Issue 79 by The Purple Flower Gang

Monkee Shines

Issue 79 Spring 2012

Editor: Cindy Bryant With a little help from my friends, The PFG Road Crew, “the crazy lot!” An Official Monkees Fan Club Monkeeing Around Since 1987

Monkee Shines Visit us at: www.purpleflowergang.com And email us at: pfg@machlink.com & join the Purple Flower Gang Group on facebook

In this issue Letter from the Editor ................. 3 The Obituary .............................. 4 Maureen McCormick Remembers Davy Jones ................................ 6 Palm Beach Post Obit ................. 8 Saying Goodbye In Beavertown.. 9 Fans Flock To Davy Jones Hideout ................................................ 16 Davy Jones Thought Chest Pains Were Heartburn........................ 18 Private Memorial in England .... 19 Onesti Remembers Davy Jones . 20 Richard Marx Remembers ........ 21 Why We Grieve ....................... 23 In Davy Jones Name................. 24 Magic Memories ...................... 26 Written In My Heart ................. 36 A True Teen Idol ...................... 38 Singer Shaped My Whole Life .. 40 Mike News .............................. 48 Micky News............................. 50 Peter News............................... 51 Goodbye .................................. 52

If you find a stamp in this area your membership has expired with this issue. Please renew as soon as possible to assure your next issue. This is the only notice you will get.

My sincerest thanks to everyone who made this newsletter possible: Becca Nelson, Karen Burns, Ron Onesti, Richard Marx, Anne Pinna, Holly Hammond, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Frankâ&#x20AC;?, Janet Litterio, Jennifer Martinez, Laura Pinto, Scott Brody, Sara McClanahan, Jamie Elswick, Dawn Hoffman, Jennifer LaMotte, Barbara Morford, Jeff Smith, Colleen Johnson, Kimmi Wright, Bonnie Borgh, Mitch Albom, Jan Chilton, Lynda Wiles, Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork, and Mike Nesmith, AND

Membership dues are $15 (Us

and Canada) and $20 (overseas).. Ads are $30 for a full page and $15 for a quarter page. Money orders preferred, cash at own risk. Make all payments payable to Cindy Bryant NOT the PFG. Mail to Cindy Bryant, 903 East 2nd Street 1A, Muscatine, Iowa 52761.

Especially to David Jones and his family for all the love and support they have shown the PFG over the years. Our hearts are with you all.

The Purple Flower Gang 903 E 2nd Street 1A Muscatine, Iowa 52761

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60s, right before our eyes. It always amazed me and I saw it time and time again, On February 29, 2012, David Thomas Jones suffered a heart attack while tending his horses in Indiantown, Florida and left us all in a state of shock. OUR teen idol has died and it is as if our youth, our childhood, and our innocence has died with him. There are 4 newsletters I never wanted to have to publish but knew I would someday have to. This is one of them. This issue is filled with stories of David’s passing and memories of his life. It is meant to be a keepsake—a memorial to him and in honor of him. The next issue will get back to Monkee business and the reality to life without Davy but, this one is for him. The Purple Flower Gang has lost a friend here on earth but have gained a guardian angel. Life is fragile and you never know when it will be gone so live it fully, say I love you often, and Monkee around every chance you get. Cindy

Dear Gang, A Teen Idol is by definition an icon of our youth—they are young, beautiful, unattainable, and usually talented although not always. Teen Idols don’t die and IF they do break that rule they die young and remain so in our hearts and minds for ever. Davy Jones was THE teen Idol. He set the standard for all teen idols who could never quite live up to his image and, he broke the rules. Davy let us in and became so much a part of our lives that he became family. He shared everything with us, maybe too much. We knew every aspect of his life. He was an open book. He signed so many autographs that now, collector’s trying to make a buck are finding that an autograph signed in the 1980s through 2012 is not worth a lot except to his fans. There are too many out there. Young Davy grew up. But, even at 66, when he took the stage the gray hair and crow’s feet seem to magically disappear and there were times under the stage lights that he magically became that cheeky little Monkee from the

We will make every effort to publish Monkee Shines on the last week of January, April, July, and October. If for some reason it is going to be delayed I will try to let you know by postcard. As always, if you are unsatisfied with your membership for any reason we will be happy to refund the remainder of your membership dues upon request.

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Davy Jones Obituary Former child actor who became a star with the 60s pop group the Monkees

The Monkees with Jones, left, and from left, Micky Dolenz, Mike Nesmith and Peter Tork. Photograph: Michael Ochs Archives

Despite their obvious debt to the Beatles, the Monkees were one of the most successful and well-loved pop groups of the late 1960s. Their only British member was Davy Jones, a former child actor, who has died after a heart attack, aged 66. The independent producers Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider came up with the idea of a television series featuring the antics of a pop group that would issue singles and albums in tandem with the show. Auditions were held in Hollywood for "four insane boys", and Jones was one of the first in line. He was eventually chosen, along with three Americans: Peter Tork and Michael Nesmith were accomplished rock guitarists, while Micky Dolenz, like

Jones, had been a child actor. Clearly inspired by the Beatles, and in particular their 1964 film A Hard Day's Night, The Monkees quickly climbed the television ratings in the US after the show's launch in 1966. The misgivings of critics were partly assuaged by the quality of the songs provided for the group by the cream of New York's pop composers, including Neil Diamond and Carole King. Each Monkee was given some personality traits, with Jones playing the cheeky chappie, with an accent that most Americans could mistake for Liverpudlian. The accompanying singles were equally successful and there were six million-sellers in less than two years. Lead vocals were shared, with Jones giving his best performance on Daydream Believer, com-

Monkee Shines sidiary of Columbia Pictures. Jones appeared in two television series and made an album for the in-house record label before Screen Gems bought in to the concept of the Monkees. In the early 1970s, he continued to perform as a solo singer and in 1975 he briefly formed a new group with Dolenz, Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, the composers of the Monkees' theme song. During the following decade he occasionally returned to the stage, playing in a 1977 London production of The Point!, by the singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson. He traded on his Monkee heritage with cameo roles in episodes of several US TV series and also appeared in revivals of Oliver!, this time as Fagin. In the years after the demise of the Monkees, demand grew for a reunion. Jones was the most enthusiastic about a new tour, while Nesmith was obdurate in his refusal. Finally, in 1987, MTV broadcast the original series, albums were reissued and Jones, Dolenz and Tork played a series of concerts. A new album, Pool It! appeared in 1988 and a further tour took place shortly afterwards. A 45th anniversary reunion tour went ahead last year, and Jones was still happy to be performing: "Wherever I go, people still shout out: 'Hey, hey, we're the Monkees!'," he said. "And I never tire of that." Jones is survived by his third wife, Jessica, and four daughters from his two earlier marriages. â&#x20AC;˘ David Thomas Jones, actor, singer and songwriter, born 30 December 1945; died 29 February 2012

posed by John Stewart, from the 1967 album Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd. This was to be the artistic and commercial peak for the group, as the second television series attracted fewer viewers and the Monkees' attempt at artistic freedom, The Birds, the Bees & the Monkees (1968) impressed neither critics nor record buyers. The band also toured the US, but their enthusiasm for Jimi Hendrix, whom they invited to open the show, was not shared by their fans, who booed him off stage. The group made an ambitious antiwar comedy film, Head (1968), with Rafelson and Jack Nicholson, but soon afterwards they began to fall apart. Both Tork and Nesmith left in 1969, leaving Jones and Dolenz to record the final album, Changes, in 1970. The group was finally dissolved in 1971. Jones was born in Openshaw, Manchester. He showed early talent as an actor and at 14 he was chosen to join the cast of Granada TV's soap opera Coronation Street. Jones played Colin Lomax, the chirpy grandson of the matriarch Ena Sharples. This role led to three small parts in the police series Z-Cars. Jones then pursued a career as an apprentice jockey, but returned to the stage after successfully auditioning to take over the part of the Artful Dodger in Lionel Bart's musical Oliver! He was in the cast when the London production transferred to Broadway in 1963. In February 1964 a "Brit" edition of the Ed Sullivan Show included the cast of Oliver! alongside the Beatles. Jones later told an interviewer that the adulation that greeted the Fab Four gave him the ambition to become a pop star. The Sullivan show led to a contract with Screen Gems, the small-screen sub-

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Davy Jones dead: Maureen McCormick pays tribute to late Monkees singer, says he was ‘a beautiful soul’ The singer appeared in a memorable episode of 'The Brady Bunch' BY CRISTINA EVERETT / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Thursday, March 1, 2012, 3:09 PM The woman who had the biggest crush on Davy Jones is broken-hearted. Maureen McCormick, best remembered as Marcia Brady on JEFF KRAVITZ/FILMMAGIC Davy Jones and Maureen McCormick during The TV Land the '70s sitcom “The Brady Awards in 2003. Bunch,” has fond memories of the times she shared on-screen school function under one condition with the late British singer. – that Marcia be his prom date. “Davy was a beautiful soul who spread love and goodness around the world,” the actress tells the Daily News. “He filled our lives with happiness, music and joy. He will live on in our hearts forever. May he rest in peace.” McCormick fulfilled every young girl of her generation’s fantasy during an unforgettable episode of “The Brady Bunch,” in which Marcia gets to meet her biggest crush, Davy Jones. In the episode, Marcia promises her school she can get the singer to perform at her prom after he responds to her fan letter. But after realizing that may not happen, she barges into his recording session and pleads with his manager to make her dream come true. Davy, who overhears the conversation, later appears on her doorstep and happily agrees to perform at the

Jones is also remembered by the three surviving members of The Monkees, which started as a prefabricated band for television and became the launchpad for his career. Peter Tork, Micky Dolenz and Michael Nesmith were left in shock upon hearing Jones had died from a heart attack on Wednesday at the age of 66. “It came as a pretty big shocker – right out of the blue,” Dolenz told NBC’s “Today” show. “You know, he was the last one that I thought would (go first) … the youngest one of us.” Though they had originally come together as a band just for the Beatles-inspired ’60s TV series, Tork said the four musicians bonded into friends. “I know Davy was very happy to be

Monkee Shines a part of all of this,” Tork told USA Today. “He wanted nothing more than to be an entertainer. And to help people enjoy time.” The Monkees helped Jones become a breakout teen idol, a stature reinforced by his lead vocals on hit songs like “I Wanna Be Free” and “Daydream Believer.” A 2008 Yahoo poll voted Jones No. 1 teen idol of all time. With Ethan Sacks

Davy Jones and Marcia Brady Jeanette Watkins Jungereis placed a dozen purple roses on the Monkees Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for The PFG. Each rose has a goodbye note to David from us on it. Thanks Jeanette!

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David Thomas Jones (1945-2012) Jessica, and her son, Phoenix, 8, had joined them.

