How much do you know ex-Monkee Davy Jones? And who was Number 1 in the charts on this day in 1967?
ADVERTISEMENT30 December 1945: Davy Jones, English singer-songwriter and actor, ex-Monkee was born on this day in 1945.
From 1966 to 1970, Jones was a member of The Monkees, a pop-rock band formed expressly for a television show of the same name. Jones sang lead vocals on many of the Monkees' recordings, including 'I Wanna Be Free' and 'Daydream Believer'.
As the Monkees were becoming a pop phenomenon, another rock legend was getting his start in England. Davie Jones fronted a beat combo called the King Bees, and as he pursued a solo career, industry folks advised he change his name, so as to avoid confusion with the far more popular Monkee Davy Jones. Inspired by American pioneer Jim Bowie and his eponymous knife, Davie Jones changed his name to David Bowie. So you could say that he forced David Bowie to be named David Bowie.
Jones enjoyed a successful solo career before and after the Monkees, and made memorable television appearances as a solo artist. But did you know he was also a successful horse racer?
He originally trained to be a jockey and remained a horse-lover his entire life. In 1996 at the age of 50, Jones won his first horse race, the Ontario Amateur Riders' Handicap.
He died in 2012 aged 66, one year after The Monkees celebrated their 45th anniversary.
Also on this day:
**"To flee or not to flee, that is the question... Going away is such sweet sorrow."
**
1948: Broadway show 'Kiss Me, Kate' – which is based on Shakespeare’s play 'The Taming of the Shrew' (much like one of the greatest teen comedies of all time, 10 Things I Hate About You) - premiered on 30 December 1948.
"I say 'High', you say 'Low'..."
1967: The #1 Hit on this day in 1967 to 19 January 1968 was The Beatles’ 'Hello, Goodbye'.
On that earworm, Euronews Culture wish you a happy goodbye to 2022 and a wonderful hello to 2023!
