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TL;DR:

  • One of The Monkees was part of the Greenwich Village folk music scene.
  • Stephen Stills suggested that he should join the Prefab Four.
  • The Monkee in question played the piano on one of the group’s most famous songs.
The Monkees’ Davy Jones, Mike Nesmith, Peter Tork, and Micky Dolenz near a poster
The Monkees’ Davy Jones, Mike Nesmith, Peter Tork, and Micky Dolenz | James Jackson/Evening Standard/Getty Images

One of The Monkees was part of Greenwich Village’s folk music scene before joining the group. Notably, he played piano on one of the Prefab Four’s biggest hits. Following his death, the song in question increased in popularity.

1 of The Monkees was part of the Greenwich Village folk music scene and could play at least 4 instruments well

Bobby Hart co-wrote many Monkees songs. In his 2015 book Psychedelic Bubble Gum: Boyce & Hart, The Monkees, and Turning Mayhem Into Miracles, Hart recalled meeting Tork for the first time.

“Peter Tork was very personable, although more reserved with his energy and gestures than the others,” Hart wrote. “It only took a few minutes of conversation with Peter to see how bright and thoughtful he was. As he and I chitchatted, he described how he had come to the show straight from the folk music scene. Peter was proficient on a number of instruments including piano, guitar, bass, and banjo.”

Peter Tork made friends with Stephen Stills during his time in the Greenwich Village folk music scene

Hart revealed information about Tork’s pre-Monkees life. “I enjoyed talking with Peter about his life in Greenwich Village,” Hart added. “We had been living in the city at the same time but were moving in entirely different worlds.

“Peter finished his story of becoming a Monkee by revealing that his friend from the Village scene, Stephen Stills, had suggested Peter for the show after Stephen himself had not been a match for the project,” Hart added.

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According to Billboard, Tork’s death was announced on February 21, 2019. That day, the Prefab Four’s album and singles sales increased 1,172% from the previous day. The top-seller was “Daydream Believer.” Notably, Tork played piano on the track.

“Daydream Believer” was a big hit in the 1960s, topping the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks, staying on the chart for a total of 16 weeks. The tune appeared on the album The Birds, the Bees & the Monkees. The album hit No. 3 on the Billboard 200, remaining on the chart for 50 weeks.

According to The Official Charts Company, “Daydream Believer” peaked at No. 5 in the United Kingdom and lasted 17 weeks on the chart. In 2012, the tune hit No. 69 for one week. Meanwhile, The Birds, the Bees & the Monkees never charted in the U.K.

Tork was a figure in the 1960s folk music scene and his legacy lived on following his death.

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