Dick Dodd, the singer and drummer for Sixties garage-rock group The Standells, passed away this weekend at the age of 68. He had been suffering from stage 4 esophageal  cancer.

Dodd got a start in show business at a very young age, appearing as a Mouseketeer on The Mickey Mouse Club show at age 9. He also performed as a dancer with Ann-Margaret in Bye Bye Birdie in 1963. He began a career in music in 1961 by joining the Bel-Airs, only to leave the group to form Eddie & The Showmen with guitarist Eddie Bertrand. He joined the Standells in 1964. In 1966, they recorded their biggest hit, “Dirty Water.” At the time, the song rose to #11, and it’s since become a garage-rock classic, especially for those who live in the Boston area. The Standells scored later hits with songs like the controversial “Try It” (which was banned in Texas for its sexually suggestive lyrics), “Riot On Sunset Strip” and “Good Guys Don’t Wear White” (which was later covered by seminal American punk band Minor Threat). 

Dodd continued performing with a re-formed version of the Standells until this year. He is survived by his daughter Nicole.