Sonja Isger and Jan Tuckwood Palm Beach Post Staff Writers

Davy Jones, lead singer of the Monkees, has died, the Martin County Medical Examiner's office confirmed this afternoon.

"David bought his grandson a pirate's hat, and he wore it all over the ship," said Pacheco, who married Jones in August 2009.

"The district 19 Medical Examiner's Office has been notified of the death of Mr. Davy Jones. We are currently evaluating whether or not the Medical Examiner's Office will take jurisdiction," according to a statement read by spokeswoman Rebecca Shortridge.

They had been traveling so much for the past year, Pacheco said, that coming home to Hollywood "felt like a honeymoon." Last summer, for their 45th anniversary, the Monkees toured in Great Britain and the United States.

"It is quite a shock," said Helen Kensick, Jones' publicist of 50 years.

Published in The Palm Beach Post from March 1 to April 1, 2012

Kensick said he died of a heart attack this morning in Indiantown, where Jones keeps horses. In his last conversation with The Palm Beach Post in mid-February, Davy Jones was upbeat, chatting animatedly about his three 2-yearold racehorses and his wife Jessica Pacheco, a flamenco dancer who performed in Stuart on Feb. 23.

Photo by Jan Tuckwood

The couple was in the middle of remodeling their beachfront condo in Hollywood. Davy Jones and Jessica Pacheco, shortly after they were married in 2010. They had just returned from a cruise onboard the Grand Princess, where Jones performed. It was a great family trip, Pacheco said, because Jones' daughter,

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Story and photos by Becca Nelson stories were wonderful, especially hearing from those who lived around him and told about what a kind man he was and all the adventures he got them into. The mayor, Mr. Wagner was very kind and had wonderful things to say about Davy. A young lady who lived near him told about all the wonderful things he did for her as she grew up and the fun of sharing breakfast in his house while he sang her songs. A man told about getting a call from David that he was doing a show and getting some furniture and had no way to carry it home, so the man traded him car for truck for the day. At the end of the day, David called and said he'd done the show, "Come on down you gotta help me unload furniture!" The same man told about David getting him 2nd row seats to a show so that he would stay and drive him back home as the band was done after that show and dispersing to their homes. Another man who runs a recording studio in Beavertown told about how much David enjoyed recording and making new songs for the fans. "I just wanna get it out there; I want my fans to have it!" One of his stories started, "I was at the studio in Beaver Springs one day, I was in there working one day

I thought perhaps I could hear Davy chuckle as my mom and I drove through the tiny towns of Amish country in Pennsylvania... "Where are we?!" It was a beautiful drive ending in a lovely little town called Beavertown. We were directed to the fairgrounds behind the rescue hose company where lines of parked cars awaited. Everyone gathered around a small stage on the grounds and set up their lawn chairs. A group of musicians called The Monkeephiles set up and played a few songs while everyone got settled and then moved to the stage and gained a couple extra musicians on hand for a jam session. They took requests and did a fantastic job with all the Monkees tunes, even making it through all the studio banter of Gonna Buy Me A Dog! Everyone sang along to all the songs and laughed at the groups jokes, "he got these maracas the other day, went into the music store and told the guy, 'I'm looking for a pair of red maracas...' 'Ahh yes, you are very short ....'" After the music, they turned to a couple letters sent in from Micky and Peter and then stories told by neighbors and fans. The

Monkee Shines and I looked out the window and I saw four legs, and they weren't human legs they were horse legs right outside the window and I was thinking 'What idiot is in my parking lot on a horse?' I got that answer pretty quickly, I opened up the door and there was David. I said 'What are you doing?' He said, 'I don't have any place to tie it....I couldn't remember your number and I wanted to do some recording...." He said, "look around you, you guys are all family whether you know it or not....he wasn't very big, but he was 100% heart and 100% love."

church. People laid flowers and lit candles, we sang Daydream Believer together, hugged and talked. I left some purple flowers from the whole gang. Everyone met one another and shared their stories. Then we made the trek back towards the fairgrounds, stopping off at David's house where there were several flowers and notes had been left. It was a very beautiful memorial; the outpouring of love for David was really great. Mom and I are very glad we were able to attend and were very honored to represent the rest of the Purple Flower Gang.

The last part of the memorial was taking flowers, candles, letters and the like to the old church David bought and was hoping to turn into a Monkees museum. They had the roads blocked off and traffic stopped to allow hundreds of people to make their way through the little town to the

Note from Peter... "Thank you for the opportunity to contribute some memories at this memorial for David Thomas Jones, Davy to you. I am truly at a loss for words, mostly remembering mo-

Memorials at Davidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s house.

The church/museum

(Davidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s family has requested that

photos of the house be removed from the candy bar for privacy sake so I am also removing all other photos of the house.as well. My apologies)

Monkee Shines ments that pale in the telling of them. I carry so many images of Davy through the years: the bright teen at the center of The Monkees TV show, the witty prankster, always with a joke (not always a new joke, but always a joke!), the dedicated horseman, the devoted family man, and the gifted performer who captured hearts around the world. Davy adored performing, and adored meeting and greeting his fans. He was tireless in making himself available to sing a song, do a dance, shake a hand; whatever was asked. I had heart-to-heart moments with him that were among the best in my life. I was blessed to know and work closely with him. He was one in about 6 billion, give or

take. We won't see his like again. He left much too soon. I share your sadness. Thank you again for this chance to contribute. God bless and keep you all." Note from Micky... "I never thought in a million years that I'd be writing something like this. Where do I start? How do I finish? How can I possibly describe in a few words me and Davy Jones? We worked together, we lived together, we had families together, we played and fought together like best friends in a school yard. We were as close to siblings as you could possibly get. He was

Memorial at the door of the church

Monkee Shines Within seconds we were going a thousand miles an hour. As we rode neck and neck, flying like the wind, we looked over at each other and laughed hysterically like two little kids on their first hobby horses. I have seldom felt such a thrill. Ride on cowboy, ride on."

my brother. One day many years ago when we were on concert tour of England, we rolled into town and Davy asked if I wanted to go out on the track and exercise a race horse. Being a horseman myself, I jumped at the opportunity. We mounted the horses and took off.

Becca on the steps of the church

The mayor of Beavertown welcomes fans

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The Monkeephiles performed

Monkee Flowers

Fans gathered at the fairgrounds for the memorial

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(Davidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s family has requested that photos of the house be removed from the candy bar for privacy sake so I am also removing all other photos of the house as well. My apologies)

The Beavertown Memorial Pamphlet Thank you to Becca Nelson

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Commemorative Davy Jones Memorial Second Edition Candy Bar Wrapper Karen's Sweet Celebrations has been named the official creator and distributor of a Davy Jones Memorial Commemorative Second Edition Candy Wrapper. The Davy Jones Memorial bars are still available but they will be a second edition of the bar with the picture of his home removed at the family's request and a photo of the Davy Jones Memorial Banner that was at the service on March 10 will replace it. The back of the bar also has a photo of flowers and other items placed at the church that day and facts about his life. These bars will have second edition printed on the back and will be numbered starting with the number 1. The memorial service was held in Beavertown, PA on March 10, 2012. The church which he wanted to make into a Davy Jones "Monkees" museum is on the front and also has the memorial service information on it. He was a member of "The Monkees" Band from 1966 to 1971. Each HERSHEY'SÂŽ milk chocolate bar is wrapped in foil, a numbered commemorative wrapper and put in a protective sleeve. The bars can be purchased by emailing Karen Burns at this address candy70@ptd.net Please put DAVY JONES in the subject line. The bars are numbered and can only be purchased through Karen's Sweet Celebrations . A portion of the proceeds will be given to the Beavertown Historical Society. Please email your name, address, phone number and how many Davy Jones candy bars you want. Because of shipping chocolate in warm weather I'm also offering to use a keepsake (fake) bar in place of the chocolate bar. The price will be the same as the chocolate bar. When ordering please tell me which bar you want to order. Price & Shipping Information The cost of the bars are $4.00 each. Shipping and handling will apply to all orders to be shipped and will be determined at time of sale depending on where and how they are being shipped. The payment for the Davy Jones bars will be made through PayPal only. You do not need an account with PayPal to pay for your purchase. When you place your order I will send you a PayPal invoice. Thanks,

Karen L. Burns 217 South Schrader Street Beavertown, PA 17813 (570) 658-7385

Karenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sweet Celebrations Custom Candy Wrappers Http://www.KarensSweetCelebrations.com 15

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The banner on the stage

Thanks for representing us, Becca !

Fans flock to Davy Jones' hideout Monkee found respite in rural Beavertown 11:00 PM, Mar. 10, 2012 |

Written by Amy Worden McClatchy-Tribune Services

Monkees singer Davy Jones is on tour again. His funeral was Wednesday in West Palm Beach, Fla. Memorials are planned in Los Angeles, New York City and his native England. But amid the global fanfare, legions of social-mediasavvy fans are flocking to the rural Pennsylvania borough of Beavertown for a modest commemoration. Tiny Beavertown, 160 miles northwest of Philadelphia, honored Jones on Saturday with a four-hour event to celebrate his music and pay tribute to a fondly remembered resident. Jones, 66, who died Feb. 29 in Florida, bought a clapboard home in Beavertown two decades ago. Here, the 1960s teen idol could ride his horses, feed his cats and live in anonymity. Relative anonymity, that is. Neighbor Carol Wickard recalls how

Information

In death, you could say,

Monkee Shines run into at the post office — a contrast from the years when, as former bandmate Michael Nesmith told Rolling Stone magazine this week, the Monkees regularly fled adoring fans "like rabbits." "He loved his animals as much as life itself," Wickard said. Trained as a jockey, Jones owned thoroughbreds and raced as recently as 1994, when he won a race in Britain. Wickard, who took care of Jones' house when he was away, said the most important residents were his cats: Big Red, Fluffy, Momma and Liekey. Two live under heat lamps in the barn; two in the house that Jones spent $4,000 to heat in winter — for the cats — when he was in Florida. He kept his horses in Beavertown much of the year. Residents say it was not unusual to hear a clip-clop of hooves at dusk and see Jones after a mountain ride. Wagner said the old church was an eyesore until Jones bought it, installed a steeple, and painted it. Jones wanted to open a Monkees museum inside with his memorabilia, and to add a theater to bring performing arts back to a town that once boasted an opera house. "It probably won't happen without his leadership," the mayor said.

a decade or so ago, Jones would don a long-haired wig to trim his hedges even though fans only sporadically came by. "I'd tell him, 'Davy, I know it's you.' He'd say something and I'd say, 'Just don't open your mouth. You're the only person around with an English accent.'" Jones, immortalized by chart-topping hits such as "Daydream Believer," spent recent winters in Florida but called Beavertown home. He hosted neighbors at his modest Colonial with peeling yellow paint. He was restoring a tumbledown church, hoping to create a Monkees museum and a theater. He rode his horses around town and paid his water bill, like the other 976 residents, at the borough hall. Beavertown is in the Middle Creek Valley, sandwiched between Jack's Mountain and Shade Mountain, their slopes dotted with sprawling chicken farms that serve Empire Kosher Poultry and organic chicken processor Bell & Evans. The area counts among its population many Amish and Mennonites who work in the building trades and on family farms. For years, the borough's most famous resident was a car — the LuLu, a short-lived model made by the Kearns Motor Car Co. in 1914. Then Jones arrived. He planted roots in this remote spot ("20 miles from anywhere," as one resident puts it), buying 13 acres on the borough's edge. The house was large but hardly fancy, with stables out back. What drew the onetime international heartthrob here? Mayor Cloyd Wagner says Jones first visited with a former Monkees musical director who hailed from the borough, and he fell in love with the rolling landscape. "He said, 'This is just like England,'" recalled Wagner, who described Jones as someone you'd

Wickard hopes Jones' family will help. "When it was down, he helped this town," she said, looking across the road at Jones' house, where fans and neighbors have pinned roses and notes to the rickety wooden gate. "He gave a donation to keep the library open. Dave would do anything for us."

