Monkees singer Davy Jones died of a massive heart attack in a Florida hospital yesterday. He was 66.
Known for his theatrical smile, little boy good looks and cheerful demeanor on the group’s hit TV show, Jones was the only Brit in the band full of Americans. His accented delivery of such hits as “Daydream Believer” and “I?Wanna Be Free” helped make the group a cuddly commodity in the ’60s.
Jones and his made-for-TV band would enjoy two great bursts of success, initially in the late ’60s, and again in the mid-’80s, when MTV and other networks began re-airing original episodes of “The Monkees.”
Jones’ other notable contributions to pop culture include pioneering the sashay dance that Axl Rose would later become known for (seriously, watch the video below and then watch this), a memorable cameo on a “Brady Bunch” episode and serving as the reason that David Bowie (who was born David Jones) took up a stage name.
