February 29, 2012 my world changed. Laugh if you must, but the news about Davy Jones' passing has made me profoundly sad. I refused to believe it at first. I saw a blurb run across my Facebook wall. "Davy Jones of The Monkees dead." My breath caught. I immediately googled, hoping to find it was another of these celebrity death hoaxes. Sadly, it was not. My heart broke.
My love for The Monkees is something I have never apologized for. From the moment I heard them on the 5th grade playground in 1986 I have been smitten. And Davy Jones is the one who stole my little girl heart. I have loved him with all the passion and fervor an 11 year old girl has for her first crush. That innocence and love has stayed with me all these years. Concerts, meet and greets, book signings, traveling the East Coast with my best friend, listening endlessly to their music on both record and cassette, The Monkees have been a huge part of my life and have brought me endless amounts of joy. And the butterflies in my stomach never subsided no matter how many times I encountered a Monkee. Sheer, unabashed adulation and joy.
Davy has always been a showman, an amazing entertainer, so sweet and kind with fans. Having interacted with him after shows and during Learning Annex and book signing events, I have always felt like a million bucks after every meeting. Davy was nothing if not a gentleman. He took time with each person, he listened to ridiculous prattle, and he always, always smiled. And every time I saw him, my heart would race and I would often not be able to find my voice. I would shake and sometimes cry. That 11 year old little girl would come out in full-force. And yet he smiled. The very first time I met him, he walked me through the entire experience. "Do you want me to sign your book?" Silence, nodding through happy tears. "Do you want a hug?" More nodding. "Do you want a picture with me?" Carrie, find your voice! Nothing. Just a nod. And then he ended with, "It was nice to meet you, Love." Sweetness. Kindness. And my heart soared. I don't believe I uttered a single word to him, but I walked away on cloud nine. I had met Davy Jones. I could die happy. I was 13.
Every concert experience was worth its weight in gold. David never missed a beat. He was charming and entertaining. He was funny and ridiculous. He loved the spotlight. He came alive the moment the stage lights came on. You never left a concert disappointed. And Mara and I always cried when he sang "I Wanna Be Free." And "Girl." And "It's Nice to Be with You." And...and...and...and...
In many ways, Davy was the face of The Monkees, the number one Monkee. He embraced that role, and though he always enjoyed talking about Broadway and horses and his other interests in life and performance, he never hesitated to embrace his role as Davy, The Monkee.
How can he be gone? 3 days later I'm still in shock. 66 was too young. I dreamed of seeing The Monkees performing until they no longer remembered where they were! I dreamed of seeing silly old men. I never, ever dreamed he would be gone so soon. He had at least another 20 years left to keep the world entertained! I miss him. I miss knowing that he's alive, making someone else happy somewhere in this world. We lost an amazing entertainer and a kind, loving person. My world will never be the same. I can't stop crying. The Monkees have always been my escape, my fun. Life gets stressful? The Monkees make em smile. Now, there is melancholy where there was joy. The beginning strains of Daydream Believer will forever echo hollow in my ear. David's light in this world has dimmed. Rest in peace, David. You are much loved and will be greatly missed. Thanks for all the smiles....
