The prime-time hit was inspired in part by the
Beatles film “A Hard Day’s Night” and ran from the fall of 1966
to August 1968.
"With infinite love we announce that Michael Nesmith has passed
away this morning in his home, surrounded by family, peacefully
and of natural causes," the family said. "We thank you for the
love and light that all of you have shown him and us."
The band's albums "The Monkees” and “More of the Monkees," were
back-to-back No. 1 LPs and held the top of the chart for 31
consecutive weeks in 1966-67, according to Variety.com.
The TV series, introduced by its catchy theme, “Hey, Hey, We’re
the Monkees,” was an immediate ratings hit weeks after the
group’s first single, “Last Train to Clarksville,” had topped
the pop charts in the autumn of 1966.
The group collaborated early with some of the major songwriters
and session musicians of the day, including Neil Diamond, Carole
King, Glen Campbell and Hal Blaine.
Their hits included "Mary, Mary," "You Told Me" and "You Just
May Be the One."
Nesmith "expressed the highest part of his being through his
voice. And you could get no closer to him then through knowing
his work," his manager, Andrew Sandoval, said on Twitter.
After the series was canceled, Nesmith branched out with the
First National Band, a country-rock band that produced several
albums in the early 1970s. He also wrote hits for country stars
Linda Ronstadt and Lynn Anderson. He then founded Pacific Arts
Corp, a multimedia firm and won the first-ever Grammy Award for
music video in 1982.
In 1996-97 Nesmith rejoined band members Davy Jones, Peter Tork
and Micky Dolenz to tour Britain, make a reunion album and a TV
special. Jones died in 2012, and Tork died in 2019.
Nesmith’s final show was less than a month ago, when he and
Dolenz ended a farewell tour at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles
on Nov. 14.
"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,"
Dolenz said in a Tweet.
When he was young, Nesmith's mother Bette Nesmith worked as a
secretary, which led to her developing the typewriter correction
fluid known as Liquid Paper.
(Reporting by Tyler Clifford; Editing by Dan Grebler)
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