Bobby Pickett, the one hit wonder known for singing and co-writing novelty Hallowe'en anthem 'The Monster Mash' has died at the age of 69 from leukemia. According to his manager, Stuart Hersh, his daughter Nancy and sister Lynda were at his bedside at the time of his death at the West Los Angeles Veterans Hospital.
'Monster Mash' charted three times in the US, on its debut in 1962, again in 1970, and again in 1973. It didn't chart in the UK until 1973, when it got to number 3. It was originally rejected by four major labels before Gary Paxton, lead singer with doo-wop band The Hollywood Argyles, released it on his own label. Pickett released a modified version of the song, 'Climate Mash', in 2005, to protest about inaction on global warming.
Pickett apparently never resented the track for defining his whole career. He told People magazine in 1996: ''When I hear it, I hear a cash register ringing".