Died On This Date (February 29, 2012) Davy Jones / The Monkees
themusicsover Davy Jones
December 30, 1945 – February 29, 2012
Davy Jones was and English actor and singer who is best remembered as the lead vocalist for the Monkees, a widely popular pop-rock group that was originally fabricated to star as a band on an American television series. The weekly comedy followed the hi-jinks of the fictional rock band as they tried to build a music career in Los Angeles. The show, which premiered in 1966, starred Jones, Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork, and Michael Nesmith as the group which was loosely based on the Beatles. The show launched actual music careers for the musicians, even though in the beginning, they contributed very little musically. Many of the program’s songs, which were showcased like music videos every week, became hits and future staples of oldies radio. They included “Daydream Believer,” “Last Train To Clarksville,” and “I Want To Be Free.” The show won two Emmys in 1967 and continued to be popular in reruns ever since. In later years, Jones recorded and toured the world with the reunited Monkees. As an actor, Jones also appeared in numerous stage productions as well as on such TV shows as The Brady Bunch, Love American Style, and My Two Dads. Davy Jones was 66 when he suffered a fatal heart attack on February 29, 2012. The Monkees co-creator, Bert Schneider passed away in December of 2011.
What You Should Own
Billy Strange was a much-respected guitarist, songwriter, and arranger who made an indelible mark on pop music as one of the top session players in Los Angeles during the 1960s. And as a songwriter, he was no slouch either. Born in Long Beach, California, Strange was just 5 years old when he performed on a local radio station – reportedly winning a yodel contest. Roughly ten years later, he was given his first guitar, and within two years, he was on the road. During the mid ’60s, Strange found himself as part of a collective of L.A. studio musicians known as the Wrecking Crew, who would go down in history as the players on some of the most important pop, rock, and country records of the era. Most famously, Strange played on landmark recordings by the Beach Boys (Pet Sounds), 
Christopher Reimer was the guitarist for critically acclaimed Canadian noise rock band, Women. Formed in 2007, Women released two albums, Women and Public Strain, before going on hiatus in 2010. In 2008, Pitchfork named their “Black Rice” as the 18th best song of the year. Reimer went on to perform with the Dodos and Neko Case. Christopher Reimer passed away in his sleep on February 21, 2012. Cause of death was not immediately released.
Michael Davis was the bassist for Detroit garage rock legends, the MC5 who were heavy influences on the punk movement to soon follow. More than just another loud blues-rock band, the MC5 were endeared by fans for their anti-establishment lyrics. The band’s use of itself as a political voice inspired future generations to do the same. Bands like the Clash and Rage Against the Machine have cited them as an influence for doing just that. Following his departure from the group, Davis played in Destroy All Monsters, an underground band that found a strong cult status among punk fans. In the mid 2000s, Davis and his wife founded The Music Is Revolution Foundation whose mission is to build public awareness that music education can help students improve their overall grades. Davis was also a talented visual artist who found his work gracing clothing, skateboard decks and much more. Michael Davis died of liver failure on February 17, 2012. He was 68. MC5 band mates, 
