[barrysloate]

Peter Tork of The Monkees died yesterday, so allow me to share a story. In the summer of 1967, I took a tour around the country, traveling with kids my age mostly by bus and train. Sometime in August we landed in Houston, and since this was a kind of an upscale trip, we checked into the Shamrock Hilton Hotel.

Also staying there at the same time were the Monkees, as they were on tour and had a concert in Houston the next night. I remember seeing the band roaming around the lobby, as well as Mickey Dolenz lounging by the pool.

Our group was able to see that concert, and what I best remember was they could play well enough and sing well enough despite not really being a true rock band. It was a fun concert and a great memory.

Rock trivia: When the Monkees tour began in July, for the first few weeks they had a relatively unknown trio open for them. This was a band who had to date a little traction in England, but were pretty much new in the States. Their name was the Jimi Hendrix Experience.