Peter Tork, bassist and singer for The Monkees, died Thursday at age 77. The cause of death is unknown. Tork played with the group from their earliest days as a made-for-TV band in the 1960s, through to their recent reunion tours. He was diagnosed with rare tongue cancer in 2009, but made a full recovery and was back on the road with The Monkees in 2012. Tork toured with the band through 2016 when he was sidelined for undisclosed reasons. The musician played a lovable dimwit on The Monkees TV show, but in real life was an accomplished songwriter and performer. He wrote several songs for the group, including “Can You Dig It?” and “For Pete’s Sake.” “While it is true that my health has required a little more attention these days, I’m feeling pretty good,” Tork wrote on Facebook in October. “I’m also cherishing this time with family and friends, and making music... we’ll see what comes down the pipeline. As for the rest, thanks for your good wishes.”