Michael Nesmith obit

Michael Nesmith, Monkees Singer-Songwriter, Dead at 78

“With infinite love we announce that Michael Nesmith has passed away this morning in his home, surrounded by family, peacefully and of natural causes,” his family said in a statement

 

He was not on the list.

Monkees singer and guitarist Michael Nesmith, a pop visionary who penned many of the group’s most enduring songs before laying the groundwork for country rock with the First National Band in the early Seventies, died Friday from natural causes. He was 78.

“With infinite love we announce that Michael Nesmith has passed away this morning in his home, surrounded by family, peacefully and of natural causes,” his family said in a statement. “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.”

Nesmith was known as the Monkee in the green wool hat with the thick Texas drawl, and the writer of songs like “Mary, Mary,” “Circle Sky,” “Listen to the Band,” and “The Girl I Knew Somewhere.” But he raged behind the scenes that the group didn’t have creative control of its albums, and in 1967 led the successful rebellion against record producer Don Kirshner. The group would subsequently release Headquarters and other albums created largely on its own.

In a 2012 interview with Rolling Stone, Nesmith explained why he was so adamant that the Monkees write and record their own material despite the huge success they were enjoying at the time. “We were kids with our own taste in music and were happier performing songs we liked – and/or wrote – than songs that were handed to us,” he said. “It made for a better performance. It was more fun. That this became a bone of contention seemed strange to me, and I think to some extent to each of us — sort of “What’s the big deal, why won’t you let us play the songs we are singing?”

Before he even joined the Monkees, Nesmith wrote a breakup song called “Different Drum.” The Monkees producers “said to him, ‘That’s not a Monkees song,’” Micky Dolenz told Rolling Stone in 2016. “Michael said. ‘Wait a minute, I am one of the Monkees.’ He gave it to Linda Ronstadt, and the rest is history.”

When the Monkees dissolved in the late Sixties, Nesmith formed the First National Band. And despite recording three classic country-rock albums, escaping the shadow of the Monkees proved nearly impossible. The group broke up shortly before the Eagles hit big with “Take It Easy.”

“I was heartbroken beyond speech,” Nesmith told Rolling Stone in 2018. “I couldn’t even utter the words ‘the Eagles,’ and I loved Hotel California and I love the Eagles, the Flying Burrito Brothers, and the Byrds’ Sweetheart of the Rodeo, all that stuff. That was right in my wheelhouse, and I was agonized, Van Gogh–agonized, not to compare myself to him, but I wanted to cut something off because I was like, ‘Why is this happening?’ The Eagles now have the biggest-selling album of all time and mine is sitting in the closet of a closed record company?”

Nesmith spent the rest of the Seventies recording under-the-radar solo albums. In 1977, he promoted his single “Rio” with a clever music video that got a lot of play in Europe and Australia, turning the song into a minor hit. It gave him an incredible idea. “[I realized that] radio is to records as television is to video,” he told Rolling Stone in 2013. “Then it was like, ‘Of course!’ and thus MTV was born. I just took that idea and put together some programs and sent it over to Warner Bros. and so forth. Next thing you know, there it was.”

His life changed forever in 1980 when his mother, Liquid Paper inventor Bette Nesmith Graham, died and left him her substantial fortune. He used the money to invest in a series of businesses along with movies like Repo Man and Tapeheads. He didn’t participate in the Monkees reunion tours of the Eighties, leading to the false impression he was ashamed of his pop past.

“Quite the contrary,” he told Rolling Stone in 2013. “It was a nice part of the résumé. It was fun for me and a great time of my life. I mean, where do you want be in the Sixties except the middle of rock & roll, hanging out with the scene? London was an absolute blast, and so was L.A. back then. There was so much going on back then.”

He returned to the Monkees in 1996 for the LP Justus and a brief U.K. tour, but he wouldn’t return on a permanent basis until 2012, when the surviving members toured in the aftermath of Davy Jones’ death. A series of American Monkees tours followed, and he participated in Good Times!, their 2016 comeback LP.

The Monkees launched a farewell tour earlier this year and played their final show at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles on November 14th.

Despite all this, he was never quite sure the Monkees, who were formed by TV producers, were actually a real band. “All three of us have our own ideas,” he told Rolling Stone in 2016. “This being, ‘What is this thing? What have we got here? What’s required of us? Is this a band? Is this a television show?’ When you go back to the genesis of this thing, it is a television show because it has all those traditional beats. But something else was going on, and it struck a chord way out of proportion to the original swing of the hammer. You hit the gong and suddenly it’s huge.”

