The Monkees' Michael Nesmith Dies At 78

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Michael Nesmith,  guitarist and singer of the 60s group The Monkees, passed away Friday at the age of 78. According to his family he died “peacefully and of natural causes.”

Less than a month ago Michael and Micky Dolenz, now the only surviving member of the band, wrapped a farewell tour at L.A.’s Greek Theatre. 

“I’m heartbroken. I’ve lost a dear friend and partner,” Mickey shared in a statement. “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.”

The Monkees, featuring Nesmith, Dolenz, Davy Jones and Peter Tork, were put together specifically for an NBC series which lasted from 1966 to 1968. Their first two albums, “The Monkees” and “More of the Monkees,” went to number one, and held the top spot on the chart for 31 straight weeks. They are best known for their three number one songs “Last Train to Clarksville,” “I’m a Believer” and “Daydream Believer.”

But Nesmith was known for more than just The Monkees. He wrote songs for other artists, including  Linda Ronstadt's debut with the Stone Poneys “Different Drum” and Lynn Anderson’s 1975 country hit “I’ve Never Loved Anyone More.”

In the seventies, Nesmith founded the multimedia firm Pacific Arts Corp, which eventually produced music videos and was responsible for the show “PopClips,” which has been credited for the idea that lead to the creation of MTV. 

Source: Variety