The Monkees star Peter Tork is recovering after undergoing extensive surgery to remove a cancerous tumour on his tongue.

The keyboardist has been diagnosed with a rare form of the disease, called Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma, which was discovered by doctors on the lower part of his tongue.

The 67-year-old, who has also worked as a TV actor, will begin a course of radiation following his operation in New York on Wednesday.

He says, "It's a bad news, good news situation. It's so rare a combination (on the tongue) that there isn't a lot of experience among the medical community about this particular combination.

"On the other hand, the type of cancer it is, never mind the location, is somewhat well known, and the prognosis, I'm told, is good."

And Tork is confident he will soon be back to work playing with his band Shoe Suede Blues.

He says: "Barring any complications, I fully expect to honour a performance date I have this June with Shoe Suede Blues. We're appearing in Manchester, Connecticut and I'm looking forward to that and all our tour dates."