Bobby Hart, โฃMonkees Songwriter, Dies at 86
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Robert Luke Harshman,โข known professionallyโ as Bobby Hart, passed awayโ on September 13, 2024, โin Los Angeles, California, at the age of 86.Hart, alongside Tommy Boyce, penned some of the most recognizable songs of the 1960s, including Theโค Monkees’ breakout hit, โค”Last Train to Clarksville.”
Hart’s death marks theโ endโฃ of an era in pop music history. His collaborative songwriting with Boyce defined a generation,shapingโค the sound of The Monkees and influencing countless โartists. The duo’s ability to craft catchy, โฃupbeat tunes resonated with audiences thenโค and continues to be enjoyedโค today, ensuring their legacy endures.
From Arizona โRoots to โฃPop Music Success
Born in Phoenix, Arizona,โ on February 11, โ1939,โฃ Hart wasโค the son of a minister. He initially pursued a career as a disc jockey after serving in the Army reserves,but quickly transitioned to songwriting and session work in โคLos โAngeles during the late 1950s. He first found success co-writing “Hurt So Bad” with Teddy Randazzo and Bobby Weinstein, a song later covered by Linda Ronstadt.
Hart’s partnership with Tommy Boyce, whom heโ describedโ as having a veryโ unusual personality, spontaneous and extroverted, yet very cool at the same time,
proved to be a pivotal moment in his career. Together, they wrote “Come aโ Little Bit Closer”โฃ for Jay and the Americans before being recruited by Don โฃKirshner for Screen Gems songwriting factory.
Crafting Hits for Theโข Monkees
Assignedโค to write songs for The Monkees,a bandโ intentionally modeled after The Beatles,Hart and Boyce delivered instant success. Theyโ created the twangy guitar โขriff forโ “Last Train โฃto Clarksville,” which toppedโ the charts in 1966. When Kirshner requested a โขsong featuring a girl’s name, they responded with “Valleri,” another top-five hit.
Theโ duo’s โcreativity extendedโ to โฃthe show’s theme song. Hart โrecalled in his memoir how the โคiconic tune originated: Boyceโฃ began strumming hisโ guitar and Iโฃ joined in โคby snapping my fingers & making noises withโ my mouth that simulated โฃan open &โ closedโ hi-hat cymbalโฆWe had created the perfect recipe โขfor inspiration and started singing about โขjust what we were doing:โข ‘Walkin’ down the street.’
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Key Career Highlights
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1939 | Born in Phoenix, Arizona |
| 1966 | “Last Train to Clarksville” released |
| 1967 | “Valleri” released |
| 1970s | Toured with Dolenz and Jones |
| 1994 | Tommy boyce dies |
| 2014 | Documentary “The Guys Whoโข Wrote ‘Em” released |
| 2024 | Bobby Hart dies |
Didโข You Know?
Bobby Hartโ and Tommy Boyce also wrote songs for other notable artists, including The Grass Roots and Herman’s Hermits,โค solidifying their place as prolific songwriters of the 1960s.
Pro Tip:
Toโค explore more of bobby Hart and Tommyโข boyce’s โwork, search for their discography on musicโ streaming platforms or visit online music databases like AllMusic.
Hart toured with Mickey Dolenz and Davy Jonesโ of The Monkees โคin the 1970s, and โคthe quartet released the albumโ Dolenz, โjones, Boyce & Hart
. They experienced a resurgence in popularity โคwhen Theโค Monkees enjoyedโข a comebackโค in the 1980s. Hart was also โtheโฃ subject of โa 2014 documentary, The Guys Who Wrote ‘Em
, alongsideโค Boyce.
He is survived by two children from his first marriage and his wife,singer Mary Ann Hart.โ
What โฃare your favorite songs written by Bobby Hart andโ Tommy Boyce? Shareโค your memories and appreciation in the comments below!
if you enjoyed learning about Bobbyโ Hart’s life and work, pleaseโค share this articleโค with your friends and family to help keep his musical legacy alive.
Frequently Asked Questions aboutโ Bobby Hart
- What was bobby Hart โbest known for? Bobby Hartโ was best known as a โsongwriter, especiallyโ for his work with Tommy Boyce on hits for Theโ Monkees, including “Last Train to Clarksville” and “Valleri.”
- Who was Tommy Boyce? Tommy Boyceโค was Bobbyโค Hart’s songwriting partner and collaborator. Together,they formedโ a prosperous duo that penned numerous hits in the 1960s.
- What other artists did Bobby Hart write for? Besides The Monkees, Bobbyโ Hart wrote songsโ for artistsโ like jayโข and the Americans, Little Anthony and โthe Imperials, and Linda Ronstadt.
- What was the โขinspiration behind “Last trainโ to โClarksville”? โHart and โคBoyce created the song after being asked to write a tune for The Monkees that resembled The Beatles’ “Paperback Writer.”
- Were was Bobby Hart born? bobby Hart was born in Phoenix, Arizona, on February 11, 1939.