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The Monkees' Davy Jones 'thought his chest pains were heartburn', says daughter Talia Jones says her father ignored warning signs as he'd been told 'his heart was like a 25-year-old's' The Monkees' Davy Jones thought his chest pains leading up to his death were just "a bad case of heartburn", according to his daughter.

family that they wished for his funeral to be "very, very low-key and very, very private" and if he and his bandmates attended, he feared the event may become "a media circus".

Jones passed away as a result of a heart attack last week (February 29) at the age of 66. In an interview with the National Enquirer, his daughter Talia said that he had dismissed the pains in his chest as indigestion because he had recently been given a clean bill of health by doctors.

He also said that Jones' death is likely to mean that the band will no longer tour or record under the name 'The Monkees', but that there will probably be a memorial concert for Jones. A number of stars have paid tribute to Davy Jones since his passing, including Kasabian frontman Tom Meighan, who dedicated his band's NME Award to Jones in a video you can watch below.

"My father just had all of these tests and everything came back great," she said. "He was told his heart was like a 25-year-old's." She went on to add: So when he continued to have pains in the chest area, he never thought it was anything but a bad case of heartburn. In fact, he needed more extensive testing to know what was going on. Talia also suggested it was Jones' stressful lifestyle that had led to his health problems. "Of course there was stress," she said. "What stressed him was just living the lifestyle he did - literally going from one country to the next, one state to the next. He was always trying to do so much and please everybody." Earlier this week (March 6), it was revealed that the three remaining members of The Monkees would not be attending Jones' funeral. Drummer Micky Dolenz said that the band had been made aware by Jones'

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Davy Jones' Family Brings Singer's Ashes to Private Memorial in England tered in Manchester although they were placed on his parents' grave for a little while." Barber also said that, while the family wanted this gathering to be private, a public memorial in the U.K. is still a possibility. "We managed to keep [Sunday's memorial] very private and very personal, all his family together in one room," she said. "He'd have been thrilled to bits to see that." None of Jones' former Monkees mates were at the memorial yesterday at Lees Street Congregational Church in Openshaw in Greater Manchester. Peter Tork, Mickey Dolenz and Mike Nesmith also opted not to go to the Florida service, saying they didn't want to turn the family's private goodbye into a "media circus." The trio said that they would want to participate in a more public tribute in the future, however.

by Natalie Finn Davy Jones' family continued their goodbyes to the late Monkees frontman over the weekend, and this time in his hometown. Four days after holding a private funeral for him in Florida, Jones' widow, Jessica, and four daughters traveled to Manchester, England, to join his Britain-based relatives for another service paying tribute to the entertainer and family man. He died suddenly of a heart attack on Feb. 29 at 66. Jones' ashes made the transatlantic crossing with his wife, according to BBC News. "He came home to Manchester," Jones niece Beverley Barber told the BBC. "His ashes weren't scat-

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

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Onesti Remembers Good Friend Davy Jones

Ron Onesti, owner of the Arcada Theater in St. Charles, IL. with David Jones.

Davy Jones, former singer for the band The Monkees, died Wednesday morning after suffering a heart attack, The Huffington Post reports. He was 66.

operated Arcada Theatre in St. Charles. Onesti said the former singer enjoyed visiting the city.

Ron Onesti, CEO of Onesti Entertainment, said he was "devastated" at the news of the singer's passing in a statement released Wednesday.

"He loved walking around St. Charles," Onesti said. "Last time he was here, he had me bring him in three days early just so he could do that. I have so many stories about him and how he touched people. He was one of those people that just shouldn't have gone early."

"I am devastated at the loss of a good friend," Onesti said. "Not only did we work together on many occasions over the past 20 years, but we actually spent a lot of quality time together."

merous

Jones joined the NBC sitcom The Monkees. The band's single "I'm A Believer" reached the top of the charts in 1967.

Jones had performed nutimes at the Onesti20

Monkee Shines Where to begin...Probably like everybody else, when I was a young fan of the Monkees. We all were inexplicably drawn to their crazy antics, screaming girls and pre-MTV-style concert footage. The music was infectious and it sure wasn't the shows' plots that kept me engaged. As unique as each Monkee was, Davy was the most endearing. His natural qualities as a human being transcended into his character. I was fortunate to work with Davy on many occasions. Each time we got together, I was met with a warm embrace and his own impersonation of my Chic-ah-go style "How ya doin'?" He really loved coming back to Chicago, marveling at the deep-dish pizza and the sincere love his Midwest fans always showed him. The first time I brought him to my Arcada Theatre, he fell in love with the City of St. Charles. He would ask me to bring him in a day or two early just so he could check out the town. Many times he was spotted just walking down Main Street and chatting with the shop owners. He loved our former restaurant, The Onesti Dinner Club, that was built within a 160 year old church. He had purchased an old church, but really did not know what to do with it. One look at our place and his face truly lit up. We would spend hours talking about ways of re-creating what we had done at his place. Then there was the time I brought him back on stage after one of his fabulous concerts. As he genuinely thanked the standing ovation, he said, "Ron, this audience is tremendous! I would love to hug you all!" He then retreated to the dressing room. I walked in and reminded him of the meet and greet he was to

do. He said, "Oh yeah. What have ya got, 15 or 20 folks?" I said, "Well my friend, you just told 900 fans that you wanted to hug them. I've got 900 people waiting in the theatre for their hug ... nobody is leaving!" So for the next four hours, Davy smiled and posed and signed. Entertainers rarely do anything like that these days. I was on the phone with my "big sister" Deana Martin, Dean Martin's daughter, one day. I told her that Davy was coming to the theatre and she told me that Davy actually only had one major girlfriend on the show...and it was her! She also said they had a little fling off screen too. She promised to send me the clip from the show. So the last time he was by me, I once again asked him to join me back on stage after another superb performance. I told him I had a little surprise for him. I brought our 40 foot screen down and played the clip from the show that he and Deana sat staring into each other's eyes while stars were shooting out. The crowd roared and he somewhat embarrassingly smiled. I asked him who the girl was and he replied, "That was actually Dean Martin's daughter, Deana. What a lovely girl she was." I asked him if had kept in touch with the daughter of the legend. He said, "I haven't seen her in 40 years. I would love to see her again." At that moment the big screen was raised and there she stood, arms outstretched, and her gleaming smile. His jaw dropped and they rushed to hug each other. They then sang the Dean Martin classic Everybody Loves Somebody together. A truly incred-

Monkee Shines ible moment and one of the best memories I have in my 30 year career. But that was Davy. Each moment spent with him, whether you were one on one with him, or part of the throngs of fans singing along with him, was special. Aside from the fact that I literally saw eye to eye with him, I always valued the time we spent driving to see Dick Biondi at the radio station, or going out to eat as much, if not more so, than his time on our stage. Of course, his memory will live on in his music and on TV. The entertainment industry lost a small-framed giant this leapyear Feb. 29. It was Davy that helped me realize that I am a good dad to my 7-year-old daughter. A Monkees song came on in the car and she said, "That's Davy Jones!" If I have had anything to do with perpetuating his memory to the next generation, I have truly shown my appreciation for Davy. What was most amazing to me was how warm he remained in a business that he felt kind of left him behind. He would tell me stories of the show making millions, but he and the guys each making $500 a week. It was the fans that really kept

him going all those years. He loved giving back to his fans, knowing the jockey from Manchester made so many people happy. Thank you, my friend. As you take your "last train," remember that you have enlightened our lives, and you will be missed. Anytime anybody asks me how "I'm doin'," I'll think of you. David and Deanna Martin together again at the Arcada thanks to Ron Onesti.

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Richard Marx shares his Memory of Davy Jones It was the winter of 1968 and aside from the Beatles, nothing on earth was bigger than The Monkees. In my house, however, The Monkees were everything. I didn’t really catch up to how life-changing The Beatles were until later. I think I knew the words to “Daydream Believer” and “I’m Not Your Steppin’ Stone” before I could speak in complete sentences. I….freaking….LOVED… The Monkees. I watched their show on TV every Saturday and begged my parents to buy me every record. One Christmas I even got the Matchbox car version of the Monkeemobile. My father was friends with a guy in Chicago who did radio promotion, and that winter of ’68 he called my dad and said, “Isn’t your son a huge Monkees fan? I’m doing a radio event with them tomorrow. Would he want to meet them?” So my dad, God bless him, got me out of my first grade class and brought me downtown to the station. Peter Tork had just left the group but the other three were performing a concert the next night and doing radio to promote the show. I walked down a hallway and spotted Mike Nesmith first. My heart pounded a little faster. He was busy signing album covers but squeaked out, “Hey, kid,” with a smile. Around the corner came Mickey Dolenz, who actually spent 90 seconds talking to me and was very friendly. This was exciting for me, too, but I recall that I looked right at Mickey and said, “Where’s Davy?” Davy Jones was, aside from Elvis, my boyhood hero. I loved The Monkees, yes….but it

was all about Davy. He was so cool. His clothes, his moves, his voice, and he ALWAYS got the girl. I wanted to meet Davy more than anything. You know that thing about meeting your heroes and how it can often be a total letdown? This was the polar opposite. The radio guy brought me into another room at the station and there sat Davy Jones, alone. He was only about 5′ 4 but when he stood up he seemed 6′ 6. He was handsome and had this big smile on his face. This was one of the most famous people on the planet and it was just me and him. He’d been told I was a big fan (how unique!) and he asked me lots of questions about myself and my family and what I liked at school, etc. Davy sat and talked to me for about 15 minutes. He drew a picture on a piece of paper and signed it for me, and put his arm around me as I left, giving me a hug. He couldn’t have been more who I wanted him to be in that moment. About 3 years ago I played a show in Pennsylvania outside Philly. I landed at a regional airport and was at baggage claim waiting for my bag, and one of the eleven people standing there waiting with me…was Davy Jones. He was as handsome as ever. I walked up to him and said, “Excuse me, Mr. Jones?” He looked at me and got this huge smile and before I could say another word he said, “Wow! Richard Marx!!! Man, I love your stuff!!!” I forced my brain to put

