The Monkees hitmaker Bobby Hart has died: what happened to him.

According to The Sun: Songwriter of the MONKEES Bobby Hart passed away at home in Los Angeles at the age of 86.

Hart played a key role in the famous pop group of the 1960s, helping to create hits like 'Last Train to Clarksville' and 'I’m Not Your Steppin’ Stone.'

Bobby Hart passed away at home in Los Angeles at the age of 86. Shine Productions Getty

The news of Hart's death came today through his friend and co-writer Glenn Ballantyne.

Hart's health had been declining after a hip fracture he suffered last year.

He gained the most popularity working with Tommy Boyce in writing songs for the Monkees.

The group consisted of Mickey Dolenz, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork.

Together with Boyce, Hart created songs like 'Last Train to Clarksville', which became the Monkees' first number one, and '(I’m Not Your) Steppin’ Stone.'

Born Robert Luke Harshman, Hart also wrote the theme for their television show 'The Monkees.'

The series told the story of the antics of four young guys who formed the rock band The Monkees.

Mickey Dolenz, the Monkees star, even noted that Hart helped the group achieve their boldest dreams in the music industry. He wrote in the foreword to Hart's memoir, *Psychedelic Bubblegum*, in 2015: 'I always think of them not only for writing many of our biggest hits but also as producers who played an important role in creating the unique Monkee sound that we all know and love.'

After parting ways with the group, Hart and Boyce continued to work together.

They released albums *Test Patterns* and *I Wonder What She’s Doing Tonite*.

This duo even gained popularity on television, appearing in sitcoms such as *I Dream of Jeannie* and *Bewitched*.

Both musicians made history by writing the theme for the famous daytime soap opera *Days of Our Lives*.

Unfortunately, Boyce passed away in 1994.

In 2014, the duo was recognized in the documentary *The Guys Who Wrote ‘Em*.

Hart, a native of Phoenix, Arizona, was married twice, most recently to singer Mary Ann Hart. He is survived by two children.

Who were the Monkees?

Mickey Dolenz, Peter Tork, Davy Jones, and Michael Nesmith made up the legendary rock band The Monkees in the late 1960s.

The group was created in 1965 by television producers Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider specifically for a sitcom of the same name.

However, Nesmith actively lobbied for artistic control over the group, protesting against producer Don Kirshner.

He sought for the Monkees to become a real rock band, rather than just characters in a comedy show.

As a result, in 1967 the band released the album *Headquarters* and other recordings created by themselves.

The group disbanded in 1970, but reunited in 1986 to celebrate their 20th anniversary, continuing to perform their hits for decades to follow.

Davy Jones passed away in 2012, Peter Tork in 2019, and Michael Nesmith in 2021, leaving Mickey Dolenz as the only living member of the band.

The Monkees consisted of Mickey Dolenz, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork. Mickey Dolenz is the only surviving member of the band. Getty The loss of Bobby Hart became yet another tragic chapter in the history of the Monkees, marking a gradual farewell to the members of the legendary group that left an indelible mark on 60s music. His artistry and contribution to the industry will always be remembered by fans.