Monkees singer Davy Jones has died, but his music will live on with fans.
So will his creation of one of rock's most chilling legends: The one about Charles Manson once auditioning for the cast of "The Monkees."
It's a legend still being repeated in the various Jones tribute pieces and obituaries, but it is untrue: Manson was behind bars during the show's tryouts and, pushing 30, would have been too old to be cast.
What is less known about the legend is its creator. According to Snopes.com, the alleged audition never occurred, but the website reported that the rumor's creator is unknown.
In 1999, Jones confessed to FlashNews.com that he was the culprit.
Sometime after the Tate-LaBianca Murders made Manson infamous, Jones jokingly told a reporter Manson was a "Monkees" candidate. Apparently the story caught fire because it is up there with rock folklore like the notion that Jim Morrison is still alive, that Mama Cass choked on a ham sandwich and that there is a "27 club," whose members include Kurt Cobain, Amy Wineshouse and Janis Joplin.
Jones told reporter Baird Jones that he had been reluctant to tell the truth for years because he feared it would just reinforce the false rumor.