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MusicUnited States of America

Michael Nesmith of rock band The Monkees dies

December 11, 2021

The quartet's hits included "Daydream Believer" and "I'm A Believer." They starred in their own popular TV sitcom with the theme tune: "Hey, Hey We're The Monkees."

https://p.dw.com/p/447FI
The Monkees Farewell Tour with Michael Nesmith and Micky Dolenz
Nesmith will be best remembered for playing the role of the wool-hatted, guitar-strumming member of The MonkeesImage: MPI04/Captital Pictures/picture alliance

Michael Nesmith, who shot to fame in the 1960s as a member of the US rock band The Monkees, died on Friday at the age of 78, his family said in a statement.

The singer-songwriter and actor who had undergone quadruple bypass surgery in 2018, died
at home of natural causes, his family said.

Nesmith rose to prominence in September 1966 when he performed the role of the woolly-hatted, guitar-playing member of the made-for-television band The Monkees.

The Monkees: Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork
Nesmith was a struggling singer-songwriter when he saw an ad to perform in"The Monkees" alongside David Jones, Micky Dolenz and Peter TorkImage: WME/Warner Music/dpa/picture alliance

Fellow bandmate Dolenz: 'I'm heartbroken'

The show turned him and group members Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork and David Jones into overnight stars.

Nesmith had been on tour until just a few weeks ago and Dolenz, the only surviving member of The Monkees, took to Twitter to pay tribute to his "dear friend and partner."

"I'm heartbroken," he continued. "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."

Nesmith also worked in film industry, wrote books

The group split up in 1970, but Nesmith's journey in show business didn't end there. He went on to enjoy a long and creative career, not only as a musician but as a writer, producer and director of films. He wrote several books, became head of a media arts company and creator of a music video format that led to the creation of MTV.

But it will be his break in the mid-1960s, when he saw a trade publication ad seeking "four insane boys" to play musicians in a rock band modeled on the Beatles, that he will be best remembered for.

jsi/wd (Reuters, AP, dpa)