Monkee Shines was in my first grade class and it was “Show and Tell” time. The teacher called on me even though I wasn’t volunteering, and I said I didn’t have anything for her. She said, “Your parents told me you that you like to sing. Will you sing a song for the class?” I didn’t want to, but my legs somehow got my body to the front of the group, and everyone got quiet. I was brutally nervous and wasn’t even sure what to do. And then I just went with the one song I knew by heart: “I Want To Be Free” by The Monkees, sung by Davy Jones. It was the very first song I ever sang in front of anyone. I haven’t sung it since that day but I wanted to sing it today…for Davy.

that on hold and I said, “I’m so glad to see you because I have a story for you.” I told him every detail about how sweet and kind he’d been to me 40 years before, and he was genuinely happy to hear it. He told me about his kids and the farm he lived on in Pennsylvania and that he was all about horses. (I remembered he’d almost become a professional jockey in his youth.) And he said he still loved to perform. He said, “We’ve just got to keep doing it, right, man? It’s who we are.” We said goodbye and that we both hoped we’d meet again. Hearing of his passing today from a heart attack has made me so sad, but so grateful to have a story like this about him to share. Just a few months before I met him in 1968 I

God rest his sweet and kind soul.

Richard Marx's VLOG and touching rendition of I Wanna Be Free can be found at www.richardmarx.com

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Why we grieve teen idols: A tribute to Davy Jones By Stephanie Goldberg, CNN

British singer and actor Davy Jones poses for a portrait around 1960. Jones, whose charming grin and British accent won the hearts of millions of fans of the 1960s television series "The Monkees," died Wednesday, according to the Martin County, Florida, sheriff's office. He was 66. pieces of your childhood start falling away. There goes another piece of mine." Whether the grief stems from the feeling of closing a chapter in one's own life, or the larger question of mortality, the death of a former teen idol can have a profound effect on fans. Like Michael Jackson, who died in 2009, and Whitney Houston, who died last month, Jones was someone younger generations looked up to as "the first person who made them interested in music," said Phil Gallo, Billboard's senior correspondent. For many people, The Monkees were the first group they could claim as their own, as op-

(CNN) -- Davy Jones was more than just the star of countless bedroom wall collages in the late 1960s. The Monkees frontman and token Brit who captivated audiences with his talent and charisma was the quintessential teen heartthrob. News of Jones' passing (he died of a heart attack at age 66 Wednesday) prompted nostalgic outbursts from fans, all wanting to reminisce about the Tiger Beat and 16 Magazine covers, the hours logged in front of the TV, and the moments spent bopping around to "Pleasant Valley Sunday." CNN.com commenter rosemeow wrote: "Sad feeling, when

Monkee Shines year before Bieber earned his teen heartthrob status, Yahoo! Music named Jones the top teen idol of all time, ahead of Jackson and David Cassidy, who shared the honor with Bobby Sherman and Donny Osmond in the early 1970s. Taking a page out of The Monkees' book, Bieber has taken advantage of this time in the limelight, releasing a memoir, a movie, appearing on "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," and touring, all while making music. Jones guest-starred as himself in a 1971 episode of "The Brady Bunch," appropriately titled "Getting Davy Jones." The now iconic episode, in which Jones performs "Girl" for Marcia at her prom, was beloved by fans. "There's something about The Monkees and what that told us about pop culture and how music and TV and, eventually, film can work together," Gallo said. "This is sort of a lesson that people can still learn from, and it keeps getting repeated five decades later." The Beatles -- the group that inspired The Monkees -- released "A Hard Day's Night" in 1964. Three decades later, '90s superstars, The Spice Girls, came out with the movie "Spice World." "The teen idol marketplace is really a two- to five-year window," Gallo said, and that was understood

posed to the music that belonged to their parents, Gallo added. "That really affects people," he said. And then there was Jones' teen heartthrob status. "If you talked to any girl who liked The Monkees, invariably, (Jones) was her favorite," Gallo said. "It's the lead singer. It's the cute one. The one who's got the nice personality." But that fandom isn't limited to the girls who would've gladly traded a limb for a date with Jones. "When I was a kid, I wanted to BE Davy Jones," actor Kevin Bacon tweeted. "Big part of what led me to showbiz." A lot of the people who are grieving this loss are in their 40s and 50s, Gallo said, adding, "It's a case of, 'Wow, he's one of me.' People think of him as, 'He's from my lifetime. He's my age.' " And though it seems like a far departure, that's how today's youths will view pop star Justin Bieber. Sure, the magazines have changed -- now it's J14 and Twist -- and Jones' fitted buttondown shirts have been replaced by purple hoodies. But the significance of teen idols remains the same. (Ironically, so does the hair.) In 2008, one

Monkee Shines back when The Monkees were at their peak. But the thing that makes The Monkees different is that their music managed to transcend generations, Gallo said. "Oldies radio or commercials or ... on TV shows, (their music) kept getting used in the '70s and '80s, so when they had a comeback, there was an audience for it." After first finding fame in the late '80s and mid '90s, New Kids On The Block and Backstreet Boys, respectively, experienced a comeback of sorts when they toured together. As former fans become parents, and introduce their children to The Monkees, Gallo said, their audience will grow. Not to mention that Smash Mouth's version of "I'm a Believer" appeared in 2001's "Shrek." CNN.com commenter papanez wrote: "Davy and The

Monkees were very special to me. I enjoyed them back in the '60s, I had a blast introducing my daughter to them when she was little, and I very much enjoyed their reunions." "There will come a day that somebody is going to play The Spice Girls or *NSYNC for their kids and say, 'Let me tell you how great music used to be,' " Gallo said. "It's kind of hard for us to fathom, but in the same ways someone says 'Pleasant Valley Sunday' is a great song and, 'They don't write (songs) that way anymore,' I'm sure somebody will say that about 'Backstreet's Back' one day."

In David’s Name We have a project to help fans honor Davy Jones’s memory. There is an organization called "The Trees Remember" - this organization will plant a tree in one's memory. We are collecting money from fans who would like to donate $1 or whatever you want. We can plant 20 trees for $99, 40 for $198, and so on. We will have the trees planted in a forest in Florida in David’s name and present his sister, Hazel, with a certificate announcing that the trees were planted in David’s name and a list of everyone who donated for her to give to the family. Any fan who would like to would like to make a small contribution - $1.00 each ( or more if you choose) they can send it to Anne Pinna, 4953 Bostonian Loop, New Port Richey, FL 34655. Or if you prefer you can make a paypal donation to pfg@machlink.com ( please make a notation that it is for Trees for Davy .Anne will keep a tally of how much we receive and report back. We will aim for June 1st as a cut off and see how many trees we can get planted in Davy’s memory. If the fans like this idea we would like to find a couple of projects like this a year for the anniversary of his passing and to celebrate his birthday. We are thinking of doing one for his birthday to donate to a Horse Rescue Organization. We’ll keep you posted. I think David would be happy to know his fans were honoring his memory by doing good things in his name.

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My name is Holly Hammet and I'm 21 years old. The summer of 1996 when I was six year old, I found The Monkees. It was during Nick at Nite's Block Party Summer and they aired the episodes. I can remember watching every week, and being sad when my parents told me to go to bed after. My young mind would dream about romping with them and then I'd think of my favorite Monkee--Davy Jones. He was the reason I started to be interested in boys. Most girls at my school were in to NSYNC or The Backstreet Boys; my boy band of choice was The Monkees. That's how it's been for all these years. Of course I evolved, got into other things, but they never lost my heart. In 2005, I met my best friend Lisa through a Monkee group online, and we're still friends to this day. She even came with me when I attended Susquehanna University for a short time, I went for Print Journalism, but my heart hoped that I would see Davy at some point. This was not to be. She knew how much Davy meant to me, and when I heard he'd died, She was the first one I phoned. She lives ten hours away, and tells me that she felt bad that she couldn't be there for me all the time. So, in a big way, Davy was the reason I met my best friend for life. We were fortunate enough to see Davy and his band play where my friend lives, in Bardstown, KY. That was the best day of my life that I'll never forget. Her mother surprised us both and I was so glad. I found myself reaching for something new to say when I met him--anything! But when I had my two minute window, I said your standard "I love you", and got my ticket signed. Had I known then what I know now, I wish I could have used my two minutes to say something more. He was The Artful Dodger--my favorite character in British Literature. I know every word of every song to Oliver the musical--you get the idea. I wish so much that I could go back and let him know that he changed my life for the better and I know now that he's in Heaven looking down on me, like a guardian angel. I just wish I could have reached into my pocket and found the new words I was searching for, but now I guess I have a lifetime. I'm satisfied with knowing that I've known him for practically my whole life, and for two whole minutes...he knew me. So thanks Davy, for giving me the sunshine I needed in a rather rainy childhood. I carry you always in my heart.

