Mike Nesmith's bandmate Micky Dolenz announced the passing Friday of his longtime friend, Mike Nesmith. He was 78
It was just a month ago when Mike played his last show as a Monkee, and while he was frail and sometimes seemed a bit lost on stage, fans who saw the shows say they could tell he was having the time of his life.
A lot of folks who hear the band name "Monkees" immediately think of them as the "Pre-fab 4" who starred on a silly but groundbreaking TV show in the 60s. But the Monkees, and Mike in particular, were so much more than that.
Mike was a talented musician, songwriter, and groundbreaker in the world of country rock (alt country), even though it was other artists, like the Eagles, who made the world take notice.
You would think that the Beatles would scoff at their American imitators, but that was not the case--in fact Mike was in the room with the band when they finished their masterpiece A Day In The Life!
I was fortunate to see the Monkees in concert in 2014 in Milwaukee. It was Mike's first tour with the band in decades. They honored singer Davy Jones, who had recently passed, and played a set of deep Monkees tracks that you know was very much Mike Nesmith approved. (See the setlist here.)
I know I'm going to be re-listening to my Monkees records this weekend. And I might even throw on that weird and wonderful movie "Head."
Thoughts on the passing of Mike Nesmith
The Monkees at the Riverside Theater in Milwaukee, 2014
Kitty Dunn
By Kitty DunnDec 11, 2021
Kitty Dunn
Although she swears she is not a morning person, Kitty has been helping you wake up for nearly two decades on 105.5 Triple M. Putting to good use…
