The Monkees' Peter Tork: A real musician who also played one on TV

Early on in his life as one-fourth of the Monkees, Peter Tork learned a cruel truth about the gargantuan gulf between image and reality in Hollywood.

He dutifully arrived at a recording studio one day, guitar in hand, after being told some new Monkees songs would be coming together that day.

Upon arrival, he was greeted by "The Monkees" television show's songwriters and producers, Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, who quickly asked why he was there. Confused, Tork told them what seemed obvious to him: He was there to play his parts, he told me a few years ago, while preparing for a 2012 Monkees reunion tour. "They told me, 'No, Peter, you don't understand. You can put the guitar down.' "

They had already finished the session, without so much as a note played by