Michael Nesmith, one of The Monkees, has died at the age of 78, his family have announced.
Michael had heart issues and in 2018 had to cancel the last four Monkees shows while he underwent quadruple bypass heart surgery which kept him in hospital for one month.
In a statement the Nesmith family announced, “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.”
Michael Nesmith, Davy Jones, Peter Tork and Mickey Dolenz formed as The Monkees for a US television show to take advantage of the popularity of The Beatles. The sitcom ran from 1966 to 1968 with the four Monkees relegated to acting in the early days with studio musicians and writers creating all of the songs.
However the four members, all actually competent musicians, took over the production of the music by their third album ‘Headquarters’ which actually featured them playing the instruments.
Michael Nesmith was an accomplished songwriter. One of his early songs ‘Different Drum’ became the first hit for Linda Ronstadt.
Michael’s 1977 hit ‘Rio’ was a number one hit in Australia.
After the break-up of The Monkees, he had a global hit with his country flavoured song ‘Joanne’.
Mickey Dolenz, now the sole surviving Monkee, said,
“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”
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 pic.twitter.com/xe8i5jmNgL— Micky Dolenz (@TheMickyDolenz1) December 10, 2021
Paul Stanley said in a statement,
“WOW! Sometimes it’s hard to know why someone’s passing hits you a certain way but this is another one that hit me. I watch my world change as people that I thought to be timeless pass on, and that is sobering. Lives end and life goes on. RIP Mike Nesmith”.
WOW! Sometimes it's hard to know why someone's passing hits you a certain way but this is another one that hit me. I watch my world change as people that I thought to be timeless pass on, and that is sobering. Lives end and life goes on. RIP Mike Nesmith. https://t.co/AzeMLLe96F
— Paul Stanley (@PaulStanleyLive) December 10, 2021
Michael Nesmith was a video pioneer. Nesmith created the television show ‘Popclips’ for Nickelodeon back in 1980. It eventually made its way to MTV. In 1992 he won a Grammy Award for Best long form music video for his one hour ‘Elephant Parts’. That evolved to the television show ‘Elephant Parts’ where unknowns like Jerry Seinfeld, Jay Leno and Whoopi Goldberg got their first break.
Michael Nesmith died at his home in Carmel Valley, California. His family said he died “peacefully and of natural causes”.
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