Monkee Shines I had the most pleasure to meet Davy. As a 12 year old girl, Davys voice and softness brought much happiness. I did not grow up in the greatest of families and so I made music my out. When I met Davy, at the Chiller Theatre Convention two years ago, he was so kind and so caring. When you spoke to him, he made you feel like you were the only two in the room. Last night, I decided to put the cd, "She" on and when I opened it, a paper fell out of the case. I picked up the paper and it was a picture of the Monkees and on the back it said, "Thanks, Lucille". Why I did not see that two years ago or the several times I played the cd, I will never know. I will tell you one thing though, I think it was a message from Davy, saying, "I am at peace and so should you be", or at least that is what my spirit is saying. So now I do not mourn the loss of such a wonderful and caring person. I celebrate his life and love for music, mankind and the world. So now that our Davy is a free spirit and on his travels of a new life, I will rejoice in the fact that I met him and I now honor him with pure joy. Lucille Cumming Forever, it will remain, "IN GOD WE TRUST"......AMEN! I

I had the opportunity to see the Monkees in concert . The first time was in 1987 . let start by telling you a little story along with that concert . sometime in late 1986 my mother was diagnosed with throat cancer . At the I did not realize how bad it was mostly due to not knowing anything about cancer. Not to mention I was married and had a child to raise plus working odd hours. Not that I did not care about my mother or anything .But sometimes when you have another life some things tend to get forgotten like her cancer...until she needed to go to treatments. well back in 1987 and before and after that year the Monkees were STILL very popular . So as soon as I got the tickets THEY WERE SOLD OUT!!!!! this was like 5 months before the concert . I knew I had the tickets but that was about it . After that all hell broke lose and my mothers health turned for the worst . It was more mom needs me.my husband needs me .my daughter needs me to I do have job. anyway we planed a birthday party for her June 21th . she looked really bad with a tracheotomy tube in her throat . had my tickets for the Monkees concert for August 8th. My mother passed August 5th . I did not feel like going .And told my husband I DID NOT WANT TO GO. I felt soooooooooo bad .All I wanted to do was CRY . But he said you have people counting on you to go you bought tickets . So I said I would go .But I said I will not enjoy it . I had planed on that NOT TO HAVE A GOOD TIME. I just did not want to go . So I went with my friends. It started out ok STILL FEELING SAD. But once Weird Al & then the Monkees came on Even for a minute I felt better . I personally was able in a letter to tell Davy .How much that meant to me . Even for a moment it did help. They say time heals all pain. But I was glad I went . Thank you Beverly from Delaware

Monkee Shines I was 10 when the Monkees came on the scene. In my Hard of Hearing class, the Teacher’s desk had a turn table, radio and mike system. Often I and four classmates Mario, Todd and Gordon would pretend to be the Monkees playing in our classroom while the record played and the rest of the class listened on their headphones. It was neat, I would often be David, Mario would be Mike, Todd would be Peter and Gordon would be Mickey. We had so much fun performing as the Monkees. Of course, for the girls, Davy was the favorite, hence, my ulterior motive for playing Davy. I will miss Davy very much. Frank When I was growing up, there was one certainty in my life at age 10, 11 and 12…on Monday evenings at 6:30pm central time, I could be found in only one place..in front of the TV, most often at my Grandmother’s house down the street. I can remember her telling me how much Davy sounded like her father who hailed from Manchester. We all had our favorite Monkee, mine was always Davy Jones. Never in a million lifetimes did I ever imagine what life would hold down the road, all thanks to a concert ticket my Mom gave me for Christmas more than a decade ago. That would be the first time I had the opportunity to actually see David perform and also to meet him. After countless twists of fate, my husband, two sons-both boys, parents, brother, assorted friends and I had the opportunity to meet and chat with David on numerous occasions. At one concert up in Oshkosh, WI, David had waved my hubby and I over to join him as he was eating breakfast. During that conversation, he was telling us about a book he had read and wanted to mention a quote from the book during his show that evening…..he could not recall the quote exactly—good things, good things, people remembering…… I piped in— Good Things Stand the Test of Time? THAT’S IT!!!!!!!!!!!! At the concert later, David got into story telling mode-good thing I was paying attention because I heard him say “good things” and suddenly he bent down, put the mic in front of me and was grinning ear to ear. I finished the quote;-) Good things indeed DO stand the test of time, David proved that time and time again. His kindness, his graciousness, his gentlemanly way, his genuine care and concern for people, his humor, his quick wit, his generosity………..to say nothing of his talent will stand the test of time. Speaking for myself, my family, my friends, there are so many memories we have of David’s path crossing into our lives. Those memories will be with us always. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you. We will never forget you, ever. Janet Litterio

Monkee Shines I'm still saddened for the loss of Davy Jones. It's still a shock to me that he's not here. I didn't think this would happen to him. He has been loved by so many people. He loved telling jokes and make people laugh. He took the time to meet his fans, talk to them, and take pictures with them. Davy loved being with his horses and working with them. I am so grateful that I had the chance to know Davy for awhile. He was a good person to me. He had made a big influence on me since I was a child. He gave me advice about riding horses and music. I will not forget about Davy. He will always be in my heart. I will miss him dearly. Jennifer Martinez

I've been a Monkees fan since the 1960s, although I can't remember whether I discovered the show on its original run or on the Saturday-morning repeats. But I do recall a playmate asking me who my favorite Monkee was. (I was all of eight or nine years old.) When I told her it was Davy Jones, she shook her head negatively and said with the seriousness that only a child can muster, "No, you can't like Davy Jones. My sister likes Davy Jones and she doesn't want anyone sharing him, During the summer of 2010, I learned that Davy Jones was scheduled to do a show in my city. I promptly purchased a front-row ticket which included a Meet-and-Greet pass. I was thrilled that I would get to see my favorite Monkee in concert for the very first time and to actually meet him in person. Unfortunately, the show was cancelled due to sluggish ticket sales, and I was crushed. I did get to see Davy with The Monkees as part of the 45th anniversary tour just a few months later, in June 2011, but my chance to meet and talk with Davy, give him a hug, and get a picture taken with him had been lost forever, as was the chance to get some good close-up concert photos from a seat in the first row. (I did, however, sneak a few photos at the Monkees concert, even though flash photography isn't allowed at the venue at which they appeared.) I will always have a soft spot in my heart for Davy. He left us much too soon, but he did leave us with a ton of good memories, and his voice and image are preserved on audio and video as well as in countless photographs. R.I.P., Davy Jones, and thank you for the happiness you brought to the world. Laura Pinto

Monkee Shines I have some great memories of Davy and will always appreciate his kindness in offering to read the very first movie feature script I ever wrote. My favorite memory is when he was leaving Florida from playing Fagin in Oliver and had read my script he called me to tell me that he wanted to pass it on to a producer in Florida. I was in the shower when he called and my roommate had to tell me he was on the phone. I told him he got me out of the shower and he asked if soap was running in my eyes. I said yes and he said he knows how that feels and then quoted Daydream Believer saying, "Ooh that stings." I had met him briefly a few times since then and on June 22, 2011 Davy saved the day for the fans (including myself) who had paid for a meet and greet with the guys after the concert but were told as soon as we arrived at the show that the greet was cancelled because one of them is sick. The fans didn't take too kindly to paying over $50 extra for the meet and greet and being offered a wrong size t-shirt and lousy poster to make up for things. Needless to say, the fan trooper of all time, Davy took pictures with all of us. Micky quickly went through the line and signed anything if you stopped him. I was with Davy (didn't know it would be the last time) as seen in my pics when Micky finished going through the line and headed back when Davy asked Micky where he was going. Micky said he was done and Davy got a little upset and said, "Micky, you promised." I also got to tell Davy about the original "Oliver" program I had brought with me for him to check out and maybe sign, but it was in my car since they told us they wouldn't be signing anything. Security wouldn't let me get it and come back and Davy really wanted to see it. I told him I would definitely bring it to Westbury, but that added show was cancelled. I wouldn't call Davy a friend of mine, but he has shown me and given me such love, joy, and entertainment all my life that I will never forget him and his kindness and will love and miss him forever. He and the Monkees in general have always been influential in my life and as an actor in the entertainment business I believe Davy always set the perfect example of how all artists should treat their fans. RIP Davy. Thanks, Scott Brody

Monkee Shines As the MasterCard Commercials point out… Monkees 45th Anniversary tour - $65 Gas to get there - $45 Hearing Davy Jones sing all his fave Monkees hits and personal solos with Micky Dolenz and Peter Tork, while hanging out with your sister …..PRICELSS For everything else there’s MASTERCARD! And now that he is gone from this side of heaven...it's TREASURED GOLD!

Sarah McClanahan

I met Davy in Circleville, Ohio in the early 90’s at a concert he performed at the Mill St. gym. I was very excited and nervous to meet him but he treated me like a friend and soon it seemed like I had known him all my life. I always tell everyone that he’s like the brother I wished I had. I miss him very much and my prayers go out to his family, friends, and fans. Jamie Elswick

I have been a fan of the Monkees since I was very young. I was what you would call a second generation fan I guess. I watched the reruns faithfully in the 70's. I always liked Davy telling the story of the girl skipping across the carpeted room to kiss the TV to a big SHOCK! This is because that is what I did. Sat there and waited for the faces to come up at the closing credits of the show and I would kiss his face on the TV every time! I remember in 1978 buying a Tiger Beat's Teen View Magazine for Shawn Cassidy, no doubt. The Monkees just weren’t in the teen mags at the time. I remember clearly reading this specific issue and turning the pages to find inside a "flashback" story on Davy Jones. I was SO excited. I re-

Monkee Shines member thinking how different he looked in this “new” picture. I remember babysitting on a Saturday night in 1986. It was late and I was flipping through the channels on their cable system and on MTV they started a Monkees Marathon. I was shocked! I hadn’t seen them in years. The kids were in bed and I was GLUED to their TV. After I was dropped off at my house after babysitting I went straight to the TV. We had just gotten cable for the first time. I turned on MTV and stayed up and watched and watched. I even called in sick to my weekend job on Sunday so I could continue watching. I was in love “for the very first time today” – AGAIN! None of my friends understood my obsession. I didn’t care. I had my aunt and uncle take me to one of the 20th reunion shows and cried when Davy took the stage. I was on the lawn, looking through (the looking glass)…no through binoculars and crying. In January of 1987 Micky Dolenz appeared along with the Monkeemobile at the World of Wheels Car show in Chicago. I went, stood in line forever and then met Micky. I was beside myself. I stood at the side of the stage after that for HOURS watching him sign autographs. It was there that I met other crazy Monkee fans, such as myself, and we have become life-long friends. Friends who decided to start a fan club for our Monkees. We were a "gang" of sorts so we appropriately named the club, "The Purple Flower Gang". We started and our first newsletter came out in October of 1987. Thanks to Cindy Bryant and her dedication, the newsletter you are reading right now still goes out today....25 years later. Davy had a special bond with our “gang” and us with him. He was so very, very kind throughout the years. Dinners, flowers, candy, cards, notes, letters…..he truly appreciated his fans. While we were lucky enough to have been the recipients of all these wonderful memories, know that Davy loved all his fans. He appreciated you. I am going to miss him. It has been a rough couple of weeks coming to terms with the void left in his passing. First, the loss of this wonderful entertainer and “friend” of sorts and then the loss of the adventures my friends and I would embark on to see him in the Midwest and finally the loss of the acquaintances that would be at the many show - those familiar faces that weren’t friends per say, but who were an important part of the whole adventure. There is a giant whole in my heart. Dawn Hoffman I remember how the sun glistened that warm August day in 1996, not a cloud in the sky. Davy and his daughter Jessica were walking along the shoreline of Lake Superior in Duluth MN. I could tell he was taking in the beauty all around and the precious moments with his daughter a few hours

Monkee Shines before the show. He was in his element and that was so precious to have witnessed that. Thank you Davy for all the wonderful memories both on screen and in person. I will always have stars in my eyes for you. Jennifer LaMotte