Monkees singer and guitarist Michael Nesmith, a pop visionary who penned many of the group’s most enduring songs before laying the groundwork for country rock with the First National Band in the early Seventies, died Friday from natural causes. He was 78.

“With infinite love we announce that Michael Nesmith has passed away this morning in his home, surrounded by family, peacefully and of natural causes,” his family said in a statement. “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.”

Nesmith was known as the Monkee in the green wool hat with the thick Texas drawl, and the writer of songs like “Mary, Mary,” “Circle Sky,” “Listen to the Band,” and “The Girl I Knew Somewhere.” But he raged behind the scenes that the group didn’t have creative control of its albums, and in 1967 led the successful rebellion against record producer Don Kirshner. The group would subsequently release Headquarters and other albums created largely on its own.

In a 2012 interview with Rolling Stone, Nesmith explained why he was so adamant that the Monkees write and record their own material despite the huge success they were enjoying at the time. “We were kids with our own taste in music and were happier performing songs we liked – and/or wrote – than songs that were handed to us,” he said. “It made for a better performance. It was more fun. That this became a bone of contention seemed strange to me, and I think to some extent to each of us — sort of “What’s the big deal, why won’t you let us play the songs we are singing?”

Before he even joined the Monkees, Nesmith wrote a breakup song called “Different Drum.” The Monkees producers “said to him, ‘That’s not a Monkees song,’” Micky Dolenz told Rolling Stone in 2016. “Michael said. ‘Wait a minute, I am one of the Monkees.’ He gave it to Linda Ronstadt, and the rest is history.”

When the Monkees dissolved in the late Sixties, Nesmith formed the First National Band. And despite recording three classic country-rock albums, escaping the shadow of the Monkees proved nearly impossible. The group broke up shortly before the Eagles hit big with “Take It Easy.”

“I was heartbroken beyond speech,” Nesmith told Rolling Stone in 2018. “I couldn’t even utter the words ‘the Eagles,’ and I loved Hotel California and I love the Eagles, the Flying Burrito Brothers, and the Byrds’ Sweetheart of the Rodeo, all that stuff. That was right in my wheelhouse, and I was agonized, Van Gogh–agonized, not to compare myself to him, but I wanted to cut something off because I was like, ‘Why is this happening?’ The Eagles now have the biggest-selling album of all time and mine is sitting in the closet of a closed record company?”

Nesmith spent the rest of the Seventies recording under-the-radar solo albums. In 1977, he promoted his single “Rio” with a clever music video that got a lot of play in Europe and Australia, turning the song into a minor hit. It gave him an incredible idea. “[I realized that] radio is to records as television is to video,” he told Rolling Stone in 2013. “Then it was like, ‘Of course!’ and thus MTV was born. I just took that idea and put together some programs and sent it over to Warner Bros. and so forth. Next thing you know, there it was.”

His life changed forever in 1980 when his mother, Liquid Paper inventor Bette Nesmith Graham, died and left him her substantial fortune. He used the money to invest in a series of businesses along with movies like Repo Man and Tapeheads. He didn’t participate in the Monkees reunion tours of the Eighties, leading to the false impression he was ashamed of his pop past.

“Quite the contrary,” he told Rolling Stone in 2013. “It was a nice part of the résumé. It was fun for me and a great time of my life. I mean, where do you want be in the Sixties except the middle of rock & roll, hanging out with the scene? London was an absolute blast, and so was L.A. back then. There was so much going on back then.”

He returned to the Monkees in 1996 for the LP Justus and a brief U.K. tour, but he wouldn’t return on a permanent basis until 2012, when the surviving members toured in the aftermath of Davy Jones’ death. A series of American Monkees tours followed, and he participated in Good Times!, their 2016 comeback LP.

The Monkees launched a farewell tour earlier this year and played their final show at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles on November 14th.

Despite all this, he was never quite sure the Monkees, who were formed by TV producers, were actually a real band. “All three of us have our own ideas,” he told Rolling Stone in 2016. “This being, ‘What is this thing? What have we got here? What’s required of us? Is this a band? Is this a television show?’ When you go back to the genesis of this thing, it is a television show because it has all those traditional beats. But something else was going on, and it struck a chord way out of proportion to the original swing of the hammer. You hit the gong and suddenly it’s huge.”

