Band members were:
Davy Jones, born Dec. 30, 1945 in Manchester England, died February 29, 2012 from heart disease.
Michael Nesmith, born Dec. 30, 1942 in Houston, Texas, USA, died Dec. 10, 2021 from heart failure.
Mickey Dolenz, born March 8, 1945 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
Peter Tork, born Feb. 13, 1942 in Washington D.C., USA, died Feb. 21, 2019 a decade after being diagnosed with adenoid cystic carcinoma.

The band was not already a group when they first appeared; they were conceived as a rock band for a TV sitcom that aired from 1966 to 1968.

Despite claims otherwise, each member sang or played at least one instrument, and all had musical experience. They were not allowed to play to their best skills or instruments, and the music suffered because of that. They were hampered by restrictions placed on their TV appearances, and in only 2-3 years, the Monkees did not truly exist. They did continue to play in various combinations.

Being the only two living members, and already in their 70s, Nesmith and Dolenz were on a farewell tour in 2018 when Nesmith cancelled the final four gigs due to illness, and passed away in December 2021.