Children of the 60s and 70s fondly remember watching musician Davy Jones as the lead singer of The Monkees on TV. The rock band had what can only be considered an early form of their own reality television show back in the day. Their comedy sitcom infused with music and mayhem is still one of the funniest shows ever made. Jones, age 66, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday February 29th. Want to know more about his life and death? Read with a fair warning disclosure that you might be tearing up and singing this song for the rest of the day… “Hey, hey we’re the Monkees… people say we monkey around… but we’re too busy singing… to bring anybody down…
Sad news has been released to the music industry by press release. The Monkees lead singer Davy Jones, well-known from the popular television show of the same band name, has passed away. Jones was famous as a child in the United Kingdom and came to America by the age of 16 to make his way in show business. Starting out on Broadway, it was not long before Jones was noticed by Hollywood television execs. He played the lead role in the hit show The Monkees but his terrific voice helped the band transition made for TV songs into chart topping hits with regularity back in the day.
Once the show ended, Jones never faded into pop culture obscurity the way so many cute boy band singers do today. His star power had staying power in part because he kept his boyish good looks but more so because he was able to act as well as sing equally well on any given day. Voted “Cutest Guy” by Nickelodeon for 1986 and 1987, Baby Boomer David Jones guest starred in highly acclaimed episodes of the American television series “My Two Dads” [a show watched by many members of Gen X]. In 1993, fans spotted him guest starring as himself in an episode of the popular “Herman’s Head.”
Since the time of his heyday, Davy has raised a lovely family while staying busy in the past two decades. He lived out his dream of acting, playing concert tours, and tending to his horses; Jones also regularly spent time volunteering for humanitarian charities. “Beyond the success of his music and acting career, Jones also took time out for charity work, supporting such causes as children’s education and the fight against multiple sclerosis…” says Mother Nature News.
Jones held an amateur jockey license and was a horse racing enthusiast. According to his obituary released by the family, Davy Jones died quietly near to his passions. At the time of his death, Jones was apparently working with or near his horses just one short hour away from the side of his beloved wife, Jessica Pacheco-Jones (a 33-year-old dancer he married just a year ago). Officials say he collapsed after suffering from cardiac arrest; some reports indicate he was at home sleeping while other conflicting reports claim he was at his horse farm in Hollywood, Florida at the time of his death.
The Martin County Fire Rescue rushed him to Martin Hospital South in Stuart, Florida but doctors were unable to bring him back to life.
A true family man (albeit with children from several different mothers), Jones is survived by his young Gen Y wife, Jessica, his four daughters; Talia Jones, Sarah McFadden, Jessica Cramar and Annabel Jones, three sisters: Hazel Wilkinson, Beryl Leigh and Lynda Moore and three grandchildren, Harrison and Lauren Mcfadden and Phoenix Burrows.
“All of his family, friends and fans mourn Davy’s loss,” said Joseph Pacheco, Davy’s entertainment manager (and brother-in-law to boot). “We were fortunate to have such an incredible human being in our lives. Sadly, his time on Earth was cut far too short and he will be missed tremendously by all who knew him.”
Davy Jones was born to be a performer. Growing up in Manchester, England, the baby boomer entered the world on December 30, 1945. Starting out his career in show business early, Jones got his first serious acting gig at the age of 11. Playing Ena Sharples’ grandson on the still-running ITV soap opera, Coronation Street, his stage presence was tremendous.
“His performance was so memorable that theatrical agents sought him out as he was working as an apprentice jockey in Newmarket, and took him to London, where he portrayed Dickens’ mischievous “Artful Dodger” in the West End production of “Oliver!”…” says the family.
Coming to America, the talented performer hit the shores of America at the young age sixteen. At that time, the handsome and charismatic young Davy Jones was the boy to be in New York City. There, he originated the Artful Dodger role on Broadway. His theater work as a teen earned him a Tony Award nomination.
But early success in show business did not burn the life out of the young talent the way it has so many celebrity kids and current Disney Teens of the modern-day. As a result of his work on Broadway, Davy Jones was offered a television contract with Columbia Pictures/Screen Gems Television.
Few people realize that The Monkees band was actually created by and for TV.
For that reason alone, it was a delightful surprise for Jones, band members, and the network when The Monkees’ album sales surpassed sales for all records. It seems the reality television show sit com mix about the crazy band members daily lives mixed with groovy graphics and what (looking back as an adult) was downright dirty or celebrity stoner humor aimed at kids was exactly what the Baby Boomers and a young Gen X wanted to see.
Hip and contemporary, the band’s tunes and Davy Jones’ voice continue be thought of as best-sellers thirty years later.
Davy Jones, as a Florida resident who lived in horse country, was an integral part of his local community. Well liked by other horsemen and horse women, he loved his animals and enjoyed spending time caring for them personally. Also involved in charity benefit work, he was known for his philanthropy. Because of his willingness to helping others in need, Davy Jones will be remembered not only as that funny guy who sings but as a humanitarian who died far too early.
RIP Davy Jones (1945-2012)
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