Michael Nesmith, singer, guitarist and songwriter with 1960s pop group The Monkees, has died at the age of 78. The Monkees enjoyed great success with hits like Daydream Believer and I’m A Believer, and starred in their own popular TV sitcom. The Monkees were originally manufactured by producers as a band to appear on a TV series and create music.
A statement from Nesmith’s family read
“With infinite love we announce that Michael Nesmith has passed away this morning in his home, surrounded by family, peacefully and of natural causes.”
“We ask that you respect our privacy at this time and we thank you for the love and light that all of you have shown him and us.”
Micky Dolenz, now the only remaining member posted the following on his Facebook page:
“I’m heartbroken. I’ve lost a dear friend and partner. I’m so grateful that we could spend the last couple of months together doing what we loved best – singing, laughing, and doing shtick. I’ll miss it all so much. Especially the shtick.
Rest in peace, Nez.
All my love,
Micky”
Fellow Monkees members Peter Tork died in February 2019 and singer Davy Jones died in 2012.
Although most of The Monkees music was written by a team of writers including Boyce and Hart, Nesmith was a songwriter well before the creation of the band. Most famously he wrote “Different Drum” sung by Linda Ronstadt with the Stone Poneys. Post-Monkees, Mike Nesmith continued his successful songwriting and performing career, first with the seminal country rock group the First National Band and then as a solo artist. He had several hits in Australia including Joanne, Silver Moon, and Rio. He also earned critical acclaim as executive producer of the cult film Repo Man and won the first Grammy Award presented in the category of Video of the Year for his long from music video Elephant Parts, a show which eventually morphed into MTV.
Michael Nesmith inherited half of his mother’s fortune from her invention of the correction fluid Liquid Paper, which he helped bottle in their garage when he was young.
In February 2019 Australian Musician editor Greg Phillips had the pleasure of sitting down with Michael Nesmith at The Troubadour In Hollywood prior to one of his gigs. Nesmith and Dolenz toured Australia later that year.
RIP Michael Nesmith