The Monkees' Davy Jones Dead at 66

Singer-actor Davy Jones of the Monkees has died of heart attack at age 66 last evening. Before this, he was complaining of chest pains and was admitted at a hospital in Stuart, Florida.

The Monkees, with Davy Jones second from left, in 1967.

Jones was born in Manchester, England and started acting as a little kid. In 1964 he was included as one of the cast of Oliver! on the same episode of The Ed Sullivan Show where the Beatles made their debut. The next year he was cast in The Monkees, a comedy show/band inspired by the Beatles. They made an instant hit in the ratings and the record shops, scoring massive singles with "Last Train to Clarksville," "I'm a Believer," "Stepping Stone" and "Pleasant Valley Sunday." Jones – who played tambourine in the band – was the lead vocalist on the classics "Daydream Believer" and "I Wanna Be Free." At the peak of their popularity in 1967 the group sold more albums than the Beatles.