Before he hit it big as a member of the pop-rock group The Monkees in the 1960s, Michael Nesmith served in the U.S. Air Force.
Nesmith was born in Houston, Texas on Dec. 30, 1942 and attended Thomas Jefferson High School in Dallas, where he participated in choral and drama activities. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1960 before he graduated. Nesmith completed basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio and trained as an aircraft mechanic at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Fall, Texas. He was permanently stationed at Clinton-Sherman Air Force Base near Burns Flat, Oklahoma. He obtained a GED certificate and was honorably discharged in 1962.
From 1965 to 1970, Nesmith was a member of The Monkees, writing songs like “The Girl I Knew Somewhere,” “Mary, Mary” and “Listen to the Band” for the group. He was easily identifiable due to the wool hat he wore.
After The Monkees broke up, Nesmith continued writing songs and performing both with groups and as a solo artist.
Related
He helped to pioneer the music video format with his multimedia production and distribution company, Pacific Arts, which he founded in 1974. Nesmith also created one of the first television programs dedicated to music videos in America, Pop Clips, which aired on Nickelodeon in 1980. Prior commitments with his production company led Nesmith to turn down the opportunity to assist in creating MTV.
Related
Nesmith was 78 when he died on Dec. 10 in Carmel Valley, Calif.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.