs  performed by Jones (I Wanna Be Free, Daydream Believer) and his fellow band/cast mates Peter Tork, Mickey Dolenz, and Michael Nesmith.
And the show itself is still quite funny and entertaining, with many segments withstanding the test of time in syndication.

I never had the pleasure of meeting Mister Jones in person, although I was in attendance at three Monkees concerts over the years. The trio of Jones, Tork, and Dolenz recently toured to celebrate the group's 45th anniversary in 2011.

There are many moments and milestones within a person's lifetime, and while it's sad when such touchstones like a favorite performer pass away, one can take comfort from their memories and the legacy left behind for the present and future generations to come.

(Images courtesy of Google)

No comments: