Peter Tork, The Monkees bassist, dies

Peter Tork, the bassist for the 60's rock group The Monkees, has died, The Washington Post is reporting.

Tork's sister confirmed that he died Thursday at the age of 77.

It is with beyond-heavy and broken hearts that we share the devastating news that our friend, mentor, teacher, and...
Posted by The REAL Peter Tork (Official) on Thursday, February 21, 2019

The Monkees were a creation of NBC executives, selected for their looks instead of how well they made music, specifically for the television show that aired starting in 1966 and ran for only two seasons originally. It won an Emmy Award for outstanding comedy during that time and spawned hit songs like "Daydream Believer" and "Last Train to Clarksville," the Post reported.

Tork was the oldest, at the age of 24, when the show premiered. He called his role as the "dummy" of the group, performing as a version of himself he created when he was a folk musician in Greenwich Village. He played bass and keyboard for the Monkees and sang lead on and wrote some songs like "Your Auntie Grizelda."

Tork was diagnosed with adenoid cystic carcinoma in 2009, a cancer that affected his tongue, according to the Post.

Tork was born Peter Halsten Thorkelson in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 13, 1942 before his family moved to Mansfield, Connecticut in 1950, the Post reported.

His cause of death, as well as where he died, were not released.

Check back for more on this breaking story.

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