I will never forget the night I met Davy Jones between shows at NJ's Great Adventure. It was June of 1976, I was almost 15, Davy was 29 and Dolenz Jones Boyce & Hart was at the beginning of their summer tour. Davy was a fan's dream come true: charming and adorable (and a great kisser!). He was my first and forever crush, and I will love his music forever. His talent, warmth and graciousness will never be forgotten by those he touched. My heart goes out to his beautiful family and my fellow fans all over the world. Barbara Morford Hopewell, NJ

Like so many other first-generation Monkee fans, I was swept away by Monkeemania from the very first 45 record that came out in August of 1966. I didn't want to marry them, like all the girls did. My buddies and I simply thought those four guys were the coolest dudes on the planet. Back in those days, you had to be in front of the TV at the appointed night and time to watch them for half an hour. That's why I think the Monkees are so loved by lots of older fans --- to see them was a rare treat. Back then there were no VCRs, no TiVo, no DVR. We had to BE there. I was hurt badly by the news that Davy had died. For his fans, he always represented FUN in human form. And he was the single person who's most responsible for Monkee popularity to this day. He always championed the Monkees when the others seemed ready to deny it all. I met him a handful of times, and he was gracious, patient, and friendly. And I'm not the only one who noticed that. There are thousands (millions?) of fans across the world who've taken to the Internet and poured out their hearts in kind remembrance of Davy. I think what hurts me most is knowing that lately he seemed to be enjoying himself quite a lot. In recent years, in all of his Monkee and solo concerts, Davy truly wanted everyone in the audience to have a great time. He went out of his way to sing and dance his very best, no matter how he was feeling and no matter the size of the crowd. To me he had become more than a Teen Idol. He had become a really nice man. Jeff Smith, Omaha, Nebraska

Monkee Shines To David until we meet again ….. If I only knew I would never hear your voice again, I would have cherished each word and note. If I only knew I would never see your smile, hear your stories or your jokes again, I would have thanked you for all the joy you had brought into my world. I thank you for all the memories and I thank your family for sharing you with us. You were so many things to so many people but most of all you were loved. It was always nice to be with you and I will love you forever Until we meet again. Colleen Johnson Our Manchester Cowboy’s waitin’ on the PFG We always have us a good time down By Kimmi Wright on The River Front Love to Peter, Micky, Michael and our Lord, I was born a Monkees Fan beloved Davy. Crusin’ with my friends and seein’ every show I can Lord, I was born a Monkees Fan And when it's time for screamin’, I Crusin’ with my friends and seein’ hope you'll understand every show we can That I was born a Monkees Fan And when it's time for Cryin’, I know you'll understand Well Bobby was a genius out in L.A. That I was born a Monkees Fan He and Bert manufactured a band for TV. Lord, I was born a Monkees Fan Four insane boys, 17-21. Lord, I was born a Monkees Fan Whoever could’ve imagined what Lord, I was born a Monkees Fan would be… Lord, I was born a Monkees Fan

Monkees Fan

Lord, I was born a Monkees Fan Crusin’ with my friends and seein’ every show we can When it's time for screamin’, I hope you'll understand That I was born a Monkees Fan I'm on my way to The Quad Cities this mornin'

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Death of Monkees legend Davy Jones - tributes paid by his Stockport family Richard Wheatstone March 01, 2012 The family of Manchester music legend Lomax in Coronation Street. But it was Davy Jones have said the star was only when he started singing that he ‘happier than ever’ in the months before found global fame. The Monkees TV his death. Jones rocketed to fame in the show – inspired by the Beatles film A 1960s as the face of the world’s first made Hard Day’s Night – was watched by -for-TV pop group, The Monkees – who millions a week. In real life, they scored quickly became one of the biggest bands hit after hit, including Daydream Believer in the world. His niece, Beverley Barber and I’m a Believer. Sister Beryl Leigh, said Jones died after suffering a heart who lives in Cheadle, helped raise Davy attack while tending to his beloved horses after their mother Doris died in 1960. near his home in Indiantown, Florida. He She said that even as a global superstar had started a new life in Florida after marhe remained fiercely proud of his Openrying wife Jessica, 34, two-and-a-half shaw roots. She said: "Despite all his years ago. Beverley said her uncle had success, he never forgot where he was found ‘true happiness’. Beverley, from from and he was always very proud of High Lane, Stockport, said: "He wanted to where he was from. He never changed. I be Peter Pan – I know he hated the remember when The Monkees first took thought of growing old. "I’ve never seen off he came home with all this trendy him happier than he was in the last year or long hair. "My dad, who used to work on so. "He touched so many lives and was the railways looked at him and said ‘for loved by so many people and was just a God’s sake son get your hair cut’. Davy lovely, lovely man. "He used to love comjust lifted a piece up from over his ear ing home and whenever he was here he and said: ‘Dad you know how you wear would want to go back and have a look your overalls to work – these are my where his old house was and at his old overalls’. "He was always going to be a school. "Recently, when he came back we star, I knew that from when I used to were outside the school and the caretaker take him to his first auditions. "Even at spotted him and said ‘Davy I always knew school they used to pick the school you would come back’. We got a tour of plays based on what role Davy would the school where they’ve still got his old play. But what made me most proud desk on a platform. It meant a lot to him to was how he was as a person and how know he meant so much to people where much everyone loved him. He just made he was from." Davy Jones: Pop’s first teen everyone smile." Jones is survived by idol who was forever a daydream believer third wife Jessica, 34, his four daughJones, who stayed in regular touch with ters, Talia, 43, Sarah, 40, Jessica, 30, his family in England, was around 15 and Annabel, 23, and three grandchilminutes from his Florida home when he dren, Harrison, Lauren and Phoenix. felt unwell. A stables worker called an ambulance after Jones went to recover in his car but he died a short time later in hospital with Jessica at his bedside. Jones grew up in a small terrace house in Leamington Street, Openshaw, with his dad and three sisters. He attended Varna Street Primary School before getting his big break at the age of 11, playing Ena FAMILY MAN: Davy Jones with his sister Beryl Leigh, Sharples’ grandson Colin left, and niece Beverley Barber.

Monkee Shines much less ever believe I would have to write about. The news came as such a horrible SHOCK to everyone.

Written In My Heart Davy Jones This was a brand new release by Davy Jones for Valentine’s Day 2012...

Let me take you back to yester century...I was six years old in 1966. I remember asking my Mom to call me in the house at 6:30 pm every Monday night so I could watch “The Monkees”. Like innumerable other girls, I was so infatuated with Davy Jones. Teen idols came and went, but it was always him who captured my heart. One of my friends was hopelessly devoted to David Cassidy; another swooned over Elvis. Not me.

Http://soundcloud.com/ anthonybozza/ written-in-my-heart Like a morning sun Shining down on me You’re the only one My reason to believe I can hear you Makes no difference where you are I can see you I am watching from afar Yours forever Written In My Heart

When I heard all of The Monkees’ episodes were going to air on MTV on February 22, 1986, I specifically bought a VCR so I could tape every single one. Suffice it to say, when I heard The Monkees were actually going to tour and scheduled to appear on June 20, 1986 in Burlington, Iowa (about two hours from my house), I couldn’t believe it! I would have given my right arm just to see Davy Jones.

Like a lonely moon Drifting in the sky When it’s gone too soon It doesn’t mean goodbye I can see you Makes no difference where you go I can feel you You are deep within my soul Yours forever Written In My Heart

It was over 90 degrees that historic day, and there I was donning a green wool hat just like Mike Nesmith would have worn. I coerced a neighbor/friend to accompany me to the show(s). We perched ourselves on bleachers along the Mississippi River light years away from the stage. The Monkees finally came on at 4:00 pm. I had never experienced such a magnetic pull in all my life. Quoting a line from an episode, I said to my friend, “Everything’s okay, but when you’ve gotta go, you’ve gotta go.”, and I proceeded to drag her with me. We snaked our way through 22,000 people to advance as close as pos-

I can hear you Makes no difference where you are I am near you I am watching from afar I can see you Makes no difference where you go I can feel you You are deep within my soul Yours forever Written In My Heart Written In My Heart Written In My Heart

Commentary By: Bonnie Borgh David’s sudden death on February 29 was something I really never even allowed myself to think about

Monkee Shines sible to the stage. There we stood behind the VIP fence and a parking meter. I had waited twenty years to see Davy Jones, and there he was! It was a childhood dream come true.

south as Biloxi, Mississippi (once). “THE REST OF THE STORY” is another story. Somewhere along the way, we actually found ourselves knowing David Jones. If it’s possible that we were actually friends of his, I think we were. When he appeared at the Isle of Capri on November 05, 2011 in my hometown of Bettendorf, Iowa, it marked the one hundred sixtyseventh time I had seen The Monkees and/or David Jones. God blessed us with our final last memory of him right here.

When I heard Davy Jones was going to appear in person at a book signing in Omaha, Nebraska (five hours from my house) on July 10, 1987, I had to go. There were several thousand people there, and I waited in line for hours. When I finally met him, I rambled as fast as I could beginning with the mantra: “I’ve been a fan of yours since I was six years old...” He looked at me (wearing that green wool hat), and he probably thought, ‘Uh huh...”’ I had seen fans ahead of me in line with the nerve to ask him for a kiss. Taking A Giant Step, I asked if I could have one, too. He graciously obliged with a kiss on the cheek. I thanked him for the autograph/kiss. He said, “My pleasure.” I’m sure he had heard that line “I’ve been of fan of yours since blah blah blah” a million times, but he just looked at me with humble disbelief. Then again, maybe he’d never seen someone wear a green wool hat in July in a shopping mall before.

David Thomas Jones is Written On All Our Hearts in unique and special ways. David was quoted as saying, “Remember me the way you’d hoped I’d be.” He made dreams and wishes come true that I never even imagined conceivable. It Won’t Be The Same Without Him, but You and I have been given the legacy of his music. Because of David, we have magic memories of places we have been and people we have met to treasure for the rest of our lives. We will Love Him Forever, and Someday Man we will see him at the gates of Heaven. Yours Forever

Little did I know then that seeing and meeting him was just the beginning of “THE REST OF THE STORY”. Who would have guessed the cast of characters (and you know who you are) who became a part of my life along the way and that I would have followed The Monkees and/or David Jones to as far west as Los Angeles (twice), to as far east as New York City (twice), to as far north as Superior, Wisconsin (once), and to as far

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Mitch Albom: Davy Jones was a Monkee and true teen idol By Mitch Albom Detroit Free Press Columnist

But stardom was different back then. Snail mail vs. the Internet

Davy Jones died.

For one thing, even a huge star like Davy Jones had limited exposure in your everyday life. There's a big difference between hanging a poster in your bedroom and tweeting, YouTubing and Googling your heartthrob's every minute. As massively popular as Jones was, you only saw him once a week on "The Monkees" TV show, or maybe an occasional interview somewhere.

