Peter Tork

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Peter Tork
Born	February 13, 1942 Washington, D.C.

Peter Halsten Thorkelson (born February 13, 1942), better known as Peter Tork, is an American musician and actor.

Although born in 1942, many news articles will have him listed as born in 1944 as this was the date given on early Monkees press releases, as well as on the back of their first album. This is rumored to make Nesmith appear to be the oldest member of the group (as leader).

He was born in Washington, D.C. and began studying piano at the age of nine, and showed an aptitude for music by learning to play several different instruments, including the banjo and acoustic and bass guitars. Tork attended Windham High School in Willimantic, Connecticut, then was a member of the first graduating class at E.O. Smith High School in Storrs, Connecticut. He then attended Carleton College but flunked out (twice) and moved to New York City, where he became part of the folk music scene in Greenwich Village during the first half of the 1960s. While there he befriended other up and coming musicians such as Stephen Stills, and after both moved to the Los Angeles area Stills suggested Tork audition for a new television series about four pop-rock musicians. Tork got the job and became one of the four members of The Monkees, who ended up being both characters in a television sitcom and a band in their own right.

Tork was a proficient musician, and though the group generally did not play their own instruments on their first two albums, he was an exception, playing what he described as "third chair guitar" on "Papa Gene's Blues," a Mike Nesmith song, on the first album. After that point he played keyboards, bass guitar, banjo, and other instruments on their recordings. He also wrote along with Joey Richards the closing theme song of the second season of The Monkees, "For Pete's Sake." On the television show, he was relegated to playing the lovable dummy, even though he is actually a highly intelligent, literate person, as the other Monkees have always been keen to point out in subsequent interviews.

After two years of the show, six albums, a movie, and a television special, Tork had had enough and quit the group, striking out on his own with a group called “Release.” This new band never put out any recordings (making its name quite ironic), and did not achieve success. Tork was credited with co-arranging a Micky Dolenz solo single on MGM Records in 1971. Problems with drugs and alcohol led to his leaving show business entirely for a few years while he taught school and coached baseball.

In 1976, Tork reunited with fellow Monkees Davy Jones and Micky Dolenz for the recording of a Christmas single, which saw limited release.

A chance meeting with Sire Records executive Pat Horgan at the Bottom Line in New York City led to Peter recording a six song demo, his first recording in many years. Recorded in summer 1980, it featured Peter, who sang, played rhythm guitar, keyboards, and banjo, backed by southern rock band Cottonmouth, led by guitarist/singer/songwriter Johnny Pontiff.

Horgan produced the six tracks (which included two Monkees covers, "Shades Of Gray" and "Pleasant Valley Sunday"), with George Dispigno as engineer. The tracks were recorded at Blue Horizon House, 165 West 74th Street, home of Sire Records, but Seymour Stein, president of Sire, rejected the demo, stating "there's nothing there." Tork recorded a second set of demos in New York City, but little is known about these (other than the fact that one track was a version of "Pleasant Valley Sunday" accompanied only by violin).

In 1980, Tork quit drinking and the next year gave up drugs. In 1981 he released a 45 rpm single, his first solo record, and did some club performances and live television appearances.

In 1986, Tork rejoined fellow Monkees Davy Jones and Micky Dolenz for a highly successful 20th anniversary reunion tour. Three new songs were recorded by Peter and Micky for a greatest hits release. In 1987, the three Monkees recorded Pool It!. A decade later, all four group members recorded Justus, the first recordings with all four members since 1968.

Since 1986, Tork has intermittently toured with his former bandmates and also played with his own bands The Peter Tork Project and Shoe Suede Blues as well as in solo performances and with touring partner James Lee Stanley. In 1994, he released his first album length solo project, Stranger Things Have Happened, which featured brief appearances by Micky Dolenz and Michael Nesmith.

Peter has three children: Hallie Elizabeth Iannoli (b. 25 January 1970) with Reine Stewart, Ivan Joseph Iannoli (b. 22 December 1975) with Barbara Iannoli, and Erica Marie (b. 15 June 1997) with an unknown girlfriend. Peter currently resides in Storrs Mansfield, Connecticut.

[edit] External links

• The Official Peter Tork Website
• The Official Shoe Suede Blues Website
• Peter Tork at the Internet Movie Database
• Peter Tork Interview 2005 From PEOM

Persondata
NAME	Tork, Peter
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION	musician and actore
DATE OF BIRTH	February 13, 1944
PLACE OF BIRTH	Washington, D.C.
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH