Bobby Hart, Monkees Hitmaker, Dies at 86

Lead Veteran songwriter Bobby Hart, co-writer of dozens of Monkees hits, died Friday at 86 after a long illness in Los Angeles, his family confirmed on Sunday.

Nut Graf Hart’s passing marks the end of a six-decade career during which he penned chart-topping songs for The Monkees and other 1960s icons, shaping the sound of pop-rock and soap-opera theme music.

Career Highlights

• Co-wrote The Monkees’ early classics, including “(Theme from) The Monkees” and “Last Train to Clarksville,” alongside Tommy Boyce.
• Penned hits for Jay & the Americans, Paul Revere & the Raiders and Little Anthony & the Imperials, notably “Hurt So Bad”.
• Composed the enduring theme for Days of Our Lives, heard on daytime TV since 1965.
• Earned an Academy Award nomination for “Over You” from Tender Mercies (1983) and received multiple Grammy and Golden Globe nods over his career.

Tributes and Legacy Monkees drummer Micky Dolenz mourned Hart as “another great gone,” praising his “incredible gift for melody and storytelling”. Fans and fellow musicians have flooded social media with memories of Hart’s generosity and talent.

Subheadings for Quick Scan The Monkees Connection

• Wrote and produced music for the band’s pilot and first-season soundtrack.
• Backed by Boyce & Hart’s Candy Store Prophets before being replaced by Monkees’ own recordings.

Later Years and Impact

• Continued writing solo and with collaborators, releasing The First Bobby Hart Solo Album in 1983.
• Remained active in songwriting workshops in Nashville and Los Angeles.
• Influenced generations of pop and TV composers with his concise, hook-driven style.

Hart’s death on September 11, 2025, closes a chapter on a creator whose melodies remain woven into American pop culture.