I didn't think that was possible. If there was ever a forever-young pop idol, Davy was it. Boyish-faced, longhaired, short, thin, British accent, always goofing around with the other Monkees, singing bubble-gum music and making little girls scream. He was Justin Bieber before there was a Justin Bieber, or Justin Timberlake, or Ricky Martin, or New Edition, or New Kids on the Block, or even Michael Jackson and Donny Osmond.

Today, a Google search on "Justin Bieber" reveals 700 million results. That's one a day for the next 2 million years. You can hear Bieber talk, sing, tweet and opine, and view his photos, videos or nearly every article ever written about him with the simple tap of a computer button.

And although he wasn't the first singer to make girls swoon -- the Beatles, Elvis, Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, the list goes way back -- he did personify a time when being a teen idol was a huge business, but still a relatively innocent one.

Doesn't that take the mystery out of it? I remember girls in our neighborhood writing letters to Davy Jones, then waiting for the mailman each afternoon. Sure enough, one day, an envelope would arrive with a signed photo inside, and the girls would rip it open and scream and then, if I recall correctly, pass out.

I looked up an old cover of Tiger Beat magazine from 1967. It was an entire edition devoted to Davy Jones. The cover boasted stories like: "Will He Marry?" "Are You His Type?" "What He's Like At Home ... On A Stage ... On A Date."

It was all sweet and innocent and over in its time, as pop infatuations should be.

The stories themselves were equally gushing. There was no talk of drugs, arrests, DUIs or sex. Maybe they'd mention a first kiss -- in the same cooing tones reserved for a Prince Charming.

'A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You' Today, teens have a different relationship with fame. It envelops them.

Monkee Shines It is both entertainment and goal. Their stars are not just singers in pop bands, but reality show creations like the Kardashians and the "Jersey Shore" group. They make their own videos. They nurture their own legends on Facebook.

whole end of innocence thing. Or maybe that Jones, unlike so many big names today, seemed to really enjoy being a pop star while never acting as if it was a birthright. I read that the first night he performed on "The Ed Sullivan Show," at age 18, he sang, "I'd Do Anything" from the Broadway hit, "Oliver!," in which he was appearing. That same night, another group gave its first Sullivan show performance: the Beatles.

The most recent Teen Choice awards named "Bad Teacher" as favorite film (an R-rated movie, theoretically off-limits to many teens) and favorite TV comedy as "Glee" -which, like "The Monkees," features a put-together group of singers, but, unlike "The Monkees," surrounds them with story lines of teenage pregnancies, teachers having romantic affairs and kids exploring all avenues of their sexuality.

Davy Jones watched in awe from backstage, seeing the girls go crazy. You wonder whether he knew he was seeing his future.

In "The Monkees," Davy would get kidnapped in order to marry a princess. But as I said, it was a different time, a time of tambourines and "Daydream Believer." Davy Jones didn't curse in his music, didn't get arrested, didn't beat up men or women, and -- in our minds, anyhow -- didn't grow old. In real life, of course, he did. I saw a joke he told Britain's Daily Mail last year about his young wife, who apparently suggested to him one day that they run upstairs and make love. "I looked at her. 'At my age,' I said, 'it's going to have to be one or the other.' " He died this past week, at 66, of a heart attack, which has its poignancy, given the palpitations he caused an entire generation of girls. I don't know why his passing saddens me as much as it does. I never mailed him a letter. Never waited for a signed photo. Maybe it's just that

Monkee Shines This story written by Mike Ferguson ran on the front page of the Muscatine Journal on March 3rd, 2012 and a few days later in the Quad Cities Times.

MUSCATINE, Iowa— When singer Davy Jones of the Monkees died of a heart attack at age 66 Wednesday, Cindy Bryant of Muscatine lost not only a beloved singer and performer, but a friend as well. “I’m still a little teary,” said Bryant, 57 leader of a Monkees fan club called “The Purple Flower Gang.” in honor of a character in one f the band’s many gags from it’s hit television show, “The Monkees,” which ran on NBC from 1966-68.

“I’m still grieving and we will be for a long time,” she said. “It’s hard to explain, but he has shaped my whole life. Most of my dearest friends I never would have met without him.” Well know among the world’s Monkee fans, Bryant has done interviews with a radio station in Dublin, Ireland, and a TV station in Australia. “Like everyone else,” she said, Bryant as a young girl worshipped the band, four disparate young me—singer Jones, guitarist

Davy Jones and his daughter, Jessica, pose with Cindy Bryant, third from the left, and Bryant’s friend , Bonnie, in Burlington, Iowa in the late 1990s. ( Bonnie reminded me it was 2001.

Monkee Shines She’s become friends with Jones’ sister, Hazel Wilkinson, who still lives near Manchester, and Caroline Boyce, Tommy’s widow. Once Bryant and her friend Bonnie Borgh, created the one-andonly version of “Monkeeopoly” based on Jones’ career.. The two

Michael Nesmith, drummer Micky Dolenz and bass/keyboard/banjo player Peter Tork— placed together by studio executives, Along with nearly everyone else of a certain age, Bryant and her friends watched “The Monkees” every Monday night. She particularly enjoyed the singer and former jockey from Manchester, England, who was nominated for a Tony Award at age 14 for his performance as the Artful Dodger in “Oliver!” in London and on Broadway In fact, decades later Bryant was in a Kansas City audience—even sitting in on two days of rehearsals—when Jones played the truly great role in the show, the old pickpocket instructor himself, Fagin. “His daughters said it was about time her grew up and acted his age,” Bryant said with a laugh. Bryant has seen the man she calls David Jones (“Davy I was the character he played,” she says) perform more than 200 times. She credits him with introducing her to people who would become lifelong friends. “I am full blessed with all the things that have come into my life because of him,” she said, “There are two young women who call me “Mom” who are closer to me than my own family.” She’s also met her share of celebrities backstage at Jones’ shows, including Tiny Tim, Monkees studio musicians/composers Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, and Iron Butterfly guitarist Mike Pinera.

women gave the prototype to Jones, who in turn passed it along to his sister. The fan club in Chicago got wind of the board game’s existence and “searched every toy store in Chicago looking for it,” Bryant said, laughing. “We had to tell (the fan club president) there was only one.” On Nov. 5, 2011, Wilkinson helped Bryant achieve her favorite — and final — Jones memory. Guy Fawkes Day—also known as Bonfire Night—is the day the English remember the Gunpowder Plot, a 1605 plan to blow up Parliament. The people around Manchester typically celebrate with picnics and spend time with friends and family, Bryant said. That night, Jones was performing at the Isle of Capri casino in Bettendorf. Clued in by Wilkinson weeks before, Jones’ fans had prepared all of his favorite Guy 43

Monkee Shines Fawkes Days foods and presented him with a Guy Fawkes statuette standing atop a bonfire. The singer was genuinely touched, she said. “He brought it onstage and explained to everybody what it was<“ she said, “He told us he would treasure it the rest of his life.” A picture of Bryant ended up in the second edition of Jones’ autobiography “They Made A Monkee Out Of Me.” she’s had tea with Jones. During which the two friends talked about, of all things, their phones bills.

In 1993, Jones sent Bryant a letter of thanks for yet another thoughtful gift. In that letter, Jones promised he’ll be “waiting for her at the gates of heaven.” Bryant sais she plans to watch Antenna TV this weekend, which will air all 56 episodes of “The Monkees” as well as the band’s film, “Head.” “It’s a little dated,” she admits of her favorite childhood TV show, “ but the comedy still works today.”

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How Davy Jones Changed My Life By Jan Chilton

I've always been crazy about Davy and the Monkees...from 10 years old, through all the Beatles years, the 80's Disco, and even now. Their music was always a part of my life. Davy was a the most beautiful man alive, who only existed in my dreams and on TV. Millions of other girls in the 60's felt the same way. I grew up in High Point, North Carolina...a world away from any Hollywood people. We didn't meet celebrities ever. In those days, you were lucky if your parents took you to a theatre. It's not all that small of a town now, but still not a place you'd particularly want to live. I spent my childhood wandering in the woods, catching tadpoles, reading, and watching TV at night. At 10 years old, I was a kid out of the Waltons. And one night the television brought the Monkees to me. I wasn't yet old enough to be listening to the radio like a teenager. But I daresay, in 1966, preteens across the country suddenly went music crazy. I was as in love with these boys as any woman ever loved a man. Davy Jones put hormones into me that I didn't have a clue what to do with. But he became

my first love, and it never ended. I grew up, went into a delayed "Beatles" stage in my mid-teens, got out of high school, married, divorced, married again, went through my 20's...always with Monkees songs by my side. I went from albums to 8-tracks to cassettes and eventually to cds. But they were always my main musical focus. When Daydream Believer is playing, all is right in the world, and nothing bad will ever happen. (How I wish that were still true...) In 1987, a miracle occurred and the Monkees actually came to Chapel Hill North Carolina. I went to see them, sat miles from the stage with binoculars, and cried the entire time they were on stage. I'm not sure why...out of happiness that they really existed, perhaps, and out of sadness that Davy was still a world away from me and not just a man that I could meet and marry. But seeing them just cemented my love for the music and for Davy once again. I packed up my cat and a few belongings and moved to Myrtle Beach, SC in 1991, when I was 35. Lots of reasons, but mostly because I felt drawn here and only content when I was here. I've never looked back, and made a great life 200 miles away from everything I'd ever known. The Monkees reunion in 1997 came along, and like everything else, fate stepped in and allowed me to win free tickets on the radio. I was working in a retail store (pawn shop yet!) making $8 an hour and barely paying my bills. I could

Monkee Shines never have bought tickets without borrowing the money. As it was, they were nosebleed seats and I finally got up, walked down steps and up aisles, and ended up about 3 ft from the stage. I took photos and felt like it was all a miracle... looking at this "god" from a few feet a way and breathing the same air as he. That was NOTHING compared to what the future would hold. I came back to work on cloud nine, and the store manager had just gotten the internet on his computer. None of us had ever seen the cyber world before. He's in there whooping about porno sites and I asked him to "SEARCH" (note that) for Monkees. They were all over the internet, Davy had a somewhat "official" (at the time) website, and I met Cindy Bryant, the PFG fanclub, and was REALLY excited. This was the day of guestbooks and forums, and bless her heart, Cindy answered my questions and tolerated my nutty excitement. She became as close of a friend as any real-life friends I've ever had. Of course I couldn't afford a computer. Even the cheapest ones back then were $1000 or more. That night I go home and see a commercial about Web TV, which was about $200. Working in a pawn shop, I asked my manager the next day to PLEASE buy a webtv if anyone came in with one for sale. He's never heard of such a thing and doubts that anyone else in town has either. Maybe 2 hours later, some guy walks in with one. It was brand new, still in the box with all the packaging intact. (Can you see the miracle?) He even tells the manager he bought it on a whim and has no idea why and just wants to get some of his money back. I got it for $50, (paid the store $10 a week) took it home, and got ONLINE!