Actor (16 credits)

 2014 Portlandia (TV Series)

Father of the Mayor

- 3D Printer (2014) ... Father of the Mayor

 1997 Hey, Hey, It's the Monkees (TV Movie)

Mike

 1988 Tapeheads

Water Man

 1987 Burglar

Cabbie

 1985 Michael Nesmith in Television Parts (TV Series)

Host

 1984 An All Consuming Passion (Video)

Academy Award Presenter

 1984 Repo Man

Rabbi (uncredited)

 1982 Timerider: The Adventure of Lyle Swann

Race Official (uncredited)

 1981 An Evening with Sir William Martin (Video short)

Foyer the Butler

 1981 Saturday Night Live (TV Series)

Man in Foreign Film / The Man with the Black Hat

- Robert Hays/14 Karat Soul/Joe 'King' Carrasco & The Crowns (1981) ... Man in Foreign Film (uncredited)

- Ray Sharkey/Jack Bruce & Friends (1981) ... The Man with the Black Hat (voice, uncredited)

 1969 Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (TV Series)

Guest Performer

- Guest Starring The Monkees (1969) ... Guest Performer

 1968 Head

Mike

 1966-1968 The Monkees (TV Series)

Mike / Frank Zappa

- Mijacogeo (1968) ... Mike

- Monkees Blow Their Minds (1968) ... Mike / Frank Zappa

- Some Like It Lukewarm (1968) ... Mike

- Monkees Mind Their Manor (1968) ... Mike

- The Monkees in Paris (1968) ... Mike

1967 The Beatles: A Day in the Life (Music Video)

Michael Nesmith

 1967 The Monkees: Daydream Believer (Music Video)

Michael Nesmith

 1966 The Monkees: I'm A Believer (Music Video)

Michael Nesmith

Music department (6 credits)

 2000 Run-DMC: Together Forever - Greatest Hits 1983-2000 (Video) (composer: song "Mary, Mary")

 1992 Nesmith Live (Video) (musician: guitar/lead vocals)

 1982 Timerider: The Adventure of Lyle Swann (music arranger) / (musician: guitar)

 1981 Elephant Parts (Video) (lyrical composer: songs) / (music composer: songs) / (musician: guitar)

 1969 The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour (TV Series) (performer - 1 episode)

- Jeannie C. Riley & The Monkees (1969) ... (performer)

  The Monkees (TV Series) (song writer - 5 episodes, 1966 - 1967) (song producer - 2 episodes, 1966) (music producer - 1 episode, 1967)

- Find the Monkees (1967) ... (music producer) / (song writer: "Mary, Mary") / (song writer: "Papa Jean's Blues") / (song writer: "Sweet Young Thing")

- One Man Shy (1966) ... (song producer: "You Just May Be The One") / (song writer: "You Just May Be The One")

- I've Got a Little Song Here (1966) ... (song producer: "Mary Mary") / (song writer: "Mary Mary")

Producer (15 credits)

 2018 Untitled Monkees Project (producer - rumored)

 2003 The Lionel Richie Collection (Video documentary) (producer - segment "All Night Long")

 1997 Hey, Hey, It's the Monkees (TV Movie) (executive producer)

 1988 Tapeheads (executive producer)

 1987 Square Dance (producer - uncredited)

 1986 Doctor Duck's Super Secret All-Purpose Sauce (Video) (executive producer)

 1985 Television Parts Home Companion (Video short) (executive producer)

 1985 Television Parts (TV Movie) (executive producer)

 1984 Repo Man (executive producer)

 1983 Lionel Richie: All Night Long (All Night) (Music Video) (producer)

 1982 Timerider: The Adventure of Lyle Swann (producer - uncredited)

 1982 Juice Newton: Love's Been a Little Bit Hard on Me (Music Video) (executive producer)

 1981 An Evening with Sir William Martin (Video short) (executive producer)

 1981 Elephant Parts (Video) (executive producer)

 1977 Rio (Short) (producer)

Soundtrack (32 credits)

 2019 Orange Is the New Black (TV Series) (writer - 1 episode)

- The Hidey Hole (2019) ... (writer: "Different Drum")

 2018 Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (writer: "Mary Mary")

 2018 Juliet, Naked (writer: "Different Drum")

 2014 The 2014 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony (TV Special) ("Different Drum") / (writer: "Different Drum" - uncredited)

 2013 Shed No Tears (music: "Different drum" - as Mike Nesmith) / (writer: "Different drum" - as Mike Nesmith)

 2012 Seven Psychopaths (writer: "Different Drum")

 2012 Breaking Bad (TV Series) (writer - 1 episode)

- Say My Name (2012) ... (writer: "Goin' Down")

 2012 Femme Fatales (TV Series) (writer - 1 episode)

- Crazy Mary (2012) ... (writer: "Mary Mary")