I wanted my user name to be LoveDavy, but it was taken. So I chose LuvDavy. (Ten years later I still use that moniker!) I emailed the Lovedavy person to see which Davy she was in love with ...LOL ... and met a girl named Denise. She actually had a Davy website! In the next few weeks she taught me how to make one. Of course, I wanted to tell the universe how much I loved Davy. I began the Davy Jones Worship Site, which would eventually become almost as wellknown as his own site! I can't even begin to tell you how difficult it was to do anything like that using a Webtv. There were no downloads...techie people built programs online that would transfer files from one place to the other and taught people how to use them. When the miracle occurred the following year in 1999 and I met him, my whole life changed. He was doing an autograph thing in High Point! Wild isn't it? I don't think he's ever done another one since. It was for a Women's Club function. I actually drove back to nowhere (from somewhere) to see him. Not only did I get to meet him, to speak to him, to sing along with him, but somehow I got the nerve up to ask for a kiss and got one. I came very very close to fainting, but if I had died then and there, I would have been happy to go. Nothing in this world has ever made my heart sing like that magical day of meeting Davy Jones for the first time. Honestly, I came close to overload. It's more like a dream than reality. Since then, I've met him about 12 times, and even spent several hours with him at a horse race in Charleston, SC with my

Monkee Shines friend. There are many of us who traveled all over the US to meet and see him in concert. Hundreds of us have met online and formed friendships around our love for him. I had actually gotten to the point where I could speak coherently to him with the help of Valium. After months of obsessively learning and doing his website, I did one for the store, too. They liked it, and it brought them a bit of business. Fate took over yet again, Ebay came along, and I started dabbling with that. I ended up setting the pawn shop up on Ebay and having my own office with nothing much to do except surf the net. Eventually I got into search engine forums and loved the challenge of trying to out-think Google. I got good at it, and was approached by a real estate agent...then more...and eventually it got to the point that I could work from home and make a good living doing websites and search engine optimization. I never go to an office anymore...utter heaven. I have enough money now to travel about anywhere I want to go...to drive a car I want to drive, to live in a condo at the beach, and hopefully never have to work hard again. I live the American Dream...and it's all thanks

to a beautiful little Manchester lad named Davy Jones. How do you repay someone for a life change like this? I still keep his website around, keep up with my fellow Monkees fans on Facebook, and thank him every day of my life. He might still have been a daydream, but Davy made a daydream believer out of me...:-) And now he's gone. My heart, and my world is a darker, more empty place. I've cried more tears than I have done losing family members. We all came together once again on Facebook and in emails to comfort and console each other, and to remember the good times. When he left, he took so many 10 year old girls' hearts with him. He will never know how many lives he changed. This is my legacy from Davy Jones. Forever, Davy...forever. Jan Chilton Little River/Myrtle Beach SC USA

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Down On The Ranch By Lynda Wiles On the 29th February many people gathered in videoranch3D after hearing the sad news about Davy. The ranch foreman, Neffie, kindly played Monkees music for us to listen to. The Doontube music video show in the ranch on March 1st included a 30 minute video clips section in tribute to Davy. It was shown at the Rio Drive-in and well attended by around 50 people. This was repeated on the Sunday and by special request another Monkees/Davy themed Doontube show was screened on the 7th. The pink flamingos are the ranch way of giving a standing ovation.

Eye surgery After an absence of several months Michael put this post on his FB page; Michael Nesmith Thursday 16th February 2012-03-13 When we mapped the Marfa metaphor for the concert there with the Watkins Family, as those of you who were in on it will recall, we came up with â&#x20AC;?Lightâ&#x20AC;?. The Light of Art that illumines and enriches society, civilization and humanity. That is why it was so ironic that when I arrived in Marfa to play the concert I was practically blind. I had been slowly losing my sight since 2007, and then in 2010 it took a dramatic turn for the worse and by the time of the Marfa concert in October of 2011 my world was a Monet painting with pretty colors but no distinct identities. Thanksgiving and Christmas were cold and lonely and came and went in a steady deterioration of the remaining sight, and by the time January 2012 was here I was legally blind. I needed assistance for

Monkee Shines most all activities, which was lovingly and unselfishly provided by my friends and companions Jessica, Robin, Katrina, and Jeffrey ---sometimes much to their own discomfort and cost. I could not drive or cook or get around on my own. It got worse, but I will spare you all that. Suffice to say things were bad, but my friends were good – even saintly. In this darkness I reached out to a lovely friend and fellow musician, Janni Littlepage, and asked if she knew someone who might help. She suggested Alexander Holmes, a surfing ophthalmologist here on the peninsula. When I went to see him he said “Well, the bad news is that it is cataracts. The good news is that it is cataracts. I can fix those” He scheduled me for surgery late January and in a simple, painless, operation he replaced the cataracts with brilliant clear new intraocular lenses –inside the eye – and I can see clearly now, just like the song says. So, where I was blind, now I see. In fact, I see better now than I ever have in my life. To those who have inquired, that is where I have been my dear friends, wandering in darkness. But it is no longer dark. And though am returning only slowly to things, still digesting the lesson in all this, grateful for every step, I can see the light of intelligence has informed every hand, guided every move, and provided every direction. The light of Marfa shines; the Light of Life expressing itself in each unselfish, generous and beautiful act. It is an extraordinary, inspiring, and lovely thing we do: that we heal each other. It is generally thought Michael didn’t seek earlier medical advice because of his Christian Science beliefs. We are all very thankful this turned out to be something that could easily be corrected and that his sight is good again.

Of David’s passing…. Nesmith wrote: "So many lovely and heartfelt messages of condolence and sympathy, I don't know what to say, except my sincere thank you to all. I share and appreciate your feelings. "But let's not get ahead of ourselves here. While it is jarring, and sometimes seems unjust, or strange, this transition we call dying and death is a constant in the mortal experience that we know almost nothing about. "I am of the mind that it is a transition and I carry with me a certainty of the continuity of existence. While I don't exactly know what happens in these times, there is an ongoing sense of life that reaches in my mind out far beyond the near horizons of mortality and into the reaches of infinity." He continued: "That David has stepped beyond my view causes me the sadness that it does many of you. I will miss him, but I won't abandon him to mortality. "I will think of him as existing within the animating life that insures existence. I will think of him and his family with that gentle regard in spite of all the contrary appearances on the mortal plane. "David's spirit and soul live well in my heart, among all the lovely people, who remember with me the good times, and the healing times, that were created for so many, including us. I have fond memories. I wish him safe travels."

Monkee Shines

"I am in a state of shock," band mate Micky Dolenz said in a statement. "Davy and I grew up together and shared in the unique success of what became The Monkees phenomena. The time we worked together and had together is something I'll never forget. He was the brother I never had and this leaves a gigantic hole in my heart. The memories have and will last a lifetime. My condolences go out to his family."

Monkees’ Micky Dolenz to Appear in Epcot’s Flower Power Concert Series Micky Dolenz, will perform as part of the Epcot Flower Power concert series later this spring, in place of Monkees bandmate Davy Jones. Jones, who died last month unexpectedly of a heart attack, was scheduled to appear during the concert’s last weekend, May 18-20. He was a veteran performer for the popular concert series, which takes place during the Epcot International Flower and Garden Festival, and features acts primarily from the 60s and 70s. Dolenz and Jones were both part of

the iconic 60s group, The Monkees. The band, which was created for the TV series, went on to generate a number of popular songs. The two apparently remained close as Dolenz told CNN: ”He was the brother I never had, and this leaves a gigantic hole in my heart.” Davy Jones had been a regular performer during the Flower Power concert series. 2012 will mark the first appearance in the lineup for Dolenz.

"It is with great sadness that I reflect on the sudden passing of my long-time friend and fellow-adventurer, David Jones. His talent will be much missed; his gifts will be with us always. My deepest sympathy to [his wife] Jessica and the rest of his family. Adios, to the Manchester Cowboy. Peace and love, Peter T."

Monkee Shines A follow-up to my appearance on The Rachel Maddow Show It has been a long time since I’ve done live TV (mostly taped), and I’m just nowhere near as fast on my feet as I’d like to be.

and an absence now, that defies definition. I have yet to find the right words. Perhaps there simply are none, but I want to note that when I said I liked, loved and respected each bandmate in different ratios, it was Davy that I loved most.

I had hoped to share, in my March 2nd conversation with Rachel, that in the outpouring of grief over Davy’s death (my grief, and the grief in the community), I have been reminded of many things that were unique about our shared experience in The Monkees TV show, as well as our subsequent reunions and dis-unions. The political context of Rachel Maddow’s show seemed a good place to discuss these memories.

Peace,

When The Monkees first aired, it was the first time on network television (in the days when there were only three networks) that a group of young adults was presented as being in charge of their own lives, without a “wiser” senior adult figure directing or advising them. I’ve spoken of this before. In the wartime tumult of the 60s political and social change it was clear to many of us young adults that a great many figures in authority were not a reliable source of information or direction. Every Monday night, viewers tuned in to watch “four crazy boys” muddle through on their own and come out alright by the end of the half hour. The show was both a benign break from the carnage on the world stage and a reflection of a shift (introduced with The Beatles’ Hard Day’s Night) that we, as a generation, were called to account for our own truths, our own lives, our own destinies.

Peter will be signing autographs. For information about the event: http:// www.motorcitycomiccon.com May 20, 2012 TBA Motor City Comic Con Novi, MI

Regarding Davy’s death, I hoped to touch upon more deeply the richness of our relationship, which covered parts of six decades. A presence,

Peter T.

Appearances May 18, 2012 TBA Motor City Comic Con Novi, MI May 19, 2012 TBA Motor City Comic Con Novi, MI

Peter will be signing autographs. For information about the event: http:// www.motorcitycomiccon.com Jun 8, 2012 8:00 PM Sellersville Theater 1894 Sellersville, PA Peter Tork and Shoe Suede Blues Jun 9, 2012 TBA Club 66 Edgewood, MD Jun 10, 2012 2:00 PM Club 66 Edgewood, MD Fan Appreciation Party: the guys jam on some tunes, friends drop in, a good time all-around! Jul 13, 2012 8:00 PM Watercolor Café Larchmont, NY Solo acoustic show: http:// www.watercolorcafe.net The Watercolor Cafe is located at 2094 Boston Post Rd. in Larchmont, NY.

Monkee Shines