 2011 Poppies (Video) (performer: "Joanne") / (writer: "Joanne")

 2011 Straw Dogs (writer: "Goin' Down")

 2008 The Wrecking Crew! (Documentary) (writer: "Mary Mary")

 2008 In Plain Sight (TV Series) (writer - 1 episode)

- Pilot (2008) ... (writer: "Mary, Mary" - uncredited)

 2007 The Heartbreak Kid (writer: "Different Drum")

 2004 It's All Gone Pete Tong (writer: "Different Dream" - as Nesmith)

 2004 Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (writer: "Different Drum")

 2002 The Monkees: Live Summer Tour (Video) (writer: "The Girl I Knew Somewhere", "Mary Mary", "Goin' Down")

 2001 Things Behind the Sun (writer: "The Girl I Knew Somewhere")

 1998 Daydream Believer (Short) (writer: "Papa Gene's Blues" - as Mike Nesmith)

 1997 Mystery Science Theater 3000 (TV Series) (writer - 1 episode)

- Devil Doll (1997) ... (writer: "Different Drum" - uncredited)

 1997 Hey, Hey, It's the Monkees (TV Movie) (writer: "Circle Sky" - uncredited)

 1997 Hey, Hey We're the Monkees (TV Movie documentary) (writer: "Circle Sky", "Listen to the Band", "Mary, Mary", "Nine Times Blue")

 1992 Nesmith Live (Video) (producer: "Yellow Butterfly", "Laugh Kills Lonesome", "Moon Over The Rio Grande", "Papa Gene's Blues", "Two Different Roads", "Joanne", "Tomorrow And Me", "The Upside Of Good-bye", "Juliana", "Some Of Shelly's Blues", "I Am Not That", "Propinquity", "Harmony Constant", "Silver Moon", "Rising In Love", "Rio", "Different Drum", "I Am Not That (Reprise)") / (writer: "Yellow Butterfly", "Laugh Kills Lonesome", "Moon Over The Rio Grande", "Papa Gene's Blues", "Two Different Roads", "Joanne", "Tomorrow And Me", "The Upside Of Good-bye", "Juliana", "Some Of Shelly's Blues", "I Am Not That", "Propinquity", "Harmony Constant", "Silver Moon", "Rising In Love", "Rio", "Different Drum", "I Am Not That (Reprise)")

 1992 Peter's Friends (performer: "Rio") / (writer: "Rio")

 1985 Television Parts Home Companion (Video short) (arranger: "Eldorado to the Moon") / (performer: "Eldorado to the Moon", "Chow Mein & Bowling", "I'll Remember You") / (producer: "Eldorado to the Moon") / (writer: "I'll Remember You")

 1981 Elephant Parts (Video) (performer: "Cruisin'", "Magic", "Tonight", "Light", "Rio") / (producer: "Cruisin'", "Magic", "Tonight", "Light", "Rio") / (writer: "Cruisin'", "Magic", "Tonight", "Light", "Rio")

 1977 Starsky and Hutch (TV Series) (writer - 1 episode)

- Long Walk Down a Short Dirt Road (1977) ... (writer: "I've Never Loved Anyone More" - uncredited)

 1973 Scarecrow (performer: "Silver Moon" - uncredited) / (writer: "Silver Moon" - uncredited)

 1970 A Walk in the Spring Rain (writer: "Good Clean Fun")

 1969 The Johnny Cash Show (TV Series) (writer - 1 episode)

- Episode #1.6 (1969) ... (writer: "Nine Times Blue")

 1969 33 1/3 Revolutions Per Monkee (TV Movie) (performer: "Naked Persimmon (The Only Thing I Believe Is True)" - uncredited) / (writer: "Naked Persimmon (The Only Thing I Believe Is True)", "Listen to the Band" - uncredited)

 1968 Head (writer: "Circle Sky")

  The Monkees (TV Series) (writer - 29 episodes, 1966 - 1968) (producer - 12 episodes, 1966 - 1967) (performer - 6 episodes, 1966 - 1968)

- Monkees Blow Their Minds (1968) ... (writer: "Daily Nightly" - as Mike Nesmith)

- The Monkees in Paris (1968) ... (writer: "Don't Call On Me" - as Mike Nesmith) / (writer: "Goin' Down")

- The Monkee's Paw (1968) ... (writer: "Goin' Down" - uncredited)

- Monstrous Monkee Mash (1968) ... (writer: "Goin' Down")

- Fairy Tale (1968) ... (performer: "Any Man of Mine" - uncredited) / (writer: "Daily Nightly" - as Mike Nesmith)